Fresh Start for Mansfield Youth Services Following Review

Published on 01 July 2022

After significant disruption to services during the COVID pandemic and restrictions, Mansfield Shire Council has reviewed its youth services to ensure they continued to meet the needs of young people and the community.

Council engaged a consultant to conduct a comprehensive community consultation and put forward recommendations that considered community sentiment, modern best practice and how the service could be best placed to meet the needs of young people into the future.

Changes to the youth service include:

  • Council will no longer operate a youth drop-in centre. Instead, the Youth Centre will continue to be used as a youth space but will also be used by other community groups.
  • Young people will lead the design and development of youth programs, services and activities
  • External funding will complement service delivery, allowing Council to expand its involvement and proceed with a more structured approach to youth services.

Mayor Cr James Tehan said he was pleased with the outcome of the youth services review.

“The review allows us to answer how Council’s services and resources can best meet the needs of young people in the Shire now and into the future,” said Cr Tehan.

“We’re building more structure into the program, allowing young people to lead the programs they see as most important while refocusing the service to strategically meet the needs of younger people. We want to deliver a service that is valued by the community and delivers strong results with efficient use of ratepayer funds.

“Thank you to everyone who contributed to the youth review by participating in the community consultation.”

The new Youth Program structure will be complemented with external funding, which will allow Council to expand resourcing with two additional staff. Funding from Bushfire Recovery ‘Future Proof: Young People, Disaster Recovery and (Re)building Communities’ Project through a grant from Youth Affairs Council Victoria (YACVic) will see a new program commence this year for a period of two years. Other youth programs, including Engage!, FReeZa and L2P will also continue.

Council is seeking a Youth Program Coordinator to lead the new team and engage young people in the service. Go to https://www.mansfield.vic.gov.au/Council/Work-With-Us/Career-Job-Opportunities

 

for more information about careers in youth services.

 

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