Quantum Support Services
Website: http://www.quantum.org.au
Contact: 1800 243 455
Address: 65 Macalister Street, Bairnsdale
Youth services they offer:
Finding solutions is a creative support service that works with young people from 12-18 years and their families to build better relationships. It includes using mediation and intervention to resolve behaviours and/or issues that place family relationships at risk of breakdown.
Finding Solutions (FS) – Quantum
Leaving Care Housing Support is a regional service aimed at achieving better outcomes for young people aged between 16 and 21, who are leaving or have exited Out of Home Care.
Leaving Care Housing Support – Quantum
Adolescents Building Connections: The Adolescents Building Connections program provides the skills, understanding, and learnings to encourage positive change in adolescents and to form healthy and respectful relationships.
This program is for young males and females 12-17 (held in single-gender groups) who may or are at risk of demonstrating aggression, controlling, or abusive behaviours.
Adolescents Building Connections (ABC) – Quantum
Adolescent Support Program: The specialist Adolescent Support Program supports young people aged between 12 and 17 years and their families across Gippsland. They can assist with developing and working toward goals for your future.
The Adolescent Support Program is an intensive outreach service that supports Young People living at home or in placement.
Adolescent Support Program (ASP) – Quantum
Adolescent Parent Support: The Adolescent Parent Support Program (APS) provides support specifically for adolescents who are parents or soon-to-be parents. Adolescent Parent Support (APS) believes that every child should have the opportunity to reach their fullest potential in a safe home and community that promotes development.
Adolescent Parent Support (APS) – Quantum
Youth Justice Community Support Services: Youth Justice Community Support Services assists clients across Gippsland to complete their Youth Justice Order and connect to the community and pro-social activities. Support can include access to mainstream services, including education, employment, health, counselling, housing, multicultural, youth-specific, and recreation.
Young people aged 12 to 21 who are on a Youth Justice Order. A Youth Justice Case Manager assesses a young person’s suitability to be referred to Youth Justice Community Support Service.
Youth Justice Community Support Services (YJCSS) – Quantum
Reconnect: Reconnect helps young people between the ages of 12 and 18 (or 12 and 21 for newly arrived young people) who are at risk of becoming homeless. The goal is to give young people the tools to settle their living arrangements, stay connected and build supportive relationships.
Better Futures – Transitioning from Care: Deliver several programs that support young people as they move into adulthood.
Suitable for Young people aged from 15 years and nine months until their 21st birthday can access support if they have been on an eligible Child Protection order. The programs delivered under the banner of Better Futures include: Better Futures, Homestretch, Planning to Succeed, and Leaving Care Housing and Support.
Better Futures – Transitioning from Care – Quantum
Berry Street Victoria
Website: Berry Street – child & family services, family… | Berry Street
Contact: (03) 5134 5971
Youth services they offer:
Youth engagement (Y-Change): Y-Change is a social and systemic change platform for young people aged 18 to 30 with lived experiences of socioeconomic disadvantage. As Lived Experience Consultants, the teamwork to challenge the thinking and practices of social systems through advocacy and leadership.
Youth engagement (Y-Change) | Berry Street
GOALS program: Berry Street’s GOALS (Going Out and Living Successfully) program provides support and accommodation for homeless young people at risk of homelessness or about to leave out-of-home care. The program helps young people who have experienced disadvantages to develop the skills and approach they need to live independently. GOALS is located across two properties in Traralgon and Morwell.
Driving support and mentoring (TAC L2P program): Many young people in our community need help to get the driving experience they need for their probationary license. The TAC L2P program matches young learners aged 16 to 21 with a fully-licensed volunteer driver and practice car to help them gain driving experience. The Department of Transport manages the program. Berry Street and other community organizations deliver the program across Victoria.
Driving support and mentoring (TAC L2P program) | Berry Street
Changing Lanes campus – Bairnsdale Secondary Collage
Website: Community Directories – ourcommunity.com.au
Contact: (03) 5152 7322
Youth services they offer:
VCAL: is an alternative campus of the Bairnsdale Secondary College targeting young people in the 15-19 year age group in East Gippsland who are ‘out of school’ and considered to be at risk. The VCAL provides an applied learning context that encourages educational practices and methodologies reflecting adult learning and youth development principles. Changing Lanes is designed to suit young people who are not suited to the mainstream model of schooling. The Changing Lanes cohort is characterized by a range of social dysfunctions including marginalization from the community, low self-esteem, bullying (both as bullies and victims), unstable home environment, poverty, poor literacy and numeracy skills, homelessness, and juvenile justice history.
Community Directories – ourcommunity.com.au
AGA Apprenticeships Group Australia
Website: AGA Apprenticeships Plus | Part of the IntoWork Group
Contact: 1300 242 000
Youth services they offer:
School-based apprenticeships and traineeships (SBAT): school-based Apprenticeships and Traineeships are a great way to get a head-start in an industry that interests you. You can start your SBAT in Year 10, Year 11, or Year 12.
School-based apprentices and trainees (SBAT) | AGA
YoDAA Youth Drug & Alcohol Advice
Website: Home | YoDAA
Contact: 1800 458 685
Youth services they offer:
Outreach support: Outreach is a responsive, flexible way to support young people. Support is delivered where young people live, hang out and feel comfortable.
Outreach is great if a fair bit is going on in your life besides using drugs or alcohol. It’s good if you need some practical support to get stuff sorted at the same time as dealing with drugs or alcohol-especially if there aren’t many other people that can help you out in this way.
Center-based counseling and support: Center-based counselling and support are when you go to a particular youth centre, program, or clinic for a set appointment. Usually, you make your way there. Centre-based counselling is great when you want help with a particular issue, and you think you are in a position to get yourself to appointments on time.
Centre-based counselling and support | YoDAA
Short term residential support: Short-term residential support is usually called ‘youth residential withdrawal’. Some young people even call it “detox”, but there is a bit more to it. This support type is where you can stay up to two weeks in a safe, drug and alcohol-free space with other people similar age to you. Residential units are staffed around the clock, so there is always a worker with you.
Short-term residential support | YoDAA
TAFE Gippsland (TAFE)
Website: Home – TAFE Gippsland
Contact: (03) 5120 4500
Youth services they offer:
Foundations, VCE VM & VCE: allows you to complete secondary education outside of schools suitable for disadvantaged youth. Some courses are offered online, allowing isolated young people to finish their secondary education.
Foundation, VCAL & VCE – TAFE Gippsland
Centres Against Sexual Assault (CASAs)
Website: Home – Gcasa
Contact: 1800 806 292
Youth services they offer:
Family Support: Provides a specialist and holistic support service to adults, children, young people, and their families, whether the sexual assault is recent or occurred in the past.
headspace Bairnsdale
headspace is the National Youth Mental Health Foundation. We are a one-stop-shop for young people who need help with mental health, physical health (including sexual health), alcohol & other drugs or work & study support.
At headspace Bairnsdale we provide a range of FREE services and groups to support young people, aged 12-25 years. To find out about our services and headspace groups, or to make an appointment – you can call, email or just drop in. A friend, family member, health care worker or educator can also make the appointment on your behalf.
For more information, visit headspace.org.au/Bairnsdale or contact us directly:
Ph: 5141 6200
Email: info@headspacebairnsdale.org.au
Bulk Billing GP: We have a GP who provides appointments that are welcoming, safe, culturally appropriate and inclusive of all young people. The GP can support with a range of common medical conditions, chat about mental health and treatment options, do sexual health checks and talk about contraception, provide referrals to other services and more.
headspace Bairnsdale also offer general health promotion, psychoeducation sessions, and community engagement activities that can be tailored to the needs of schools and students. Based on general wellbeing, mental health, work and study support, etc. it can be delivered in any setting to young people 12-25.
Enhancing Mental Health Services in Schools (EMHSS): Young people referred to our EMHSS service can present with mild to moderate mental health, social or other wellbeing concerns. It is designed to be a brief intervention <6 sessions, and young people must be enrolled in a government secondary school to access the program. Delivered within high schools at Maffra, Bairnsdale, Lakes Entrance, and Yarram.
Groups: At headspace Bairnsdale we have a range of groups to support young people. These include:
UBU – Unique But United (UBU) is an LGBTIQA+ support group for young people aged 12-25 years who want to meet other sexually and gender diverse people and allies in a safe and supportive space. The UBU Group discusses information tailored to the needs of the young people, issues that are faced by LGBTIQA+ youth and ways to overcome them. The group meets fortnightly.
ASD Games Group – The ASD Games Group is a social group for young people aged 12-25 years who have Autism. The Games Group meets fortnightly.
socialspace – An inclusive social group for young people aged 12-25 years to meet new people and make new friends in a safe and supportive environment. The group meets fortnightly.
Tuning in to Teens – This is a free six-session parenting program for parents and carers of young people that promotes emotionally intelligent parenting. The program is run several times during the year.
Lakes Entrance Neighborhood House
Website: Home (lakesnhouse.org)
Contact: (03) 5155 2277
Youth services they offer:
Food Assistance
Craft activities
Girl Guides
Drama Groups
Assistance with mobile phones and tablets
Social knitting, crochet and spinning
Tax assistance (Assistance with setting a mygov account to file tax returns)
Anglicare
Website: Anglicare Victoria: Transforming the Futures of Children
Contact: 03 5671 0000
Youth services they offer:
Family Services: Support is delivered through a range of tailored services to strengthen families and improve the wellbeing of children. These programs aim to increase parenting confidence and capacity, which leads to better opportunities and outcomes for children. Referrals to Family Services come through either The Orange Door or Child FIRST – depending on where you live. Contact details for The Orange Door and Child FIRST services across Victoria can be found on the DHHS Website.
Family Services Referral Points:
The Orange Door is the access point for women, children, and young people experiencing family violence or families who need assistance with the care and wellbeing of children to access the services they need to be safe and supported.
Child FIRST Some families need family services support when experiencing difficulties impacting their parenting and family life. Child FIRST (Child and family information, referral, and support teams) are an entry point into family services. Child FIRST teams are in sites across Victoria and are delivered in your local area by community service organizations.
Family Services – Anglicare Victoria
Youth Drug and Alcohol Programs: AV’s Youth alcohol and/or drug (AOD) programs support young people (12-25 years) who require early intervention and/or alcohol and drug treatment to stabilise, reduce or cease harmful alcohol and drug use. Support is also offered to the young person’s parent/carer.
Our youth programs deliver alcohol and/or drug (AOD) treatment using an engagement model of outreach, assessment, targeted interventions such as counselling, linkage to support services, education and training and meaningful life activities.
Youth Drug and Alcohol Programs – Anglicare Victoria
Compass, A Program for Care Leavers: COMPASS is funded by one of Victoria’s first social impact bonds, an innovative partnership between Anglicare Victoria, VincentCare, the Victorian Government and private investors. It is designed to deliver better outcomes for care leavers and pass on savings to investors in the program.
Compass, A Program for Care Leavers – Anglicare Victoria
Kids Help Line
Website: Kids Helpline | Phone Counselling Service | 1800 55 1800
Contact: 1800 551 800
Youth services they offer:
Phone counselling for 5 to 25-year-olds: People in this age range can access counselling for any reason.
Bully Zero Australian Foundation
Website: School Programs | Bully Zero
Contact: 1800 028 559
Youth services they offer:
New Beginnings: This program is designed to support year 6 and 7 students transitioning from primary school to high school to help and support them through the uncertainty and challenges such as bullying that may arise during this period.
Delivery via face-to-face or live webinar.
Understanding Bullying: young people are provided with evidence-based information on bullying, the different types of bullying, and its impact on young people. Participants are also taught a variety of strategies to help them assess and respond to bullying situations while identifying and understanding the role of bystanders. Suitable for years prep to year 12.
Delivered via face-to-face or live webinar.
Safetynet: Young people are provided with information about cyberbullying and online safety. This includes learning about cyberbullying is how it can be recognised. It also provides practical opportunities to build skills to help young people develop personal strategies to protect themselves online and is suitable for years 4 to 12. Delivered via face-to-face or live webinar.
Getting Workforce Ready – Workplace bully: This session focuses on preparing young people to transition to the workplace. It will improve awareness and capacity for preventing and responding to bullying issues in the workplace and improve knowledge and understanding of support pathways for employees regarding workplace bullying. Suitable for 16 – 24-year-olds delivered via face-to-face or live webinar.
Gippsport East Gippsland Street Games
Website: Fun and free, just rock up to our street games – Latrobe Street Games
Contact: 0476 000 304
Youth services they offer:
Street games are a series of supervised activities and games for teenagers and young adults that run across Gippsland. They engage in fun, informal sports such as skateboarding, dodgeball and 3×3 basketball to encourage more physical activity and social engagement in young people.
East Gippsland – GippSport Streetgames (latrobestreetgames.com.au)
Women’s Domestic Violence Crisis Service of Victoria Inc
Website: Safe Steps Family Violence Response Centre
Contact: 1800 015 188
Youth services they offer:
Safe Steps Live Web Chat Support: Chats are anonymous and available to anyone experiencing or afraid of family violence regardless of age, gender, sexuality or gender identity.
Family violence and domestic violence online support – Safe Steps Victori
Federation University (TAFE)
Website: Federation University Australia – Federation University Australia
Contact: 1800 333 864
Youth services they offer:
Step Up was designed to develop literacy, numeracy, and general education skills and provides an alternative to Year 10. The program is for students between 15 and 19 years old who have not achieved Year 10 (or equivalent).
Step up – Certificate I in General Education for Adults – Federation University Australia
Kick Start is a re-engagement program for 15 to 17-year-olds at risk of leaving the education system (Ballarat, Bacchus Marsh, and Maryborough).
Kick Start – Certificate I in General Education for Adults – Federation University Australia
VCAL programs aim to enable students to prepare and pursue diverse higher-level education and training pathways at FedUni.
There are three levels of the VCAL program; Foundation, Intermediate (VET pathway), and Senior (VET pathway).
Foundation develops students’ knowledge and employable skills, with a strong emphasis on literacy and numeracy. The program is for 15-19-year-olds who have not achieved year 10 (or equivalent). Intermediate focuses on ‘hands-on learning’ students in years 11 and 12.
Both Foundation and Intermediate programs are recognised senior secondary qualifications.
Senior VCAL is for secondary students who want to continue their training through TAFE/VET as apprentices or go into the workforce. You can combine senior secondary literacy and numeracy skills with VET programs such as automotive, hair and beauty.
Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) – Federation University Australia
Vocational Education and Training (VET)
In conjunction with Intermediate or Senior VCAL, students may undertake one of the following VET programs (subject to confirmation):
- Automotive
- Beauty
- Engineering
- Hospitality
- Community Services
Adaptive Community Education (ACE): Designed for students studying in any Kick-Start, Step Up, Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) Intermediate or Senior. FLO offers students additional time, additional support, or focused support in small groups or one-on-one situations while working towards completing their chosen qualification.
Adaptive Community Education (ACE) – Federation University Australia
VET in Schools: Our Vocational Education and Training (VET) in Schools (VETiS) program offers a broad suite of VET qualifications specifically packaged for students undertaking a senior secondary school qualification such as Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) or Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning program (VCAL). VET programs provide a more vocational VCE or VCAL experience, expand opportunities for senior secondary students, link students to industry and training providers, help meet industry needs, and prepare young people for the future workplace. VCE VET programs are fully-recognised within the units 1-4 structure of the VCE and can contribute to the satisfactory completion of the VCE or VCAL certificate. Importantly, VETiS allows students to explore career options and pathways.
VETiS – Federation University Australia
WorkWays
Website: Gippsland Engaged Mentoring (GEM) | Workways Australia
Contact: 1800 631 196
Youth services they offer:
The Gippsland Engaged Mentoring (GEM) program: has operated across East Gippsland since 2002. The program engages with young people in Orbost, Lakes Entrance, Swifts Creek and Bairnsdale. Young people who may be ‘at risk’ of disengagement from school or community are connected with adult volunteer mentors who provide support and conversation for one hour per week.
Gippsland Engaged Mentoring (GEM) | Workways Australia
Bravehearts
Website: Bravehearts | Australia’s Leading Child Protection Organisation
Contact: 1800 272 831
Youth services they offer:
PROJECTYOU! is an interactive prevention workshop that encourages students to engage and actively participate in important and meaningful conversations and activities about relationships and consent. This program focuses on students‘ strengths, skills, and knowledge to help them navigate difficult situations and decisions they may be faced with.
Consent Education For High School Students | Bravehearts
(Respectful relationships, consent and personal safety program for years 7 to 12)
COUNSELLING: Bravehearts’ counselling services are provided by psychologists, social workers and counsellors who specialise in assisting children, young people and families to work through the trauma they have experienced using evidence-based interventions and best practices.
THE NATIONAL REDRESS SCHEME: The National Redress Scheme acknowledges and supports people who experienced institutional child sexual abuse. It was created in response to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, which estimated that 60,000 people experienced institutional child sexual abuse in Australia.
National Redress Scheme | Bravehearts
Windermere
Phone: 1300946337
Website: For Young People | Windermere
Youth services they offer:
Mums and Bubs: Mums & Bubs is a program for young and single mothers facing homelessness. It provides medium-term accommodation while equipping mums with the necessary life skills to get back on their feet and support their children in the long term.
Victims Assistance Support: Victims Assistance Program (VAP) is a voluntary program that provides confidential information, advice, and support for the needs that arise as a direct consequence of a violent crime, including family violence, sexual assault, physical assault, and homicide. VAP staff aim to assist victims in effectively managing and recovering from the direct consequence of these crimes and tailor services to individual needs.
Victims Assistance Support | Windermere
Placement Prevention Counselling for children and young people experiencing trauma and the breakdown of family relationships.
Placement Prevention Counselling | Windermere
Family Services: Staff work with you to ensure children are safe, stable, and achieve development. The service provides parenting support and outreach services to meet your family’s goals and needs. It also provides support for families with issues affecting the growth and development of their children and the family as a whole.
Engaging Families: A program in partnership with Taskforce Community Agency. Helping families who experience family violence and substance abuse or mental health issues to access counselling services, care and recovery and parenting supports.
Engaging Families of domestic violence program | Windermere
The Sanctuary
The Sanctuary: this is a safe haven for Mallacoota’s young people to be together, support each other and develop skills as leaders as they continue to recover from the fire events of the summer of 2020.
The Sanctuary provides teenagers and young adults a platform to share their voices in this community. It is a place where participants can feel safe to express themselves and explore ideas. Mallacoota’s youth use the space to study, play music, make art, play games, organise programs and events and run workshops.
Gippsland and East Gippsland Aboriginal Co-operative
Contact: Contact Us – Gippsland & East Gippsland Aboriginal Co-Operative Ltd. (gegac.org.au)
Youth services they offer:
Nungurra Youth Accommodation: Nungurra provides a home-like residential environment for youth that are no longer able to live at home.
Nungurra is a supportive and safe place for young people experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness.
Both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal aged between 16 and 21 years of age are welcome at Nungurra.
Nungurra assists young people to develop their living skills and to secure longer term housing, along with supporting young people to continue at school, training, sport, employment, or other activities that will benefit them immediately and into their future.
Support includes
- Independent living skills
- Links to education, training and employment
- Referral to services such as alcohol & other drugs, legal, mental health, GP and psychologists.
- Navigating Centrelink
- Learners driving hours.
- Finding connection to the community
Latrobe Regional Hospital
Contact: Children, adolescents and their families may be referred by any concerned adult.
All require parental or guardian consent. In some circumstances older adolescents may refer themselves.
It is useful for the child or young person to be seen by a General Practitioner before the referral.
The General Practitioner may wish to make the referral and continue involvement following an assessment.
You can make a referral or seek advice 24-hours a day through the Mental Health Triage Service on 1300 363 322
Website: Home – Latrobe Regional Hospital (lrh.com.au)
Youth Services they offer:
Child and Youth Mental Health Service: see children and young people up to the age of 18 years.
Some of the disturbances we assess and provide treatment for include:
- anxiety
- attention deficit hyperactivity
- autism
- children and young people experiencing suicidal thoughts/behaviour
- depression
- eating disorders
- obsessive behaviours
- other symptoms related to significant emotional/psychological problems
- post-traumatic stress reactions
- relationship difficulties.
After being referred to the service, a young person will be assessed by one or more clinicians. They come from a number of different disciplines including social work, occupational therapy, psychology, psychiatric nursing and child psychiatry.
In some cases hospital admission may be required and this may be at the Flynn Unit at Latrobe Regional Hospital which provides intensive assessment and treatment services. A case manager will remain involved with the young person and their carer throughout their hospital stay.
CYMHS also provides specialist advice through education, consultancy and collaboration with other service providers.
We also have a mobile outreach service to ensure young people receive the care they need, wherever they may be.
Child and Youth Mental Health Service – Latrobe Regional Hospital (lrh.com.au)