In Hume City, and in Melbourne’s northern suburbs generally, there is widespread optimism that confidence in the economy will be sustained and that even more investment and jobs will be created. In spite of times of hope and plenty, there are problems. Many families are struggling to make ends meet, and this often leads to arguments and fractures in the family.
Negative consequences include the break up of family units and the subsequent disenfranchisement of young people, who feel neglected by society.
Young people may express their dissatisfaction in a number of ways, including taking drugs, committing criminal acts or in extreme cases, taking their own lives.
With these factors in mind, Hume City Council is proud to be a sponsor of the internationally acclaimed Youth At Risk Empowerment Program.
This initiative is designed to help young people most at risk. The Program has worked overseas because it attempts to place the burden of responsibility back on the young person.
While many similar programs have adopted this approach, Youth At Risk does it in a more intense and focused fashion, by taking a young person and working with them for 12 months.
This is done in an innovative way, involving members of the community, parents, community health and social support agencies, police, business and Local Government. Hume City Council is providing the facilities for much of the training and other support by way of office furniture and stationery.
Mentors are a vital part of the program. Working with participants on a regular basis they can share life experiences and provide a useful sounding board for problems or concerns.
Recently winning the Victorian Justice Department’s Gold Award for its multi agency approach in dealing with public health, safety and crime prevention, Youth at Risk Empowerment is just one of the many programs in which Hume City Councils is involved.
For further information on this program contact Lynn Johnson, telephone 1300 133 306.
