Assistance for Parents and Families
Does your family need support and assistance? You can contact Naomi, Jane, Jess or Katy who can help you with referral options and/or interim support. call 94579855 or email banyuleyouth@banyule.vic.gov.au
If you are looking for news and information for parents and carers please check out: http://www.banyuleyouth.com/news/categories/parent-info
Financial assistance for back to school expenses:
Assistance for families to meet the costs of returning to school can be obtained through:
Banyule Support and Information Centre - 9459 5959 (Burgundy Street, Heidelberg)
Diamond Valley Community Support (formerly CIDV - Greensborough Plaza) - 9435 8282
St Vincents - 1300 305 330
Getting to school is important
The Pathways to Education program provides student travel passes to young people who are experiencing financial difficulties. Without this assistance, students and families who are unable to afford travel passes can have higher rates of school absenteeism, stress and fare evasion.
In collaboration with referring agencies, such as youth and family services, schools, and migrant centres, Travellers Aid provide half-yearly and annual travel passes to students in need, including:
- Students living with their families
- Students experiencing various stages of homelessness
- Students from refugee and migrant backgrounds
To access, please call ahead on (03) 9670 2873 to discuss your eligibility, currently available funding, and appointment times.
http://www.travellersaid.org.au/our-services/pathways-education
The program is funded by the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA), philanthropy, agency and general donations
Berry Street Victoria - Strengthening Families
This service helps with a number of things including a family mediation service, parent education program, counselling and working with young people
Ph: 9458 5788
Heidelberg Ph: 9450 4700
Fax: 9458 5825
www.berrystreet.org.au
Parenting Strategies-Preventing Adolescent Alcohol Misuse
Check out www.parentingstrategies.net a new online resource to help parents more confidently manage the issue of alcohol with their adolescents, to protect them from developing alcohol-related problems.
This website provides personalised and practical parenting tips that are supported by experts and research.
Childrens Protection Society
A family support program providing a range of services to children young people and their families.
ph: 9450 0900
www.cps.org.au
Parentline
ph: 132 289
Family Drug helpline
1300 660 068
THE LINE
Do you need information on Bullying, Sexting, On-line safety and more? Click here for some great fact sheets to help you out.
IMPROVING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN YOUNG PEOPLE AND THEIR FAMILIES
StrongBonds, is a website with resources for parents and carers of young
people, and for workers who are supporting young people in a family context.
Help sheets are available in English, Arabic and Vietnamese on topics ranging from the role of child protection services and the justice system to dealing with health and wellbeing issues.
Fact sheets are available at http://www.strongbonds.jss.org.au/.
Family Violence
northern domestic Family Violence Service: 9458 5788
Women's Domestic Violence Crisis Service (24 hours): 1800 015 188
Centre Against Sexual Assault (24 hours): 1800 806 292
Bursting the Bubble
This website helps you to work out what's okay in a family and what's not. It tells you what you can do if someone in your family is hurting or abusing you or another member of your family.
www.burstingthebubble.com
Tell Someone
The 'Tell Someone' Website is aimed at educating people with a mild intellectual disability and their family and community about family violence. It clearly articulates that families come in all shapes, sizes, and types including people living in residential settings with carers. It includes plain English information and a series of videos with very clear messages from people with disability sharing their experiences.
The Tell Someone website is located at: http://www.tellsomeone.org.au/
Young Carers Program
Merri Communnity Health provide a Young Carers Program Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centre / CarerLinks North. Regular programs are run throughout the year for young people who caring for a parent or relative for various reasons. For more information and whats happening now please contact Merri Community Health 94952541 www.mchs.org.au
Evolve at Typo Station
Evolve at Typo Station (Evolve) is an independent not-for-profit, providing a supportive environment for disadvantaged young people to evolve into strong, caring and purposeful individuals. Evolve works with young people who are experiencing difficulties at home or school, and works closely with youth and family-focused services, schools and communities throughout Victoria.
Ph: 9416 2322
Fax: 9416 2666
Email: info@evolve.org.au
www.evolve.org.au
Raising children Network (a Victoria Government website)
This website has some good resources on parenting 12-15 year olds.
http://raisingchildren.net.au/early_teens/early_teens.html
Open House-Drop In Activity Centre
Open House is a unique community based organisation that offers friendship and support to people from a diversity of backgrounds and ages.
Ph: 9497 1855
Email: ivanhoe@openhousecic.org.au
www.openhousecic.org.au
Exodus Community
Exodus are a community group within the West Heidelberg area. They have various groups including for young people.
www.exoduscommunity.org.au
Reach Out!
Reach Out! is a service that helps young people get through tough times. It provides information and support on a range of issues.
www.reachout.com.au
Anglicare Victoria Youth Services
Provides counselling, advocacy, advice, after-hours crisis support, case management, drug and alcohol counselling and family support & liaison
Ph: 1800 809 722
www.anglicarevic.org.au
Banyule Community Health Service
This service is staffed by community health nurses, and young people can go visit the community health service if they have any concerns or questions about family support, financial help and dental, also a health team to get referral to other services
Ph: 9450 2000
www.bchs.org.au
Cyber safety resources for parents.
ACMA (Australian Communication & Media Authority) have some great cybersafety information - you can go to http://www.cybersmart.gov.au/Parents.aspx. If you would like to order brochures etc for parents on cyber safety you can go to www.cybersmart.gov.au/request-resources.aspx or call 1800 880 176.
For information on Education/Training & Support for young people with disabilities (including learning) contact:
NDCO address the barriers that people with a disability face in education, employment and training (15-64 years)
Effie Kapsalos
National Disability Coordination officer
IMVC 9686 2354
http://www.imvc.com.au/content/disability-coordination
BANYULE CITY COUNCIL SUPPORT PROGRAMS
Parent - Zone
Parent - Zone is a support group for young parents under 25 years of age who live in the city of Banyule.
The group is ran every Friday of the school term from 11am to 2pm at Northland Youth Centre (at Northland shopping centre).
The group focus's on pampering parents, providing support for parents around housing, education and other issues that affect young parents.
The group is facilitated by a youth worker and a maternal and child health worker.
Parenting information and ages and stages, milestone weigh in are all available and optional.
For more information contact Shae Coatsworth 9457 9907 or shae.coatsworth@banyule.vic.gov.au
Teenagers with a Disability
Teens can enrol in Saturday Sounds or T.W.A.N.G. programs that encourage social engagement and expression through creative art activities. Funded by Department of Human Services (DHS) as respite for parents/carers, teenagers aged 13-17 can attend Saturday Sounds during the school term and/or T.W.A.N.G. (Teenagers With Additional Needs Group) in the school holidays. Phone Jets on 9467 7152 to enrol.