Baw Baw Shire Council is continuing its commitment to youth focused health services and promotion with a $40,000 funding contribution towards the ‘Communities That Care’ (CTC) program.
CTC is a community change process that gathers local information on what is causing harm to young people and then delivers appropriate and effective programs proven to reduce risks and improve healthy behaviours in children and adolescence in the long term.
Baw Baw Shire has been randomly selected as one of only 18 communities to participate in the program in Australia.
The auspice agency, Berry Street Gippsland, will lead the partnership between CTC and other local agencies to deliver the project.
Mayor of Baw Baw Shire Councillor Joe Gauci said that participation in the CTC program will provide a great opportunity for young people in our community to benefit from research and more focused program delivery.
“Evidence tells us that communities who work together to protect the health of young people can actually reduce problem behaviours such as substance abuse, antisocial behaviour, school drop-out, violence, and depression and anxiety”, said the Mayor.
“Change takes time, and we are happy to be working with Berry Street to support better futures for young people in Baw Baw Shire.”
Central Ward Councillor Mikaela Power spoke in strong support of the initiative at the meeting, saying the program will make a real difference to young people across Baw Baw Shire.
“We know we need to work together with other agencies to achieve a positive change to the health of young people in our area”, said Cr Power.
“When we were preparing our Municipal Health and Wellbeing Plan, we were told over and over that we needed to do more to support the health of young people in our community, this is a really effective way to do so.”
West Ward Councillor Jessica O’Donnell said we are very privileged to have been chosen to run the CTC program in Baw Baw Shire.
“I am very proud that we as a Council are supporting this evidence based approach, and we are now seeing the beginning of our renewed focus on young people. I am looking forward to what things are to come”, said Cr O’Donnell.
$220,000 in funding has been provided by the Victorian Government’s Department of Justice and Regulation to start the project in Baw Baw Shire and keep it running for a minimum of two years.
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