Young people in Hume are waiting up to three months to access Hume council’s free youth counselling service.
The service, which started in February last year, provides
short-term assistance to people who have trouble at school or with the
law, who are unemployed, facing homelessness or are drug or
alcohol-dependent.
Council documents, tabled at a recent meeting, show the waiting
list has continued to grow over past months. The council’s counselling
program at Hume schools and youth centres is operating at maximum
capacity.
“Demand for the service has swelled from the onset and wait lists
are ever increasing. Young people are needing to wait between 10-12
weeks before being able to be linked with one of the two youth
counsellors,” the documents state. “This places added pressure on both
the Moving Forward and Outreach programs.”
The documents also raise concerns about the young age of those
being referred to the Moving Forward program, which helps disengaged
youths to reconnect with their communities.
“The young people being referred to this program are increasingly
becoming younger and younger, with some being below the legally
permitted age for school leaving.
“This creates issues, as while not being able to accept these
young people into the program, there is little to no other support [for
them].”
Hume city infrastructure director Steve Crawley said the program
would be reviewed in the 2014-15 council budget. “The planning for the
new Hume youth strategy will commence in the near future and will
provide evidence for future programs, services, activities and
supports.’’
