Local support for vulnerable residents
Supporting our city’s most vulnerable community members is a key priority for Council.
In a special Council meeting on 20 January 2025, Council endorsed the motion to advocate to the federal government on four key priority areas in the lead up to the 2025 Federal Election. One of the key priority areas identified, was the need for more funding to better support vulnerable community members.
Council is aware that there are many people experiencing hardship, homelessness and family violence within our community, and we work hard to offer a range of supports and services to assist those in need – learn more about our current community support services below.
While all levels of government have a role to play in supporting our most vulnerable, Council is proud to announce that we are already offering more support than we ever have before. We will continue to grow and improve the types and variety of supports we provide, to ensure that we continue to meet our community’s ever evolving needs.
Homelessness and housing support
What is Council doing?
We know that many of our residents are experiencing housing stress and cost of living pressures – which can lead to homelessness and rough sleeping.
We dream of becoming a city where everyone has access to a safe, secure and affordable home that meets their diverse financial, social and professional needs and we’re working with other councils, agencies and the Victorian Government to provide a coordinated approach.
We are developing the Frankston City Housing Strategy, as well as providing support for a wide range of homelessness support initiatives, including:
- Frankston Strategic Housing and Homelessness Alliance – an alliance of local service providers who are committed to increasing our city’s capacity to respond increasing system pressures from homelessness.
- Frankston & Mornington Peninsula Zero – a coordinated homelessness response where information and resources are shared between partners to reduce the number of rough sleepers locally.
- Regional Local Government Charter and Homelessness and Social Housing – 13 councils who have come together to highlight regional housing and homelessness issues.
- Winter Shelter – a local initiative of Frankston churches coming together to provide beds, warms meals and a safer place for the night – five nights a week through the winter months.
For more information, visit our Homelessness page.
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Winter Shelter provides a lifeline to those in our community experiencing homelessness.
The initiative operates from June to August, offering a bed, warm meal and safe place for the night, with local churches working together to provide venues, volunteers and donations.
In 2024, Frankston City Council supported the program through assistance with the permit process, grants to build an accessible shower and cooking facilities, free training and a concierge resource.
Family and gender-based violence support
What is Council doing?
Council has overviewed our preventative action in our 2024-2028 Family Violence Action Plan, which outlines how we will lead prevention in four unique ways – as a leader, a workplace, a service provider and a connector.
We’ve also developed the 2021-2025 Gender Equality Action Plan that sets out our vision, objectives and actions to ensure Council is working to exceed its obligations under the Gender Equality Act 2020.
More recently, at a Council meeting held on 29 January 2025, Deputy Mayor Steffie Conroy put forward a motion asking Council to continue investing in advocating for funding to support local family and domestic violence programs and services – which was unanimously approved.
For more information, visit our Preventing Family and Gender-Based Violence page.
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Some of Council’s initiatives include:
- Support for community to lead or participate in gender equality initiatives such as International Women’s Day, IDAHOBIT, Men’s Health Week and 16 Days of Activism;
- Education and training for workforce and community in addressing the drivers of violence;
- Partnerships with specialist agencies, groups and networks to prevent violence and promote gender equality such as the Frankston City & Mornington Peninsula Family Violence Prevention Collaborative.
Community grants
What is Council doing?
Frankston City Council offers a range of grants to support both local not-for-profit organisations and community members. Some grants that have previously and continue to support vulnerable community members, include:
- The Annual Community Grants
- Child and Youth Inclusion Grants
- Urgent Grants
- The Frankson Charitable Fund
- Community Service Partnership Grants
- Emergency Relief Funding 2024/25
For more information, visit our Grants and Funding page.
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A total of $200,000 was allocated through the one-off Emergency Relief Fund 2024/25, enabling 12 vital organisations to increase their capacity and provide essential support to over 43,000 individuals across Frankston City. Through that grant, funding was provided to:
- Mums Supporting Families in Need Inc
- Sikh Volunteers Australia
- Salvation Army Carrum Downs
Some other grant highlights include:
- Annual Community Grants recipient: Seaford Christmas Hampers received $5,000 and $7,500 for Blessing Bags Melbourne, which provided hygiene packs to those in need.
- Urgent Grants recipient: Mums Supporting Families in Need received $5,000 to assist with recovery after a warehouse flooded, allowing them to continue their critical work.
Financial hardship assistance
What is Council doing?
Council understands that financial hardship can affect anyone, at any time, without any notice. We offer a free and confidential financial counselling service, rate repayment plans, and Pensioner rates concessions.
For more information, visit our Financial Hardship page.
Advocacy to support vulnerable community members
What is Council doing?
Council is committed to advocating to the Australian Government for secure, long-term funding to support vulnerable community members. As our local need for support services increases, we require increased annual funding to continue to meet that need.
We’re calling for an additional $500,000 per annum (increased by CPI each year) to support local emergency relief providers and $350,000 per annum over three years (2026-2028) to continue our Community Connectors initiative beyond the pilot program at Frankston Station.
For more information, visit our Advocacy Priorities page.
Community Connectors
What is Council doing?
Council has partnered with Metro Trains Melbourne and South East Community Links (SECL) to support community members who visit Frankston Station and are facing complex challenges – such as mental health, substance abuse, financial, family violence, and housing insecurity issues.
Two SECL community practitioners with social work, mental health and nursing qualifications will be present at Frankston Station from 1pm – 5pm on weekdays.
The program follows a successful pilot at Dandenong Station.
We are seeking additional funding from the federal government to ensure we can continue to provide this initiative beyond the pilot program.
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Key benefits of the program include:
- Rapid and effective responses to people experiencing mental health issues or participating in anti-social behaviours
- Ensuring commuters feel safe at Frankston Station and on public transport
- De-escalation of situations before they become major incidents
- Building positive rapport with individuals requiring support and establishing referral pathways
- Increased safety for all users in the Young Street precinct
Emergency relief services
What is Council doing?
We’re supporting local emergency relief services – such as Community Support Frankston – and as part of our key advocacy priorities, we’re asking for more funding to continue supporting them as demand increases.
These services are important because the provide emergency assistance, when people need it most, through the supply of essential items – including medications, clothing, education and housing.
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Council provides support to Community Support Frankston via the provision of two permanent Council employed staff members, at a cost of $250,000 per annum. We also provide in-kind support via the ongoing exclusive use of a Council-owned building, repairs and capital improvements, Council staff support and employee assistance available to volunteers.
For more information, visit the Community Support Frankston website or call (03) 9783 7284.
Free training for community volunteers
What is Council doing?
Council is providing free training for volunteers engaging with people experiencing or at risk of homelessness and in need of emergency relief – building their skills and capacity to engage with community members who are often experiencing multiple and complex hardships.
Future training opportunities are currently being planned for 2025.
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Training was developed in consultation with volunteers and commenced in 2024 and included:
- Five Conflict Resolution Workshops delivered to 73 volunteers from 14 local charities and not-for-profit organisations.
- Five Mental Health and Wellbeing Workshops delivered to 65 volunteers representing 12 local charities and not-for-profit organisations.
Monash University Social Work Clinic
What is Council doing?
The Monash University Social Work Clinic offers free services from the Frankston Library on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9.30 am to 3.30 pm.
The Clinic is staffed by Monash University postgraduate social work students, with all participating students being supervised by qualified and experienced social works practitioners.
The students are equipped to help community members deal with hardship, connect to emotional supports, develop essential skills and access resources.
For more information, contact the clinic on 0492 192 884 or Socialworkclinic@monash.edu, or speak to a librarian at Frankston Library to be referred.