Mental health outreach program for Frankston Train Station
Published on 07 February 2025
A new initiative putting mental health and social support practitioners in the heart of Frankston’s city centre has launched this month, making community wellbeing and safety a priority for 2025.
Frankston City Council, Metro Trains and South East Community Links (SECL) have partnered on a new outreach initiative, called Community Connectors.
The need for support services at Frankston Station and Young Street Precinct was identified in Council’s Young Street Action Plan.
The program follows a successful pilot at Dandenong Station and is aimed at assisting community members and passengers who frequent the station precinct and face complex challenges.
SECL’s Community Connectors are now located at the train station on weekday afternoons, and can provide on-the-spot assistance, offer advice, and coordinate referrals to local services related to a range of issues including drug and alcohol, mental health, homelessness, and family violence.
The collaborative program will improve the safety, wellbeing and support for vulnerable people in the train station precinct by taking a proactive and trauma-informed outreach approach.
Quotes attributable to Frankston City Council Mayor Kris Bolam
“While traditional law enforcement approaches have strong visibility and often act as a deterrent to some of the concerns experienced within the precinct, there are many comprehensive underlying factors such as mental health and social disadvantage that require a specialist and empathetic approach.”
"Compliance and enforcement still have an important role to play, and that’s why we’ve increased Rapid Response and community laws officer patrols in the broader precinct to discourage antisocial behaviours. However, the Community Connectors pilot has shown that trained specialist outreach support can have a very positive impact.”
Quotes attributable to Metro Trains’ CEO Raymond O’Flaherty
“Safety is at the heart of everything we do, and our experience with the Community Connectors Program at Dandenong proves that it works. Expanding the program to Frankston will mean that safety at the station is improved for our passengers. I want to thank Frankston City Council for their support in this program.”
“Our experience with the Community Connectors Program in Dandenong showed that it works and expanding it out to Frankston will mean this service can benefit more Melburnians along with our staff who work at the station.”
Quotes attributable to SECL CEO Peter McNamara
“People will get the support they need, passengers feel safer and the Frankston railway station will maintain its important role in supporting a thriving, vibrant community.”
“A partnership of this kind will reach people who are often reluctant to seek assistance during times of adversity. By connecting these community members with essential support, we are not just helping individuals—we’re transforming lives.”