Youth Service Team maintains connections and support during lockdown
Published on 10 June 2021
Frankston City’s Youth Service Team is maintaining vital connections with our young people by finding new and creative ways to engage and support them during lockdown.
Council Coordinator Youth Services, Ilya Grin, said young people are our future, adding: “A little bit of rain won't stop us and neither will lockdown, as we continue to support and work ‘closely’ online with our young people from a distance.”
Mr Grin said Council’s Youth Service Team is supporting young people with engagement through interactive and DIY videos/workshops on online platforms, including awareness raising around services and ways of staying connected, happy and on-track throughout lockdown.
South Ward Cr Liam Hughes added: “The Youth Service Team has transitioned the Youth Hangouts to online, which have helped our young people maintain a sense of connectedness, ownership and empowerment.
“We have received overwhelmingly positive feedback from young people and parents, guardians and carers regarding the value and social connection that it has provided, particularly to young people who may be isolated or too anxious to attend physical Youth Hangouts and programs.
“The flexibility of online programs allows young people to form new connections and friendships, while helping them gain confidence in social settings,” Cr Hughes said.
Mr Grin said the Youth Service Team has also maintained the Youth Council and Fresh Entertainment (FReeZA) youth volunteer groups, who have been able to continue their development/training and run various online youth events, such as a recent International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism and Transphobia Day open mike night.
Cr Hughes attended a recent Youth Council online meeting to meet members and speak about his experience as a young person in Council.
Mr Grin added: “We are also working on the release of our Fresh Entertainment Compilation Album, with five local youth artists to be selected, providing them with an opportunity to get out there and showcase their amazing talent at a time that’s proven limited in opportunity for our local young creatives.
“We have also developed our upcoming School Holiday Program so that it can easily be transitioned to be facilitated both face to face and online in order for them to be as accessible as possible,” Mr Grin said.
Mr Grin said the Youth Service Team is continuing to support key charity Community Support Frankston (CSF) via staff redeployments.
“We’re grateful for the opportunity to support some of the most vulnerable members of our community both young and old, as a response to COVID-19. As a result of these redeployments, we have been able to develop strong connections and work cohesively with services such as CSF, which has led to great outcomes and enabled us to provide an additional layer of support for our young people and their families during what has been an extremely challenging time.
“We continue to see great outcomes for our young people, as the familiarity of youth workers at CSF has encouraged them to seek relevant assistance when required. We have supported our young people with housing, food, materials, Centrelink, and technology that has allowed them to stay engaged with school, work and any groups and programs they may be involved in,” Mr Grin said.
Cr Hughes added: “While we can’t be physically together due to the lockdown, that doesn’t mean our support stops – rather, we’re determined to be there more than ever for our young people with as much support and engagement as possible. Our online programs are extensive – so if you’re aged 12 to 24 years, don’t hesitate and check out what’s available.”
For more information, please visit https://www.frankston.vic.gov.au/Things_To_Do/Youth_Services