Strong Youth Strong Communities (SYSC)
Strong Youth Strong Communities is a community-based initiative that promotes wellbeing and school engagement in the formative years to prevent long-term social and economic impacts.
It connects community-based resources to develop and implement a model of wellbeing services in schools and communities that is preventative; cost effective; and strengthens partnerships to build the capacity of schools and community.
Strong Youth Strong Communities will ensure every young person can be connected and supported to build their internal resources to thrive. It will facilitate the support they need when they need it and improve wellbeing, school attendance and engagement.
With investment from the Buloke, Loddon and Gannawarra Shires, and additional support from Swan Hill Rural City Council, we have commenced shaping a model in 2021 through extensive consultations and produced a report outlining our findings and a framework for the future.
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TAC L2P Program
The Buloke & Loddon L2P Learner Driver Mentor Program is part of a state wide initiative funded by the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) and managed by Vic Roads.
The program aims to provide assistance to young people who are facing significant barriers to completing their mandatory 120 hours of supervised on road driving experience through the support of Volunteer Mentors from the community. Young people are matched with fully licensed volunteer mentors and have access to a sponsored vehicle to gain driving experience.
L2P is free for eligible young people. To join an L2P Program, you need to:
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Be between 16 and 20 years of age
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Hold a current learner’s permit, and
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Not have access to a vehicle, a supervising driver or both.
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Apply to join the TAC L2P program (New Participants):
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Online via the TAC L2P Program page and follow the instructions. For young people living in the Buloke and Loddon Shires select the North Central LLEN as the program provider.
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Eligible people can apply online through your MyVicRoads account.
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Go to ‘licences and learner permits’.
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Towards the bottom of the page, select ‘Apply as a learner in the TAC L2P Program’.
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Select 'North Central LLEN(Buloke & Loddon)' as the program providor
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Complete the application
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Our program coordinator will then be in touch
To become a volunteer mentor in the L2P program, you need to:
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Be over 21 years of age
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Hold a current full Victorian drivers licence, and
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have a satisfactory full driver’s licence history
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are medically fit to drive
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are able to commit at least 1 hour per week to the program.
As part of the application process, you’ll be asked to provide:
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a valid volunteer Working with Children Check card
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a satisfactory National Police Check.
We can help you obtain these if required.
Apply to join the TAC L2P program (New Mentors)
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Online through your myVicRoads account or go to transport.vic.gov.au/registration-and-licensing/licences/learner-permit/tac-l2p-learner-driver-mentor-program.
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Eligible people can apply online through your MyVicRoads account.
Login to your myVicRoads account or create an account.
Go to ‘licences and learner permits’.
Towards the bottom of the page, select ‘Apply as a mentor in the TAC L2P Program’.
Select 'North Central LLEN(Buloke & Loddon)' as the program providor
Complete the application
Our program coordinator will then be in touch
​You can also contact our office for assistance.
Engage!
​The North Central LLEN has Partners with Northern District Community Health, Buloke Shire Council, and Loddon Shire Council to deliver the Engage! program help young people get involved in their communities.
Through Engage!, young people aged 12 to 25 years are helped to get involved in all aspects of community life, from volunteering and mentoring programs, to projects that will increase real-life skills and connect young people to further education, training or careers.
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Engage! aims to:
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Increase young people’s participation in their community by getting involved in local decision-making and community initiatives
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Increase the knowledge, skills and leadership abilities of young people, and provide pathways into education, training and careers
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Improve young people’s networks and strengthen connections with their families, friends and community.
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Dream Seeds
Dream Seeds is a workshop created by Youthrive Victoria Alumni to help build aspiration and ease transition to secondary school.
In 2014, the idea for a workshop to assist year five and six students from regional and rural Victoria to be the leaders of their own lives, was planted. Through successive Young Rural Leaders Programs, this idea was nurtured by the countless young people who felt more could be done to facilitate aspiration, resilience and connection in their rural townships.
Today, that idea is Dream Seeds. Over the past five years, Youthrive Victoria Alumni have worked to design evidence-based activities and games which constitute the workshop. They aim to build knowledge and skills to help young Victorians create personal visions and pathways to positive futures.
Each year, we facilitate opportunities for Dream Seeds to take place in schools across the North Central region.​​​If you are a school in the North Central region and would like to find out more about how you can become involved in Dream Seeds, contact Tori Gentle on 0490 840 182 or email t.gentle@ncllen.org.au.
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Engage! program
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Youth Parliament
The North Central LLEN has once again been successful in taking part in the Y's Victorian Youth Parliament program for 2023. We are seeking 6 local young people across the Buloke and Loddon Shires and between the ages of 16-25 to join the team.
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​The program invites 120 people from all corners of the state to create a community of changemakers.
Empowered by each other and the incredible Volunteer Taskforce, participants will ultimately share their team’s ideas during Youth Parliament Week within the chambers of the Parliament House of Victoria. Furthermore, the residential camps will give participants a chance to develop their leadership skills through experiential sessions run by the Taskforce.
Over the years more than 30 Youth Parliament Bills have been adopted into state legislation. Successful Bills have covered social, safety, and environmental issues with benefits from mandating gender neutral school
uniforms to banning lightweight plastic bags and many more.
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Engage! program
