Strong Youth Strong Communities

Strong Youth Strong Communities Report

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.

A partnership approach to reducing youth disadvantage

The North Central LLEN (NCLLEN), together with Northern District Community Health (NDCH), is leading a new project to identify ways to reduce disadvantage for young people aged 9 to 18 across the Loddon, Buloke and Gannawarra Shires over the next 12 months.

Strong Youth Strong Communities (SYSC) will focus on the creation of a framework and model for a ‘place based’ youth support system, and is a partnership between the NCLLEN, NDCH, Buloke Shire Council, Loddon Shire Council and Gannawarra Shire Council.

Data shows that more than one third of all young people in our region have low wellbeing, with lower-than-average scores on optimism, self-esteem, happiness and absence of sadness, and are leaving/ left school early, impacting on their income and life chances

The focus in 2021 will be on understanding the perspective of children and families in our communities and building a model of collaboration where services can collectively adjust and respond to the needs of young people beyond 2021.

This will require genuine partnership and a commitment from schools, communities, service providers and Local Governments as experience shows us that this challenge requires a ‘whole of community’ collaborative approach if we are to see all young people thrive.

We know that prevention will reduce the costs of negative outcomes now and protect our community’s strength in the future, so we need to ensure the supports are in place to ensure young people have the foundations for healthy and successful lives.

Strong Youth Strong Communities (SYSC) has the strong support of project partners Gannawarra Shire Council, Buloke Shire Council and Loddon Shire Council who recognise the importance of ensuring young people have the foundation for healthy and successful lives.

Young people in disadvantaged families in rural areas face a double disadvantage. Their families have fewer resources to support them, and our location often means a lack of access to services such as digital connectivity, health services, education services, transport, and recreation activities.

We need to develop a framework that creates partnerships between Government, educators, the health sector, and the community that works with young people and their families to determine their needs and build collaborations to address these through system reform.

For more information contact Jerri Nelson by phone on 0427 952 042 or email to [email protected].

"Better Together" Forum
On Thursday 10 June 2021 the Strong Youth Strong Communities initiative held an online forum to look at ways we can work "better together" to support children, young people and their families.

To view the recording, press play.

For more information about the Strong Youth Strong Communities program, contact Jerri Nelson by email [email protected] or call 0427 952 042.

A partnership between: