Question details
Morwell electorate
(208) My constituency question is for the Treasurer, and the information I seek is on funding for Latrobe Youth Space. Latrobe Youth Space was opened in May 2021 and has developed a reputation as a place that provides wraparound support for young people in the valley between the ages of 12 and 25. In just two years the youth space has attracted more than 500 members, and this tells us two things: (1) there is a great need in the valley for youth support services and (2) Latrobe Youth Space is a trusted, safe space. Instead of it celebrating its second birthday last month, young people were devastated to learn that Latrobe Youth Space was no longer to be funded by the state government. Many constituents are rightly concerned about what this means for the youth space and its 500-plus members. The importance of youth space should not be underestimated. For some young people it is somewhere they can hang out; for others it is a space they feel safe, a place where they can shower and eat. Treasurer, we cannot afford to lose this community asset. Will you commit to supporting our young people by funding the Latrobe Youth Space or just sit idly by while 500 kids are pushed back onto the street?
The Latrobe Youth Space received one-off funding into 2023/24 to enable a smooth transition for young people currently using the space to access alternate supports and activities, and to identify alternative pathways for the organisation.
This includes working with other local providers to ensure that young people continue to have access to the supports they need. Young people in Morwell will continue to be supported by key organisations and services such as Headspace, the Youth Support and Advocacy Service, Youth Insearch, Quantum, GippSport, TAFE Gippsland, Berry Street and The Gathering Place.
The 2023/24 State Budget also provides funding to Youth Portfolio programs delivered in the Latrobe Valley region, including the Regional Presence Project. Delivered in Morwell, the Regional Presence Project runs a variety of youth-led social and recreational activities, student support group sessions and school holiday projects, helping young people to feel connected to their community and get involved in decision making.
The Youth portfolio also delivers the Engage!, FReeZA and Youth Fest programs across Victoria, including in the Latrobe Valley and Gippsland regions, which continue to support young people with industry experience, volunteering opportunities, training, mentoring and other activities fostering participation and connection with their communities.
Additionally, the Latrobe Valley Authority has been provided with funding in the 2023/24 State Budget to continue to support the region, including funding for the Ladder Step Up program, which provides employment support to young people.
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The Hon Natalie Suleyman MP
Minister for Veterans
Minister for Youth
