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Tender Opportunity to evaluate the youth crime prevention program “Connecting the Service Puzzle”

Through the governments Community Crime prevention Program, the Centre for Participation was awarded a further $100 000.00 for the ‘Connecting the Service Puzzle for Youth at Risk – Outreach to Mentoring’   project to continue to provide case management and support for highly vulnerable young people through the projects framework for identifying, engaging and providing linked services through a collective partnership during the 2021-2022 year.  

The Youth Crime Prevention grants program aims to address offending behaviours and recidivism among young people aged 10-24 years who have had contact with or have demonstrated risk of being involved with the criminal justice system by building strong community involvement, address service gaps and improve service accessibility. The ‘Connecting the Service Puzzle for Youth at Risk – Outreach to Mentoring’ project is a multi-agency approach to supporting our most vulnerable and at-risk young people in the Horsham area.

The project was designed to focus on young people exhibiting risk factors that are classified by the Department of Justice and Community Safety as demonstrating offending and recidivist behaviours and considered “highly vulnerable” of becoming involved with the justice system.

Risk factors for “highly vulnerable” young people include behaviours such as criminal activity, drug and alcohol consumption, disengagement from family and/or family violence, left home or homelessness, not engaged with the education system and/or truancy, frequent unprotected sex and mental health issues affecting their personal and social functioning, and contact with Victoria Police.

The Project Governance Group has allocated $15,000 to undertake the scope of work. Conforming tenders would need to be within this monetary amount.

Click here for tender

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The Centre for Participation works to strengthen individuals, organisations and communities.

We do this by connecting people and organisations with community, learning, volunteering and partnership opportunities that help them flourish and build an active, vibrant region.

As a volunteer-involving organisation, volunteers are vital in supporting us to deliver our mission. And just as importantly, the volunteering opportunities we create also help volunteers themselves to be involved and connected with the local community.

All of this work makes a difference to someone’s life and contributes to a stronger and more resilient region.

Along with our opportunities for internal volunteering, the Centre for Participation is a critical piece of infrastructure that supports other volunteer-involving organisations, clubs and groups. In our region – like all regions – frameworks that support volunteering, enable people to actively participate in community life, and build social cohesion are essential. This support needs to be grounded in local understanding, so it is place-based and community-led – and that is why localised support organisations like ours are so important.

The impacts of this work are numerous and wide-reaching. Benefits include reduced welfare through social enterprise development and job creation, greater employability by boosting confidence and work skills, improved emotional and mental health, and greater community cohesion through reduced isolation. All of these outcomes can reduce the need for health services and contacts with the justice system by providing outreach and opportunities to meaningfully participate and belong.

We are just one of many organisations that rely on volunteering – an act that is crucial to the long-term viability of rural communities. The incredible efforts of volunteers were celebrated in May during National Volunteer Week, where we recognised all the things volunteers do to make our community a better place to live, work, study and raise a family. We thank these amazing people and encourage everyone in our community to put up their hand next time you see an opportunity to participate.

For more information on some of the amazing work our team is doing, check out our latest Participate newsletter here.

Robbie Millar
Acting CEO, Centre for Participation

Our News4Me April edition has landed. Click the image below to read some of the amazing things we are doing at the Centre for Participation.

The Centre for Participation News4Me December edition is now out.

Please note that our office will be shut at 3pm on Wednesday the 23rd of December and re-open 9am on the 4th of January. All Laneway – Cafe without Borders customers and Wimmera Social Support clients will continue to be provided services, albeit slightly amended due to public holidays.

We hope you have a great Christmas and New Year and look forward to continuing our work in building stronger more resilient communities in 2021.