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| Proposal for Headspace Support |
Editor: Noel Lunnie
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| PROPOSAL TO SUPPORT HEADSPACE BARWON
24th March 2009
Summary: It is proposed that the Rotary Club of Belmont makes a grant of $30,000, payable in two equal instalments, to headspace Barwon to enable that organisation to engage a youth worker for 2-days per week for 52 weeks. The youth worker would work with high schools in the Belmont/ Grovedale area (the 3216 postcode area) and with medical and social welfare agencies to address issues of youth mental health and social dysfunction;
Background: headspace is the service delivery arm of Australia's National Youth Mental Health Foundation established in 2006. headspace Barwon is the local agency set up under the auspices of the GP Association in Geelong (GPAG) to promote improved mental health amongst young people. headspace Barwon employs youth workers in the field and also operates two 'hubs' through which young people can access services â?" Clockwork in the city and Jigsaw at Corio. A further hub will be operating in Drysdale by late 2009.
Bethany is currently undertaking a wide-ranging 'needs analysis' covering social welfare issues in the '3216' postcode area. Early results indicate a need for more support for most elements of the '3216' community. The school age youth in the area is the target of this project.
Individual Belmont Rotarians are aware of examples of tragic suicides and family disruptions involving young people. Around 14% of young people aged 12-17 years and around 27% of those aged 18-24 years experience a mental disorder in any given 12 months period.
This project creates a resource to provide linkages between high school welfare officers and medical and social welfare agencies to identify and assist youth with mental and social problems
Proposal: Whilst seeking to maintain flexibility to ensure the role of assisting youth with mental and social problems is paramount, the key elements of the proposal are:
1. The Rotary Club of Belmont will make a grant of $30,000 to headspace Barwon to cover the salary plus on-costs ($25,400) and support costs ($4,600) of employing a youth worker for 2-days per week for 52 weeks (see "Holiday Issues" below);
2. The GP Association, as auspice of the headspace Barwon initiative, will be responsible for hiring, employing and managing the youth worker;
3. The youth worker will primarily liaise with the welfare officers at the 4 high schools in the area (Belmont, Grovedale and Oberon Highs, and Christian College), and with medical and social welfare agencies to identify youth at risk. The worker, working within the current model and clinical guidelines of headspace Barwon, will seek to engage with these youth and provide support and encouragement to address their problems;
4. headspace Barwon will promote the involvement of the Rotary Club of Belmont through its various PR activities, its many press releases, its national web site, its weekly "GP Fax" to Geelong GPs, and on relevant stationary and business cards used by the youth worker;
5. The Rotary Club of Belmont will promote its involvement in the program by whatever means are available to it;
6. headspace Barwon will provide a report to the Rotary Club of Belmont every 3 months explaining the expenditure of the grant funds and providing statistical data arising from the field work;
7. The youth worker will, if requested, speak to the Rotary Club of Belmont up to three times during the 52-week period to describe the work he/she is doing;
8. The grant funds will be donated to headspace Barwon in two equal instalments â?" the first instalment at a date to be agreed in the near future, and the second instalment 6 months later. headspace Barwon will recruit a suitable youth worker, and will employ that worker for 52 weeks subject to extension for any periods the youth worker position might be vacant after the initial appointment.
9. headspace Barwon will seek to establish measures or indicators to assess the effectiveness of this project, and discuss the outcomes with the Rotary Club of Belmont on completion of the project.
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