Early help for young minds
You know your young person needs help.
You've made the calls.
You've spoken to the school.
You've been to the GP.
Maybe you've joined another waitlist.
Maybe you've been told they're not unwell enough for one service, or their needs are too complex for another.
Maybe you've finally found someone who can help, but you simply can't afford months of private therapy.
And all the while, you're watching your young person struggle.
Families shouldn't have to wait until things reach crisis point before they can get help.
The Village Youth Foundation was created to help change that.
We're building a community-funded model of affordable, local mental health support for young people aged 12–25 and their families across Baw Baw and the Latrobe Valley.
Because when a young person is struggling, they need more than another referral.
They need a Village.
Mental health support for teens
What's happening for a young person can affect school, friendships, family relationships, confidence, identity and their sense of belonging.
And when a young person is struggling, their family can find themselves trying to navigate a complicated system while supporting someone they love.
That's why The Village Youth Foundation has been designed around wraparound care.
Wraparound care
Depending on available funding and the needs of each family, our model is designed to provide:
Affordable One-to-One Counselling
Up to 12 affordable counselling sessions with an accredited, trauma-informed therapist, giving young people time to build trust and engage in meaningful therapeutic support.
Support for Parents & Families
We help families navigate referrals, services, advocacy and communication with the other people supporting their young person.
Because parents and carers shouldn't have to navigate the system alone.
Connection & Belonging
Our planned after-school peer support program will give young people a safe, welcoming place to connect with others, build relationships and experience that incredibly important feeling:I'm not the only one.
Help Navigating What Comes Next
Behind every appointment is coordination, communication and connection with families and, where appropriate, schools and other services.
Because good mental health support isn't simply about what happens during one hour in a therapy room.
It's about putting a Village around a young person.
Worried about your young person?
Sometimes it's obvious that a young person needs support.
Sometimes it's simply a feeling that something isn't right.
You might be noticing:
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Anxiety or persistent worry
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Low mood or withdrawal
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School avoidance or refusal
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Difficulty with friendships or feeling like they don't belong
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Low confidence or self-esteem
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Family or relationship difficulties
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Emotional overwhelm
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Changes in behaviour
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Self-harm or concerning thoughts
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Alcohol or drug use
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The effects of trauma or difficult life experiences
Or perhaps your young person has simply said:“I need someone to talk to.”
You don't need to wait until they're in crisis to take that seriously.
Early support matters.
It Takes a Village.
This Is Where You Come In.
You don't have to be a mental health professional to change the trajectory of a young person's life.
You can help make sure support is there when they ask for it.
The Village Youth Foundation is powered by community investment.
Local businesses.
Community organisations.
Philanthropic partners.
And people who simply believe that where a young person lives, or what their family can afford, shouldn't determine whether they can access mental health support.
Your contribution helps reduce the cost of counselling for local families and, as funding grows, helps us provide family support, peer connection and the coordination that wraps care around the young person.
This isn't funding an idea somewhere else.
It's supporting young people right here in our community.
Young people who go to our local schools.
Play in our sporting clubs.
Work in our businesses.
And belong to families we know.
When we invest in them, we invest in the future of our whole community.
Your Investment Becomes Support
$80
Helps fund one affordable counselling session.
$240
Helps fund three counselling sessions.
$640
Helps fund a full day of affordable counselling.
$960
Helps fund 12 counselling sessions for one young person.
Every contribution puts support within reach of another local family.