HEADSPACE in Frankston will host an “individual placement and support” trial until 2021. The program is designed to help young people struggling with mental health problems gain employment by teaching them skills and giving them job coaching.
The trial at Frankston is supported by $585,000 in funding from the federal government.
Frankston is among 10 new trail sites around the country for the program.
Dunkley MP Chris Crewther announced the “budgeted” funding last week. He said “the trial targets vulnerable young people with mental illness up to the age of 25, who are at risk of disengaging from education or employment, and are at risk of long term welfare dependency.”
“As many as one-in-four young Australians aged 16 to 24 experience mental illness in any given year and, sadly, Frankston is not immune,” Mr Crewther said.
“It is great that young people in Frankston will receive a range of support such as job coaching, assistance navigating community support services and Centrelink systems, targeted education or employment opportunities, and on the job support. They will also receive application assistance and interview techniques that will make a huge difference in the success of their future employment opportunities.
“Since the trial first launched on 1 November 2016, the results have been very promising. Of the 879 participants who were in the trial to April 2018, 438 achieved an education or employment placement.”
