A PILOT program to teach traders in Frankston’s CBD “de-escalation and conflict awareness” has been proposed to Frankston Council.
Cr Nathan Butler raised the proposal for consideration at council’s 1 June meeting, which took place shortly after publication deadline. His proposal asks council officers to prepare a report assessing the “feasibility of establishing a pilot training and support program for traders, businesses and community-facing organisations, including potential training components, including but not limited to mental health first aid; de-escalation and conflict awareness; crisis-aware and respectful communication; understanding vulnerability and appropriate response boundaries; and clear guidance on appropriate referral pathways and who to contact in different scenarios.”
Cr Butler’s rationale for the proposal read “local traders and community groups are increasingly finding themselves on the frontline of complex social issues, particularly within the CBD but also across the broader municipality. While many handle these situations with care and good intent, there is often a lack of practical guidance and confidence when dealing with challenging or unpredictable interactions.”
“Council has taken a positive step through the Trader Support Directory, however this is largely informational. There is an opportunity to build on this by providing practical, accessible training that helps people feel safer, more confident, and better equipped to respond appropriately,” Cr Butler wrote. “This is not about asking traders or community members to take on the role of support workers. It is about giving them the tools to understand situations, respond safely, and know when and how to refer matters to the right services. A small, well-designed pilot program would allow council to test demand, delivery models, partnerships and cost, while ensuring the approach remains balanced, respectful and focused on safety for all.
“This motion also seeks to better understand the effectiveness of broader safety and outreach responses currently operating within and around the Frankston CBD, including the Community Connectors program and recent intelligence-led Protective Services Officer deployment models.”
First published in the Frankston Times – 2 June 2026