Western Metropolitan

About Whitelion Victoria

Whitelion has been supporting young people in Victoria since 1999.

To learn more about Whitelion in Victoria contact:

Programs 

• Wyndham Youth Outreach Support Service
• Western Leaving Care Mentoring Program
• Western Community Integration Program
• Youth Employment Program

Wyndham Youth Outreach Support Service

The Wyndham Youth Outreach Support Service (WYOSS) is a holistic, place-based model that offers a range of locally responsive outreach interventions for at-risk young people who live in or have connections to the Wyndham Local Government Area.

The WYOSS team provides intensive support through short-term brief intervention (0-1-month) and longer-term comprehensive case management (up to 12-months+), working with young people to plan and achieve goals in relation to housing and homelessness, mental health, AOD misuse, justice/legal matters and more - ultimately working towards young people making positive and sustainable connections to communities of their choice.

For young people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, WYOSS can provide support through the H3 Project:

• H3 Project provides targeted interventions, connecting young people to housing by supporting them with advocacy, coordination of paperwork, identification and budgeting required for renting, assisting with family reunification as appropriate, short-term/crisis options as required, and establishing strategies to ensure housing is sustainable once attained.
• Whitelion also provides limited places in medium-term shared accommodation.

The WYOSS team also connect with young people through the NOSH (Nutrition Outreach Support Health) and WRAP (Wyndham Resilience Adventure Program) programs:

• NOSH is a mobile outreach van that visits community sites where young people hang out – skate parks, train stations, after-school groups etc. providing material aid (food, hygiene products, safe sex resources), as well as information and advice and referral pathways. The community outreach model ensures the most vulnerable and hard-to-reach young people have access to support ‘where they are at’.
• WRAP uses adventure therapy to provide experiential learning opportunities to develop practical skills such as team work, communication and leadership to build resilience and confidence for setting positive goals, community engagement and social connections.

At-risk young people aged 12-25 years who live in or have connections to the Wyndham region.

Email luke.berry@whitelion.asn.au

Email luke.berry@whitelion.asn.au

The Wyndham Youth Outreach Support Service is supported by:

• The Victorian government
• Wyndham City Council
• Property Industry Foundation
• Jack and Ethel Goldin Foundation
• John T Reid Charitable Trusts

Wyndham Youth Support Service has volunteering opportunities and accepts donations to support provision of material aid. If you would like to donate click here . If you would like to volunteer contact luke.berry@whitelion.asn.au

Western Leaving Care Mentoring Program

The Eastern Leaving Care Mentoring Program provides support to young people involved in the Out of Home Care (OoHC) system at important transition points in their lives, assisting them to develop a positive sense of self and connection by linking them with a volunteer mentor from the community.

Young people and mentors spend time participating in a range of recreational, skill building and relationship building activities, focused on fostering a trusting relationship and empowering the young person to work towards their personal goals. The development of a positive relationship assists young people to build their resilience and enables them to make positive choices for themselves, whilst also giving them a safe and stable base from which to try new things and learn new skills.

Referrals will be accepted for young people between the ages of 15-18 years currently on a Family Reunification, Care by Secretary or Long Term Care Order or 18-21 years having been on either of the above three orders between the ages of 16 to 18.

Contact remy.sheppard@whitelion.asn.au

The Western Leaving Care Mentoring Program is an initiative of the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services.

Whitelion is looking for mentors in the western metropolitan region. If you are interested in becoming a mentor please contact mentoring@whitelion.asn.au

Western Community Integration Program

The aim of the Community Integration Program (CIP) is to train volunteers to link every child and young person in residential care into local sports clubs, dance classes, art clubs and more. These links create connections between the young people and their community to reduce isolation and disconnection by increasing social skills and confidence.

Young people aged 10-18 residing in out of home care settings in the western metropolitan region that are managed by Makillop Family Services.

Email victoria.romeo@whitelion.asn.au

The Community Integration Program is an initiative of the Department of Health and Human Services. In the western metropolitan region we are lucky to partner with Mackillop Family Services to deliver the program locally.

Would you like to volunteer with the Community Integration Program? Email mentoring@whitelion.asn.au

Youth Employment Program

Whitelion’s Youth Employment Program offers a holistic employment placement and support service for young people who have barriers to employment and need a helping hand. The young people referred to the program are provided with extensive pre-employment training, mentoring to develop essential employment skills, ongoing placement and post placement support for both the young person and employer.

Young people between the ages of 15-24 who may be struggling to secure employment, identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, youth justice clients, young people in Out-of-Home Care, young people disengaged from training and employment, and young people experiencing disadvantage.

Contact tyronne.gietzmann@whitelion.asn.au

Contact tyronne.gietzmann@whitelion.asn.au

Whitelion’s Youth Employment Program is a Jobs Victoria initiative of the Victorian government.

Whitelion is looking for employers in the western metropolitan area. If you are interested in providing a job to help an at-risk young person please contact tyronne.gietzmann@whitelion.asn.au