Diana Inkret has joined the Council as the new Youth and Family Counsellor. Diana has extensive experience in providing counselling to a wide range of young people in a variety of youth settings, such as alcohol and other drugs counselling to young people and families at Open Family Australia and generalist youth and young parents
counselling at Wyndham Youth Services. Diana has a Masters in Counselling, as well as a strong local knowledge of Melbourne’s west. Welcome Diana!

Nicole Battle has recently taken up the position of School Focused Youth Service Coordinator, Hobsons Bay and Wyndham. Nicole has held positions in the Community Development and Youth Services areas of Wyndham City Council. Currently undertaking a Masters of Social Science (Community Development), Nicole has worked on a number of community development and research projects specifically targeting newly arrived young people and socially isolated women. Welcome, Nicole!

Amanda Rigby has left the Council for a new role at Banyule City Council as the Community Safety Planning and Development Officer. Amanda has worked as the School Focused Youth Service Coordinator in the Youth Services unit for the last two years. Amanda thanks everyone who has made her role at the Council so enjoyable, especially her colleagues in the Youth Services unit. We wish Amanda well in her new role!

Hobsons Bay Youth Services held the Almost Famous Battle of the Bands on Friday, 28th August at the Laverton Community Centre. Five bands competed for the chance to win a place at the Western Region Push Start finals. The bands took the stage from 6:30pm to perform and impress the audience and panel of judges. The Take Off kicked off the night with a bang, even with an injured singer. The Sweetkicks, Zero and the Charades followed with great performances, all very different in their styles; from rock to pop and heavy metal. Masketta Fall closed the night and really got the crowd going, however, they could not compete to win as they had won the Wyndham heat. The winners of the Hobsons Bay Heat were The SweetKicks. The band will compete in the regional finals. It was great to see people there supporting local young talent. By the KAOS Committee.

Celebrate Halloween with a few friends, costumes and great music. Come along to Creepshow!

Friday, 30th October 2009
7.30pm - 11.00pm
Laverton Community Centre
Corner Crown Street and Railway Avenue, Laverton
$5 with pass, $10 without

Smoke, drug and alcohol free event. Fully supervised, all ages, no passouts. Management reserves the right to refuse entry.

For more information contact Youth Services on tel: (03) 9932 3000 or toll free: 1800 11 11 00.

One of our youth bands, Masketta Fall, who participated in the Youth Services Kool Skools Project in July has been selected to perform at the Victorian Statewide Kools Skools Awards Ceremony at Etihad Stadium later this year. All Councils across Victoria attend this event, so it is a huge honour and achievement for these young people to be acknowledged amongst their state wide peers.

If you are a young performer interested in playing at events and would like to register your band or are interested in becoming involved in the KAOS FReeZA committee please contact Youth Services on tel: (03) 9932 3000 or toll free: 1800 11 11 00.

Youth Services no longer operate Seabrook Drop In Centre on Tuesday afternoons.

A great alternative is to attend the Youth Activity Arvo on at Altona Meadows Library and Learning Centre. Activities include air hockey, Nintendo Wii, Playstation and more. 

Tuesdays (during school terms), 4.00pm - 6.00pm.

Altona Meadows Library and Learning Centre, 2 Newham Way, Altona Meadows.

Fully supervised. Drug, alcohol and smoke free.

Enter the Youth Activity Arvo naming competition for your chance to win a $50 JB-HiFi voucher. Tell us your idea when you come along!

Stay tuned for activities for young people at Seabrook Community Centre in 2010.

Find out more about youth drop in centres

Youth Services runs a weekly drop in centre on Friday evenings, during school terms.

Fridays from 7.00pm to 10.00pm
Walker Close Community Centre
Corner Millers Road and Walker Close, Altona North.

Suitable for young people aged 12 to 17, the centre is free, fully supervised and drug and alcohol free.

Activities include pool, Playstation, movies, games and more.

Find out more about youth drop in centres.

All parents, guardians and workers are invited to attend a session on critical transition periods within young people’s lives, such as transitioning from primary to secondary school, changing schools throughout secondary school, and entering further education and/or employment settings post school.  Strategies in managing these critical transition periods will be delivered by renowned local psychologist, Joanne Garfi.

Wednesday, 18th November 2009
Bayside Secondary College, 1 McArthurs Road, Altona North.
7.00pm to 9.00pm (7.15pm start). 
This is a free session. Please RSVP by Friday, 13th November. Light supper provided.

Find out more about this.

Join us at the launch of the Hobsons Bay City Council Youth Strategy 2009-2013 and Kool Skools Project 2009 CD.

Friday, 6th November 2009
6.00pm - 9.00pm
The Substation - 1 Market Street, Newport

RSVP on tel: (03) 9932 1082 by 22nd October 2009.

This event will include performances by Kool Skools bands, speeches, musings and other performances by local young people.

Young People - Making a Difference Today

Find out more about the event.

The Venus Room, in collaboration with White Ribbon Day, is a one night only extravangaza of local women's talent. We are aiming to raise awarness about violence against women through a night celebrating the talent of evolving female artists in the western suburbs.

Friday, 27th November 2009
The Substation - 1 Market Street, Newport
Event opens 6.30pm
Entry by gold coin donation

For more information, please contact Youth Services on tel: 9932 3000 or toll free: 1800 11 11 00.
This is a smoke, alcohol and drug free event. Fully supervised/all ages event/no passouts.
Management reserves the right to refuse entry.

Celebrate International Day of People with Disability by attending an all ages disability dance party.

Friday, 4th December 2009
7.00pm - 10.30pm
Laverton Community Centre
Corner Crown Street and Railway Avenue, Laverton.
Theme yet to be confirmed.
Carers free, all other admissions $5.00 with pass, $7.00 without.
No passouts, drug, alcohol and smoke free.

For more information contact Youth Services on tel: 9932 3000 or toll free: 1800 11 11 00.

The Youth Voice Making a Difference Today Youth Grants Program is part of the Council’s ongoing commitment to supporting projects, ideas and activities for young people, by young people in the local community.

The Making A Difference Today Youth Grants program is open to organisations, groups of young people and individuals to apply for small grants to run a project. Young people people can also apply for individual sponsorship to participate in a beneficial activity that is a little out of reach.

The funding round closes at 5.00pm on Friday, 20th November 2009.

Find out more about youth grants.

Lynne Donnelly (Youth Participation Officer) and Hobsons Bay's Youth Voice Committee (YVC) have received the honour of being asked to present at the annual statewide Youth Affairs Council of Victoria (YACVIC) conference next month. The presentation is titled 'Young People Making a Difference Today: A practical approach to working with a committee within a youth participation framework' and will focus on working with young people within a committee framework and applying keep youth participation principles.

The Hobsons Bay Youth Voice Committee (YVC) has announced the Laverton Youth Party Safe Project Group as the October winner of its Reward and Recognition program.
The project group consists of three year 11 students from Laverton P-12 College who are promoting personal safety at parties. Well done to Belinda Tan, Mara Merchant and Stacey Gibbons for your valuable contributions to the community in the award categories of youth-led projects and social welfare.
Find out more about the Reward and Recognition Program and nominate young people achieving something in Hobsons Bay.

Youth Services are currently planning for National Youth Week 2010 (10-18 April). If your organisation is interested in running events during this time, contact Youth Services to discuss possible partnerships to celebrate young people during National Youth Week.

Youth Services offer recreational programs for young people aged 12 to 25 with mild to moderate disabilities. 

The Be Yourself program operates during school holidays and offers fun activities for young people aged 12 to 17. The Expand program is for young people aged 18 to 25 and the Combi program operates monthly on a Saturday and is for young people aged 12 to 25.

If you are interested in any of these programs, contact Youth Services on tel: 9932 3000 to arrange an appointment for assessment and further information.

Proud is a social support group for young people who are gay, lesbian, bi-sexual or just not sure, aged 15 to 21 years who live in the western suburbs. 

The group is a friendly, accepting and safe environment for young people to socialise and get support. Young people's privacy is protected.

The group meets fortnightly during the school terms and is open to join at any time. Contact Jade or Daniela for more information or to join the group on tel: 9932 3000 or email: jnolan@hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au or dbeardsley@hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au

The counselling service provides short to medium term generalist counselling for young people aged between 12-25 years, who live, work or study in Hobsons Bay.

Counselling provides young people with the opportunity to discuss and receive support on issues or concerns that may be affecting their lives. Counselling allows young people and their families to be heard and supported without judgement in a safe environment with trained professionals. 

Young people and their families decide to attend counselling for a variety of reasons including, family difficulties, relationships, education, legal issues, sexuality and social issues, others just come in for a chat. If you would like to make an appointment for counselling you contact Youth Services on tel: (03) 9932 3000 or toll free: 1800 11 11 00.

Do you know a local young person who has made a substantial and outstanding contribution to life in Hobsons Bay, including involvement in local community groups, arts and cultural organisations and sporting clubs? Nominating them for the Council’s Young Citizen of the Year Award for 2010 is a great opportunity to reward them for their good work. Nominations will open on Monday, 19th October and nominees for the Young Citizen of the Year Award must be 26 years or younger on 26th January 2010. The 2010 award winner will be recognised by the Mayor at a Citizenship Ceremony on Australia Day next year. Nomination forms will be available from the Hobsons Bay Civic Centre at 115 Civic Parade, Altona, Hobsons Bay libraries, and the Council’s website: www.hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au/citizensawards