COVID self-help welfare and support services

National Debt Helpline

This service helps you tackle debt problems. Professional financial counsellors offer free, independent and confidential services.

Call: 1800 007 007

Web: ndh.org.au/

Anglicare – Newport, Williamstown and Altona Meadows

Free independent, confidential, financial counselling and emergency relief support.

Call: (03) 9731 2500

Web: www.anglicarevic.org.au/

Salvation Army - Altona

Financial counselling, vouchers, food and essential goods hampers.

Call: (03) 9398 1750

Web: www.salvationarmy.org.au/need-help/

IPC Health Financial Counselling for people impacted by gambling or gambling family members

Free, confidential, non-judgemental services for people affected by gambling harm.

Call: 9296 1234

Email: gamblershelp@ipchealth.com.au

West Justice

Provides free legal help to people in the Western suburbs of Melbourne including consumer disputes, credit and

debt, youth law, family law and family violence, fines, motor vehicle accidents, tenancy, newly arrived and refugee legal clinics, financial counselling, International Student support and more.

Call: (03) 9749 7720

Web: www.westjustice.org.au/

Justice Connect

Provides a range of legal support and services to individuals and community groups.

Call: (03) 8636 4400

Web: justiceconnect.org.au/

Victoria Legal Aid

Confidential phone and online, counselling support service.

Call: 1300 792 387

Web: www.legalaid.vic.gov.au/

Australian Government Services Australia

Services Australia offers a range of health, social and welfare payments and services through Centrelink, Medicare and Child Support.

A list of numbers to call for these services are here:

www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/individuals/contact-us/phone-us

Call: 131 202 for the Centrelink Multilingual Line

Call: 131 450 for the Medicare and Child Support Translating and Interpreting Services

Web: www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/individuals/information-in-yourlanguage/products

Laverton Community Integrated Services

Crisis intervention counselling and emergency relief

Call: (03) 8368 0177

Web: lcis.org.au/

Salvation Army - Altona

Vouchers, hampers, and financial counselling

Call: (03) 9398 1750

Web: www.salvationarmy.org.au/need-help/

St Vincent de Paul

Phone for delivery of food, vouchers and other material aid.

Call: 1800 305 330

Web: www.vinnies.org.au/findhelp#!vic

Catholic Care

Support for people, such as supermarket and fuel vouchers will be made available to clients in Hobsons Bay if

they can arrange a pick up at Footscray. Alternatively, they can arrange express post if necessary.

Call: (03) 9689 3888

Web: www.ccam.org.au

Helping Hand Café – Williamstown Church of Christ

Food Hampers and other support available.

Call: (03) 9397 5715

Web: www.willichurch.org.au/

Newport Community Education Centre (Outlets)

Food parcels, nappies, sanitary items, blankets and myki cards.

Call: (03) 9391 8504

Web: www.outletsco-op.com.au/

Community Information and Support Service Victoria (CISVic)

Peak body that can locate your nearest emergency relief provider.

Call: 9672 2000

Web: www.cisvic.org.au/

Utility Relief Grant

A grant to help pay for a mains electricity, gas or water bill that is overdue, due to a temporary financial crisis.

Call: 1800 658 521

Web: services.dhhs.vic.gov.au/utilityrelief-grant-scheme

Energy and Water Ombudsman (Victoria)

Free independent dispute resolution service for energy and water issues. Available to individuals and businesses. The Ombudsman service can help set up fair payment plans and arrange reconnection of electricity and gas.

Web: www.ewov.com.au/

Call: 1800 500 509

Call: 131 450 for translator service

Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (Victoria)

Free, independent phone and internet complaint services.

The Ombudsman service can help set up fair payment plans and hardship support between customers and their phone and internet providers.

Call: 1800 062 058

Web: /www.tio.com.au/

Unison

Unison provides affordable and social housing. It also provides homelessness services for people in Melbourne’s West.

Call: 1800 825 955

Web: unison.org.au/

Women’s Housing Ltd

Provides low cost housing to women at risk of homelessness.

Call: 9412 6868

Web: womenshousing.com.au/

SafeSteps: Family Violence Response Centre

24/7 family violence response line. Safe steps Family Violence Response Centre is Victoria’s statewide first response service for women, young people and children experiencing family violence.

Call: 1800 015 188

Web: www.safesteps.org.au/

Women’s Health West

Family violence services in the Western suburbs of Melbourne. Call: 9689 9588 (during business hours)

Web: whwest.org.au/

WIRE (Women’s Information and Referral Exchange)

Free support referral information for all Victorian women, nonbinary and gender diverse people.

Call: 1300 134 30

Web: www.wire.org.au/

1800 RESPECT

National sexual assault, domestic family violence counselling service (24/7 support)

Call: 1800 737 732 / NRS: 1800 555 677 / Interpreter: 13 14 50

Web: www.1800respect.org.au/

MensLine Australia

Free telephone and online counselling service for men with emotional health and relationship concerns.

Call: 1300 789 978

Web: mensline.org.au/

Men’s Referral Service / No To Violence

Men’s family violence services.

Call: 1300 766 491

Web: ntv.org.au/

Beyond Blue

Free, confidential phone and online support for people experiencing depression and anxiety.

Call: 1300 22 46 36

Web: headspace.org.au/

SANE Australia

Support for people living with complex mental health issues and carers of these people.

Qualified counsellors will provide phone and online counselling and support, information and referrals.

Call: 1800 18 72 63

Web: www.sane.org/

Suicide Call Back Service

A call back and online counselling service for people having suicidal thoughts, family or friends affected by suicide and healthcare professionals treating suicidal people.

Call: 1300 659 467

Web: www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au/

Suicide Line Victoria

Phone and online counselling.

Call: 1300 651 251

Web: www.suicideline.org.au/phone-and-online-counselling/

Directline

24-hour telephone counselling, information and referral support for anyone in Victoria experiencing alcohol

or drug-related issues.

Call: 1800 888 236

Web: www.directline.org.au/

Joseph’s Corner – Yarraville and Laverton

Support service for families living with alcohol and, or other drug addictions.

Call: (03) 9315 2680

Web: www.josephscorner.org.au/

ADF’s DrugInfo

Free and confidential phone and online service for information on alcohol and, or other drugs and how you can

support yourself or someone else.

Call: 1300 85 85 84

Web: adf.org.au/resources/druginfo/

Pharmacotherapy Advocacy Mediation & Support (PAMS)

Telephone-based information, support, advocacy, referral and mediation for opiate pharmacotherapy consumers and their direct service providers on any pharmacotherapy client related issue in Victoria.

Call: 1800 443 844

Web: www.hrvic.org.au/pams

Alcoholics Anonymous

Free peer support service for people who want to stop drinking alcohol.

Call: (03) 9529 5948

Web: aa.org.au/new-to-aa/

Narcotics Anonymous

Free peer support service for people who want to recover from drug addiction.

Call: 1300 652 820

Web: www.navic.net.au/

IPC Health Gamblers Support

Free, confidential, non-judgemental services for people affected by gambling harm.

Call: 9296 1234

Email: gamblershelp@ipchealth.com.au

Gamblers Helpline

Call: 1800 858 858

Web: gamblershelp.com.au/

Peer Connection

Call: 1300 133 445

InTouch Multicultural Centre Against Family Violence

Multicultural family violence support services.

Call: 1800 755 988

Web: intouch.org.au/

Asylum Seeker Resource Centre

Support for refugees and people seeking asylum.

Call: (03) 9326 6066

Web: www.asrc.org.au/

West Welcome Wagon

Food, furniture, clothing and English Language support for people seeking asylum in the western suburbs of Melbourne.

Web: www.westwelcomewagon.org.au/

Specialist Aboriginal family violence support service:

Djirra

Specialist Aboriginal family violence support service:

Call: 1800 105 303

Web: djirra.org.au/

Ngawala Willumbong – Aboriginal Corporation

Delivers specialist alcohol and drug residential rehabilitation and outreach support services in Melbourne’s West to meet the needs of Aboriginal people and their families.

Call: 9510 3233

Web: www.ngwala.org.au

WithRespect

Specialist LGBTIQ family violence support service.

Call: 1800 LGBTIQ (1800 542 847)

Web: www.withrespect.org.au/

QLife

Anonymous and free LGBTI peer support and referral for issues including family violence.

 Call: 1800 184 527 (3pm-midnight daily)

Web: qlife.org.au/

Kids Helpline

Free private and confidential phone and online counselling service for young people between 5 and 25 years old.

Call: 1800 551 800

Web: kidshelpline.com.au/

Hobsons Bay Up Youth Services

Provides short to medium generalist counselling for young people who live, work or study in the municipality aged 12 to 25.

Call: 9932 4000

Web: www.hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au/UP

Headspace

Phone and online mental health, physical health, alcohol and other drugs, work, study support for young people between 12 and 25 years old.

Call: 1800 650 890

Web: headspace.org.au/

Centre for Multicultural Youth

Support, mentoring and opportunities for young people from migrant and refugee backgrounds.

Call: 9340 3770

Web: www.cmy.net.au/

Latitude Directions for Young People - Altona

Food and housing assistance for young people.

Call: (03) 9315 0061

Web: www.latitude.asn.au/

Study Melbourne

Free support, information, contacts and food relief for people living and studying in Victoria.

Call: 1800 056 449

Web: www.studymelbourne.vic.gov.au/help-and-support/support-forstudents-coronavirus/support-and-food-

relief-organisations

Parentline Victoria

Confidential free online counselling for parents.

Call: 13 22 89

Web: www.education.vic.gov.au/parents/services-for-parents/Pages/parentline.aspx?Redirect=1

Victorian Maternal and Child Health Services

24 hours, 7 days per week free phone service with health information and advice for parents with babies and young children.

Call: 132 229

Hobsons Bay Maternal and Child Health Services

Call: 9932 1300

Web: www.hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au/Community/Community-services/Families-Children/Maternal-Child-Health-Service

Caroline Chisolm Society

Provides a range of supports (material aid and emotional support) to pregnant women, new parents and parents of toddlers.

Call: 9361 7000

Web: caroline.org.au/

Disability Resources Centre (DRC)

Individual advocacy to adults with physical, sensory, intellectual, neurological, psychosocial and/or multiple disabilities on issues such as NDIS, Centrelink, accommodation and transport. 

 Call: 9671 3000

Web: drc.org.au/

Victorian Advocacy League for Individuals with Disability (VALID)

Provides one-on-one assistance for a person with disabilities to help solve a problem.

Call: 9416 4003

Web: www.valid.org.au/

Youth Disability Advocacy Service

Free advocacy support for young people aged 12-25 years with a disability.

Call: 0438 638 734

Web: www.yacvic.org.au/ydas

Seniors Rights Victoria Helpline

If you or someone you know is experiencing elder abuse, call for support and assistance.

Call: 1300 368 821

Web: seniorsrights.org.au/

Relationships Australia – Elder Abuse

Elder abuse can take many different forms. The most common forms of elder abuse are financial abuse and neglect. Contact numbers for Relationships Australia’s Elder Relationship Services can be found below

Call: 1300 364 277

Web: www.relationships.org.au/relationship-advice/relationshipadvice-sheets/what-is-elder-abuse

 Australian Multicultural Community Services

Support services to culturally diverse seniors and their carers.

Call: 9689 9170

Web: www.amcservices.org.au/

Carers Victoria

Counselling, support groups and advice for people caring for others.

Call: 1800 514 845

Web: www.carersvictoria.org.au/

Carer Gateway

A free phone counselling and online carer forum, self-guided coaching and skills for carers.

Call: 1800 422 737

Web: www.carergateway.gov.au/

Department of Health and Human Services Victoria

Call: 1800 675 398

Web: www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/coronavirus

Free to use and download onto your smartphone from Google Play or the iTunes App store.

Ask Izzy

Helps find the services you need, now and nearby. Covers housing, food, healthcare, counselling, legal advice, addiction treatment and more.

Daisy

Connects women around Australia to services for the impact of sexual assault, family violence and domestic violence.