By Jamie Salter
Cardinia Shire Council is celebrating the success of the My Place Youth Facility in supporting the needs of young people across the shire over the past 10 years.
A birthday party was held to mark the milestone, with all young people aged 12 to 25 invited to join in the festivities.
Cardinia Shire councillor Brett Owen officially opened the building in 2012 and was thrilled to attend the event to celebrate a decade of the facility.
“It’s great that 10 years down the track we’re seeing young people here getting support from council,” Cr Owen said.
“It was a really proud moment 10 years ago when we opened the facility because before that council had no dedicated youth facility, we just had a mobile bus, which was good but we didn’t have a permanent youth facility for young people.”
The decommissioned MYBus was a converted passenger coach which enabled council’s youth team to deliver an outreach service to the community.
The current My Place Youth Facility, located at 5-7 Main Street in Pakenham, is set to be relocated to the new Cardinia Youth Hub on James Street in Pakenham that is currently under construction and will officially open its doors next year.
“It will be bigger and better and be able to bring in more youth services for our young people because we’re already overcrowded in this facility and we can’t accept new services, so going to that bigger facility will allow council to attract additional youth services,” Cr Owen said.
At My Place, young people get the opportunity to have fun and participate in a range of social engagement and support programs such as LGBTIQA+ groups, teenage school holiday program activities, after school programs and learn important life skills.
The facility offers mental health and other specialist support services onsite and also provides affordable office accommodation for services to base themselves in or outreach to the shire.
Cardinia Shire Council youth services coordinator Emma Firth said My Place was a hub where young people and families could connect with services and participate in youth specific programs.
“Staff don’t just come to work at My Place. They come to make a difference to the lives of young people. They go above and beyond to ensure that young people feel welcome, safe, supported and achieve their goals,” she said.
“My Place has become a safe place for hundreds of young people with many returning five to 10 years later to let us know how they are going and how My Place had a positive impact on their lives.”
She said council was excited to launch the Cardinia Youth Hub in 2023.
