Government helps bushfire survivors
21/01/2011
The Victorian Government has provided $450,000 so a Yarra Valley volunteer counselling service can continue helping bushfire survivors.
The Government has provided this funding to the Yarra Valley Practitioners Project (YVPP) so bushfire survivors get the help they need to rebuild their lives. The YVPP is operated by locals for locals to provide vital counselling, health and business support.
YVPP has helped many bushfire-affected individuals and families in the Yarra Valley, Marysville and Kinglake area and has also provided local schools with counselling support through a Clinical and School Outreach program. The government's support will supplement the funding already being provided by Rotary, businesses and individuals to ensure this crucial not-for-profit service can meet the growing demand for counselling.
The Government's funding ensures YVPP is able to continue its valuable work as well as expand its services into areas where activity was previously constrained by limited resources.
The Government's support will enable the YVPP to:
- assist individuals and families in rebuilding their lives after the fires
- expand into areas such as Marysville and other bushfire-affected communities in the north-east where limited funding prevented YVPP from addressing the call for help
- expand the School Outreach Program to help more young people build strength and resilience after the devastating effects of the 2009 bushfires.
YVPP President Karen Dickson said YVPP was on the verge of closing and ceasing its volunteer support of complementary and allied health to bushfire-affected communities at the end of 2010.
"This commitment from the Government means a lot to a community which has worked so hard to ensure this valuable service offered by YVPP is not lost due to lack of financial support," Ms Dickson said.
