Coalition Govt helps bushfire survivors
Coalition Govt helps bushfire survivors
20 January 2011
published by media-newswire.com
Australia — The Coalition Government has provided $450,000 so a Yarra Valley volunteer counselling service can continue helping bushfire survivors, Premier Ted Baillieu said today.
“A Coalition Government has provided this funding to the Yarra Valley Practitioners Project so bushfire survivors get the help they need to rebuild their lives,” Mr Baillieu said.
Meeting at Yarra Glen this morning with Victorians affected by the 2009 bushfires, Mr Baillieu said the funding had secured the future of the YVPP, 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,” Mr Baillieu said.
“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 Coalition 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 Coalition’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; and
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 Coalition 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.
