Ms Kealy said Department of Families, Fairness and Housing had ‘rescoped’ the program and planned to reallocate money, justifying the move to ‘better target support for disadvantaged young people whose needs have been significantly exacerbated by the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic’.
Ms Kealy raised the issue in State Parliament last month in a question to Victorian Youth Minister Ros Spence.
She said she demanded the government reinstate the funding to the three colleges.
“To give some perspective, Edenhope is within the cross-border region with South Australia. Their nearest service centre is Naracoorte, about half an hour away in South Australia. During the border closures between Victoria and South Australia these students were cut off from so many supports,” she said.
“They have been cut off from their friends and family.
“Many students play sport in South Australian leagues and they have not been able to participate.
“It has been very difficult to even go and get a medical appointment across the border – they have not been able to do so.
“These kids deserve Advance funding as much as kids in Melbourne.
“They have been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic because they have been locked down for longer than anywhere else, even though they had not had a case.”
Ms Kealy said Ms Spence had advised that the 2022 program would target the 150 most disadvantaged government secondary school campuses in Victoria. This was to ensure all young people had similar opportunities to expand their skills and gain leadership experience as their peers across the state.
“How can the minister say ‘all young people will have similar opportunities’ when Edenhope, Balmoral and Goroke colleges have had their funding cut?” Ms Kealy said.
“I urge the minister to stand up for these students who have been deeply impacted by the pandemic and restrictions and reinstate the Edenhope, Balmoral and Goroke colleges in the list of schools to receive Advance program funding in 2022.
“It has never been needed more.”
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