The
Youth Centre
- Clinics
- Sexual and reproductive
health counselling
- Same sex attracted
support groups
- Education and information
on safer sex
- Answers to your questions
Safe, healthy sex is
more than just using condoms. It is about feeling OK
with who you are. There is the relationship stuff, the
emotional stuff and then there is the physical stuff.
From what to do when
the condom breaks or you forgot to use one to telling
your partner that you just don't want to have sex and
to feel OK about saying it.
FPV has youth services
based at Box Hill and in the City of Melbourne, as well
as outreach clinics.
You may have heard about
the Action Centre from your school, friends or you
may
have come in yourself. The Action Centre has been running
as part of Family Planning Victoria (FPV) since
the
1970s and is a sexual health centre in Elizabeth
Street in the city, for young people up to 25 years.
Around 10,000 young people attend per year in both
the clinical and education setting. Young people
who utilise
the service range in age from 13 to 25 years of age.
We are situated close
to the major train, tram and bus routes and young
people
come to the centre from across the state. Most
young people attend the
centre for a variety of reasons
and mostly they know us through word of mouth or
due
to a referral. We have doctors, nurses and counsellors.
Services are free to those young people under 18.
There
is a $5 per year charge for those between 19 - 25 years,
who are students or on benefits, or $27.50 per year
to
those working full time.
At the Box Hill location
of FPV there is another clinic that also has many
young
people attend for sexual health matters or concerns.
FPV also runs a sexual health clinic in Shepparton
with
a doctor and nurses on site once a fortnight. If
you would like to attend,
you can book a clinic visit on 5832 2460. Outreach
clinics also run from the City of Wyndham, the Youth
Resource Centre Hoppers Crossing and from Casey Cardinia
Community
Health Service in Cranbourne, phone 5990 6789.
The Action Centre also
has youth educators who see young people, as well
as
train and educate health professionals. These services
are provided across the state as well as at the Action
Centre. The educators
work closely with same sex attracted young people
and run a support group 'YAK' ,
each second Friday evening.
Young people who find
themselves attracted to the same sex can be confused
about
their sexual orientation. The staff
work hard to make sure young people feel comfortable
and safe
while
they’re at the Action Centre. Educators chat about
where the young person is at with their sexuality.
Have
they told anyone? Do they have any friends who are
lesbian or gay? Are things OK at home, at school,
in their relationships
with others?
Sometimes we need to
refer the young person for counselling.
The educators try and
help young person separate their sexuality from the
bigotry they may find around them and let them see
that
living a life as a lesbian or gay person can be good.
Providing same-sex attracted youth with opportunities
to meet with other young people who are like them
is important. There are a number of groups across
the
state where young
people
can
meet
and
socialise
with
others.
We always
spend some time in these groups talking about
issues and concerns facing same-sex attracted young
people.
As well as providing
sexual health education, our work encourages and
supports
young people in using the Action Centre’s
clinical services. But that’s still not the end
of the story. Increasingly, we’re out working
with schools, youth services and other community agencies
in metropolitan and rural Victoria, our aim is to help
them ensure that the services they deliver are inclusive
of the needs of their young gay and lesbian clients.
We offer staff training, consultancy, and even a mentoring
program in setting up new support services.
The
Action Centre
provides a number of specialised counselling services
and
sees young people
for disability counselling, sexual assault counselling,
pregnancy counselling,
and
sexual identity counselling.
We consult with young
people about all their contraception requirements
from
emergency contraception to Implanon. We also see
a large proportion of our client group for the treatment
or counselling for STIs. This can range from chlamydia
to HIV testing.
FPV, including the Action
Centre, aims to provide young people services in
a SAFE and CONFIDENTIAL environment.
If you want to talk to
someone, get some advice or see a health care practitioner…
Call
us at the Action Centre for Young People,
Level
1, 94 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne
9654
4766
Toll
free 1800 013 952
This
number is particularly useful if you live out of the
city. We can talk to you over the phone and give you
information or details of services in your area.
OR
Family
Planning Victoria,
901
Whitehorse Road, Box Hill
9257
0100
Page
maintained by:FPV
Webmaster
Last updated:02/11/2005
© Family Planning Victoria
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