Communities that Care Alpine (CTCA)

CTCA is a community based initiative designed to promote the healthy social development of children and young people. Underpinned by the Social Development Strategy, CTCA aims to improve the lives of children, young people and families living in the Alpine Shire.

There are 5 phases to CTC which use an early intervention and prevention framework to guide communities towards identifying and understanding local needs, setting priorities, and implementing tested effective strategies to address those needs.

CTCA has completed phases 1 (Get Ready), 2 (Get Started) and 3 (develop a profile), and is now working towards completing phases 4 (Develop a plan) and 5 (Implementation and Evaluation). View the phases here.

Communities That Care Alpine 2020-2024

To better understand the health and social issues impacting Alpine Shire youth (12–25 years), Alpine Health has partnered with Alpine Shire Council, NELLEN Inc and NESAY to form the CTCA Steering Committee to develop an Alpine Shire Youth Strategy. The Strategy works with young people to develop services and programs that better meet their wellbeing needs.

In September 2021, CTCA engaged the Spark Strategy consulting group to directly engage with young people to hear their voices, take action and co-create programs and services. Important community-based conversations and gatherings were completed by February 2022 and included workshops, focus groups, interviews, surveys with over 200 young people and 29 stakeholders. 

Key issues that arose included:

• Youth voice, which must be delivered differently around social issues
• The need for a place where young people can gather and access information
• The need to maintain mental wellness through social connection
• Better access to people to discuss their problems 
• Education around community norms, for example alcohol, e-cigarettes and vaping
• Information around educational pathways
• Access to mentors and programs delivered by peers with lived experience.

Suggestions for the future from the young people in our region include:

• Increase access to information about health and wellbeing services and enhanced confidentiality of services to be enhanced.
• Promote existing initiatives through relevant youth channels to maximise reach.
• Increase opportunities to be involved in youth events, leadership, and mentoring programs.

Using the outcomes of the Youth Strategy, CTCA will continue to work towards meeting the needs of our young people by developing a plan (Phase 4) and implementing and evaluating this (Phase 5).

CTCA activities and resources to date

• CTC Youth Survey: Alpine Shire 2019 Results 
• CTCA Profile Report Alpine Youth Voices – March 2021
• Spark Strategy – Project Scoping Document 
• Alpine Saints Well Being Team 
• LDAT final report 
• LDAT financial acquittal

Funding

CTCA relies on funding to operate and gratefully acknowledges support from the Central Hume Primary Care Partnership (CH PCP), The Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR) and Alpine Shire Council Youth Services.

Alpine Health is the auspice agency for CTCA.

More Information

Lisa Neville (Pronouns: she/her/hers)

Health Promotion Officer | CTC Alpine Coordinator 

[email protected] | 03 5755 0132