Mount Alexander Middle Years Plan

Council adopted the Mount Alexander Middle Years Plan 2020-2023 at the Ordinary Meeting of Council held on 18 August 2020.

The plan aims to support the needs of children aged 8 to 12 years, and their families with the vision that ‘all children and families in Mount Alexander Shire are happy, safe, active and connected’. The plan is a community driven plan, initiated by Council.

It was developed with feedback received through an extensive consultation process that involved conversations, surveys and forums with local children, their families and middle years’ service providers.

The Middle Years Plan has three key priority areas:

1. Happy and Safe Kids

Kids and families have positive mental health, are safe online and offline, and ready to transition to high school.

2. Active and Adventurous Kids

Kids have opportunities to be physically active and to connect with the environment and have access to age appropriate child friendly spaces.

3. Connected Kids and Families

Families know what is going on and can access useful and coordinated services, accessible activities, flexible employment and out-of-school-hours care.

Underpinning these priority areas are nine objectives and forty-four actions that provide a framework to guide the implementation of the plan.

Some of the actions include mental health training for children, families and school staff, an increase in the number of schools integrating First Nations perspectives into the curriculum, and the development of a business case for an under 12 year old youth space model, similar to the current Mondo Lounge.

The Bulortj Child and Youth Network (previously MAYCN) will act as the steering group for the Plan and will ensure that the plan remains a meaningful and progressive document.

The Bulortj Children and Youth Network brings together organisations that provide services to 8-24 year olds in the Mount Alexander Shire. The network develops and implements strategies to meet the needs of children and young people; facilitates the sharing of resources and professional capacity building; and advocates for local child and youth priorities at a regional, state and federal level.

Regular project bulletin updates and annual reports will help keep the community and key stakeholders regularly informed about the Plan’s progress, and ensure that successes and achievements are acknowledged, shared and celebrated.

For more information, or to order a copy, contact Council’s Community Partnerships Team on (03) 5471 1700 or youth@mountalexander.vic.gov.au

View the Middle Years Plan explainer video.

Download the Middle Years Plan.

Download the Middle Years Plan on a Page for Children