From crisis response to community care
The William Buckland Foundation has committed $2.5 million over four years to support a new approach to youth mental health in the Goulburn Region of Victoria.
The funding will support the Goulburn Region Open Dialogue Connect (GRODC) initiative. It is being led by community partners, including the Greater Shepparton Lighthouse Project, Berry Street Yooralla Shepparton Youth Foyer and Goulburn Valley Health, with implementation support from the Open Dialogue Centre.
A different way to support young people
Young people in the Goulburn Region face significant challenges. Many have disengaged from school, work and their communities. Services are under pressure and often work separately from each other.
This initiative fundamentally redesigns how youth mental health support is delivered in the region, shifting from fragmented, crisis-driven responses to a more coordinated, community-based system of care. It does this by strengthening what already exists in the region and helping services work better together.
GRODC focuses on improving how existing organisations collaborate with young people and the people they know and trust, rather than creating new, disconnected services.
At the centre is the Open Dialogue Approach, which brings people together to listen, talk and make decisions together. Young people are supported by family, friends and workers from different services, some of whom have had similar experiences to them.
Instead of mental health care that separates young people from their everyday lives and support networks, Open Dialogue starts with a different understanding. Support is provided through a social network of relationships, where family, peers and services meet with young people when and where they want support so they can recover and thrive in their own communities, with a say in their care.
Led by the community
This work has grown from strong local leadership in Shepparton and a shared commitment to do things differently.
‘We are deeply grateful to the Trustees of the William Buckland Foundation for their bold commitment to advancing critical systems change that will strengthen mental health outcomes for young people in our region. Greater Shepparton Lighthouse Project is proud to partner with The Open Dialogue Centre, Berry Street Yooralla and GV Health to deliver a collaborative approach that empowers young people and families, while creating sustainable and long-term impact across our community.’ Amy Robinson, Executive Officer, Greater Shepparton Lighthouse Project
The William Buckland Foundation is supporting the work as part of its focus on improving outcomes for children and young people through long-term partnerships.
“The William Buckland Foundation is proud to back a partnership that is built to last. What makes GRODC compelling is not just what it does, but how it does it. Services are working together in a way that becomes their own, sustained by the community long after the initial investment.” Alex White, Granting Specialist, William Buckland Foundation
Building local capability
Work is already underway across the region. Thirty-five professionals from health, education and community services are taking part in a year-long Open Dialogue training program, and new approaches are already being tested with young people in Shepparton.
This is building local capability and strengthening how services work together, helping create a more connected system of support for young people across the region.
“Community partners are committed to ensuring this investment leads to long-term change. What the William Buckland Foundation has backed is something genuinely different. This is philanthropy supporting change that lasts.” Keith Bryant, CEO, Open Dialogue Centre
About the William Buckland Foundation
The William Buckland Foundation works to improve the wellbeing and futures of Victorian children and young people in greatest need.
We invest for the long term and work closely with communities in the Hume region (Benalla, Seymour and Shepparton), backing local knowledge and leadership. Our focus is on strengthening how support works around children and families, so communities can create lasting change.
The Foundation is managed by Equity Trustees.
About GRODC
Goulburn Region Open Dialogue Connect (GRODC) is a whole-of-community initiative transforming youth mental health and wellbeing across the Goulburn Region of Victoria. Core partners include the Greater Shepparton Lighthouse Project, Open Dialogue Centre, Berry Street Yooralla Shepparton Youth Foyer and Goulburn Valley Health, alongside a network of community partner organisations.