The Bridge Youth Service awarded Future Ready Grant to empower young people in Wallan
The Bridge Youth Service is proud to announce it has been selected as a recipient of the Victorian Government’s Future Ready 2025/26 grant program.
The funding will support the delivery of U-Krew2, an engaging after-school program for young people aged 12 to 17 in the Mitchell Shire, with activities starting in Term 2, 2025.
Delivered in Wallan, U-Krew2 is designed to equip young people with practical life skills, boost emotional wellbeing, and build strong connections within their local community.
The program offers weekly group sessions, mentoring, and workshops focused on leadership, teamwork, emotional regulation, and career readiness.
With support from local mentors and community leaders, young people will participate in hands-on activities such as cooking, art, sports, and community projects that foster confidence, resilience, and a sense of belonging.
The initiative also incorporates the ERIC model (Emotional Regulation and Impulse Control) and PACE principles (playfulness, acceptance, curiosity, and empathy), ensuring young participants develop essential interpersonal and vocational skills.
“We are thrilled to receive this support through the Future Ready initiative,” The Bridge Youth Service Wallan Program Manager Deborah Pepper said.
“This funding enables us to reach young people in Wallan and surrounding areas with an inclusive program that fosters their growth, builds strong community connections, and helps them take meaningful steps into unlocking potential and shaping futures.”
“Some feedback from young people is that it gives them an opportunity to be themselves and make friends in a safe and friendly environment with caring mentors/adults around them.”
The Bridge Youth Service is the only dedicated youth support provider in the area.
With Wallan’s youth population expected to more than triple by 2039, U-Krew2 responds to the urgent need for inclusive, preventative programs addressing mental health, social isolation, and disengagement from education.
The grant is part of the Victorian Government’s Future Ready initiative, which supports not-for-profit organisations and public schools to deliver programs
that help young Victorians build real-world skills, connect with mentors, and plan for future education and employment.
Programs under the Future Ready banner aim to ensure all students – regardless of their background – have access to experiences that help them thrive.
Victorian Minister for Youth Natalie Suleyman said: “We’re investing in young Victorians because they are the leaders, innovators, and changemakers of tomorrow. Programs like Future Ready give them support to develop the skills and confidence to succeed.”
For more information about U-Krew2 or The Bridge Youth Service, phone (03) 5831 2390 or visit www.thebridge.org.au
