Over the period 2021-2025 more children and young people in Whitehorse will have the best possible start in life.

Strategies to achieve the objective

Support children and families at key transitional points, i.e. post-natal, moving from home to early years’ education, kindergarten to school, primary school to secondary school and secondary school to tertiary education or employment.

Engage young people in determining how best to support their social and emotional needs.

Tailor Council programs and services to meet the health, social and emotional needs expressed by young people in our community.

Support parenting of children and adolescents.

Promote community information and resources to assist new parents.

Advocate for improved agency response to family referrals and for supports for children with learning deficits.

Build partnerships, advocate for and support the growth of mental health services that are accessible in Whitehorse, in particular for children and young people aged 6-24 years.

Work with key government and agency groups to build upon and expand prevention and response strategies to reduce the incidence of family breakdown, family violence and child abuse in the community.

Provide opportunities for children and young people’s creativity and social skills development.

Advocate for a coordinated service response to address the needs of vulnerable children, youth and families including resourcing of case management services.

Facilitate access to childhood dental services and healthy food options in Council’s early years’ service.

Promote childhood immunisation and facilitate access to child care.

By 2025 we will see increased capacity of Council, its partners and the community to respond to and prevent bullying, elder abuse, child abuse and family violence

Strategies to achieve the objective

Implement the FV Prevention Action Plan 2021-2025 in collaboration with the community

Educate Council staff and the community about family violence and elder abuse and what to do in responding to a situation where abuse is happening.

Educate Council staff and the community about the impacts of family violence on women and men, boys and girls, gender diverse people and people with a disability.

Educate young people about how to have respectful relationships, how to recognise the signs and behaviours of unhealthy relationships and how to access support.

Support the education of young people about bullying and advocate for law enforcement/consequences.

Collaborate to support LGBTIQ+ community members, especially young people.

Provide opportunities for different generations of people to come together to share knowledge, skills and experiences.

Advocate for family violence and universal health services to ensure cultural safety for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals and families.

Inform a strategic sector response about the co-occurrence of harmful drug and alcohol use, mental illness and family violence presenting to Council Maternal Child Health services by exploring partnerships and evidence through consultation and research.

Collaborate with the family violence sector to increase access for adults and children with a disability.

Promote themes around healthy and respectful relationships at all ages through arts, cultural, recreation, health and community programs.

Provide information and assistance to victims of family violence and elder abuse to help them get the support they want and need.

Promote and encourage the Whitehorse business community to create leadership and mentoring opportunities for women.

By 2025 people in Whitehorse will feel more resilient and re-connected to their community

Strategies to achieve the objective

Provide information, services and programs across Council to promote social connection and support people’s mental wellbeing, including intergenerational activities.

Connect community members to social support, and health and wellbeing services and programs in their local area.

Recognise the needs of young people, international students and people most disadvantaged in the community as a result of the pandemic, in our approach.

Ensure tailored approaches to mental wellbeing for different ages and genders and for communities with specific needs.

Encourage more small-scale opportunities such as local Repair Cafés[1] and neighbourhood collaborations.

Bring people together from across the municipality (people who live, work, study and recreate in Whitehorse) to reconnect with Council arts, cultural, recreation and leisure programs and services.

Make it easy to volunteer within Whitehorse.

Promote good news to counteract negative social narratives.

[1] Repair Cafes or groups are local places where people help one another fix and recycle household items.

By 2025 people in Whitehorse will be enjoying more physical activity and a healthier diet

Strategies to achieve the objective

Plan, develop and partner to create built environments and programs that enable the community to be active.

Ensure public spaces, recreation and play spaces are safe and are accessible to all.

Increase information and opportunities for the community to consume, cook, share and grow food.

Promote participation in structured and unstructured physical activity.

Encourage physical activity and social interactions in the community e.g. promote the benefits of owning and walking a dog, joining cycling clubs, park runs, walking groups etc.

Over the period 2021 to 2025 we will see an upward trend in immunisation rates

Strategies to achieve the objective

Provide information and education on an annual basis to addresses vaccine hesitancy for identified groups and in ways that meet their access needs.

Collaborate with secondary education providers to reach adolescents with HPV and other vaccines.

Collaborate with community health services and reach out to people who face barriers in accessing immunisation and other health services, including vulnerable residents living in high risk accommodation.

In 2025 the people of Whitehorse will report a greater sense of personal safety both at home and in the community

Strategies to achieve the objective:

Assess and improve processes for informing Council and the maintenance of Council’s footpaths and thoroughfares.

Ensure the Urban Realm and open spaces are conducive to the needs of the local community and businesses.

Partner with other organisations to promote online safety in the community.

Conduct regular risk-based reviews of the Municipal Emergency Management Plan and Sub-Plans and contribute to regional risk-based emergency management planning.

Inform the community about Council’s Community Local Law Framework.

Educate the community about keeping footpaths free from obstructions.

Implement strategies to reduce discriminatory attitudes and behaviours (see also Social Cohesion section).

Collaborate with Victoria Police and other agencies to work towards the prevention of crime and to promote community safety.

Seek opportunities to implement smart lighting and CCTV to increase community safety.

Promote Council’s 5-Star Food Safe Program to business and the 5-Star Rating to the community.

Develop and promote a new 5-Star Beauty Safe program to business and the 5-Star Rating to the community.

Over 2021-2025 we will see more people ageing well in Whitehorse

Strategies to achieve the objective

Celebrate the contribution of older people.

Support and promote intergenerational activities by Council and other agencies.

Implement the Intergenerational Grants program to enable connections between older people and other generations; encourage, facilitate the sharing of knowledge, skills and experience between generations; and tackle ageism towards older people.

Conduct promotional campaigns sharing positive images of people as they age and which proffer a different view to the stereotypes.

Educate the community about ageism.

Advocate for services and supports to help people to age well.

Design arts, cultural, heritage, leisure and recreation programs that are enjoyable for and meet the needs of the diverse population of older people in Whitehorse.

Support partners to provide opportunities for older people’s participation.

By 2025 there will be fewer barriers for access to information, services and participation in the social and economic life of the municipality

Strategies to achieve the objective

Collaborate to implement a digital inclusion project to reduce exclusion for older people and others lacking access to online information and services.

Assist the community to access education and supports in how to get online.

Adopt a best practice approach to the development and operation of the various volunteer programs across Council.

Promote access to community relief services regardless of gender, age or disability.

Undertake Gender Impact Assessments for policies, programs and services of Council that have significant impact on the community.

Implement effective, accessible communications to reach all segments of the Whitehorse population.

Promote the locations of accessible free secure internet access in the municipality.

Promote accessible communications for Council and other organisations.

By 2025 our community will be more inclusive of diversity

Strategies to achieve the objective

Promote, support, advocate for and facilitate an environment for social cohesion.

Support and promote intergenerational, intercultural and interfaith activities.

Partner in activities that raise awareness of discrimination related to gender, age, disability, faith and racial diversity.

Build the capacity across Council and the community to support and be responsive to people who are experiencing discrimination (people with a disability, people of non-English speaking backgrounds, older people, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and people who are LGBTIQ+, especially young people).

Embed the stories of the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung, new migrants, asylum seekers and international students within the narrative of Whitehorse.

Learn from local Aboriginal community members and continue to celebrate Aboriginal culture.

By 2025 our community will enjoy more liveable neighbourhoods

Strategies to achieve the objective

Look to implement 20-minute neighbourhoods when Victorian planning guidance is provided. In the meantime, continue to strengthen, advocate for and facilitate well-connected neighbourhoods that link with surrounding regions.

Facilitate opportunities for people to socialise/meet with others in their neighbourhood.

Use innovative ideas from the community for community infrastructure (e.g. pop up gardens, cafes with outdoor dining in carparks), ensuring need and easy access/ navigation

Seek opportunities to open up and diversify use of Council spaces and facilities for multi-use, e.g. on-demand lighting, casual use sports infrastructure such as basketball/netball rings, oval walking tracks, picnic seats, community gardens;   unlock athletics tracks, open toilet facilities.

Expand the in-ground parking sensor strategy to effectively manage timed parking restrictions across the municipality.

Implement supports for small local business to continue to attract and meet the needs of the community.

By 2025 we will see more individuals, organisations and businesses taking action to mitigate and build resilience to the effects of Climate Change

Strategies to achieve the objective

Improve Environmental Sustainable Design outcomes in the development of Council sites and through planning assessment process to achieve minimal impact on the environment both initially (in construction) and in the long term.

Encourage people to come together in taking action in their neighbourhoods to improve health and wellbeing and contribute to mitigating or adapting to climate change

Provide educational opportunities about actions that improve health and wellbeing and contribute to mitigating or adapting to climate change, e.g. tree planting, growing and eating more vegetables, developing bike riding skills.

Provide information about how to be more resilient to the impacts of climate change, in homes, workplaces and businesses.

Provide accessible information and programs for the community to reduce waste to landfill, including ways to compost organic waste.

Promote positive stories in the community such as sustainable business and manufacturing practices happening in Whitehorse.

Review the EMR Heatwave Plan.

Look to expand the scope of the Whitehorse 5-Star Food Safety Program to include availability of healthy food options.

Implement the Action Plan of the Urban Forest Strategy.

Investigate the development of a corporate recycling policy

Collaborate with other Councils and regional bodies on climate change action and advocacy.