[Shared by Stefan Gruenert on behalf of Stepping up (Odyssey House, TaskForce and Youth Projects)]

After almost 15 years, the award winning Stepping Up consortium will be winding up on 31st March this year.

Consisting of Youth Projects, TaskForce, Odyssey House Victoria and previously Interact Australia, Stepping Up was originally set up to develop innovative models to complex problems at the intersection of AOD, mental health, forensic, and other community sectors. Consortium partners acknowledge that Stepping Up achieved more together than each organisation could have on their own, and that much was learned from each other.

The winding up of the consortium will not impact services to clients, as all programs will continue under a new structure. 

Due to some strategic changes, and a belief that more efficient, integrated, and effective services could be achieved without this consortium governance structure, the time has come for Youth Projects, TaskForce and Odyssey House Victoria to reorganise how they work together. 

In many ways, it will be 'business as usual' on the ground, with all services continuing from existing sites. Clients will not be impacted adversely by these changes. In fact, clients should experience many benefits from the new operating model. 

TaskForce will assume direct management of services it previously led for Stepping Up in the Frankston and Mornington Peninsula region, and Odyssey will assume direct management of services it previously led for Stepping Up in the Barwon and western Melbourne regions. 

All staff employed byYouth Projects have been offered roles with either TaskForce or Odyssey House, and both organisations will seek to maintain existing agreements with other community partners in those areas.

In essence, only the name changes, and the same great services and impact they deliver will remain. 

Youth Projects, TaskForce and Odyssey House Victoria look forward to building on the successful work achieved together under the Stepping Up name, and continuing to service the unmet needs of Victorians as best they can.

For more information on the winding up of Stepping Up, please contact Stefan Gruenert at [email protected] or (03) 9420 7600.