Three teenage girls will benefit from a unique opportunity to finish their schooling on the Bellarine.
Debbie’s Place was launched in Ocean Grove and it is believed to be the first of its kind.
A fully furnished five-bedroom house will provide up to three Year 11 and 12 girls with the opportunity to finish VCE.
The girls aged between 16 and 19 must live on the Bellarine, be at school full time and be in a position where they are at risk of not completing VCE satisfactorily or not at all due to short- or long-term housing instability.
The project has been steered by Jane Carrigg and the Anglican Church of Ocean Grove and Barwon Heads with Korus Connect and the churches of the Bellarine Peninsula.
Residents will be supported by a live-in manager/mentor and will be supported by volunteers.
The project was born after Jane Carrigg, in her work as a chaplain in a local high school, alerted her to an ongoing issue among a small number of Year 11 and 12 girls struggling to complete VCE due to difficult living conditions.
“I noticed there were a lot of girls couch surfing while doing their VCE,” she told the Voice.
“We were doing all we could to help, but some finished and some didn’t.”
The pilot project will run for two years.
“Then we will have to decide if we keep renting or buy or build,” Ms Carrigg said.
The selection process will be extensive, Ms Carrigg said.
Residents will need to have a care plan in place and preferably Centrelink support.
Ms Carrigg was unsure how many girls will apply for one of the three places.
“I don’t expect us to overwhelmed, but I really don’t know,” she said.
“There are a lot of girls out there.
“We want it to feel like a home, not a hostel or a boarding house.
“We’d rather do a good job with three than a bad job with 10.”
Debbie’s Place was launched at Driftwood Cafe in Ocean Grove on 3 July.
The house will be drug and alcohol free.
