Need urgent help now?
Brimbank Youth Services is not an emergency support service. If you need help urgently, please contact one of the below:
Kids Helpline: 1800 551 800
Lifeline: 13 11 14
Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636
13YARN: 13 92 76
1800 RESPECT: 1800 737 732
B-Heard is a youth support and counselling program for young people aged 12 to 25 who live, study, work or recreate in Brimbank.
B-Heard provides free, inclusive, accessible and confidential support and counselling for young people in Brimbank.
Our youth workers and counsellors are here to help you explore what’s going on in your life, build coping skills, and feel more supported.
Whether you’re dealing with stress, anxiety, school pressures, relationship or family issues, low mood, identity questions, or just need a safe place to talk — you’re welcome here.
Sessions are personalised and strengths-based, focusing on your goals and what matters to you.
Our support is voluntary, youth-friendly, and designed to help you feel heard, understood and empowered.
What is Youth Support?
Youth Support is about working with you to explore what’s going on, learn new skills, and figure out your next steps.
This can include information, advocacy, goal planning, or connecting you with other services that can help.
What is Youth Counselling?
Counselling provides a safe, confidential and non-judgmental space where young people can talk openly with a counsellor, explore what’s going on in their lives, and build practical skills and supports to help them manage challenges.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the service free?
Yes. All B-Heard support and counselling sessions are free of charge for people who are 12-25 years old and live, work, study, or recreate in Brimbank.
Do I need a referral or a mental health care plan?
No. You can self-refer by contacting Brimbank Youth Services directly using the form at the bottom of this page.
A school, parent, carer or worker can also help you make a referral if you prefer.
Will the support worker tell my parents/guardian about what I share?
Support sessions are a private and confidential space. The only time a support worker would talk to your parents/guardian is if you were at risk of harm to yourself or others.
The support worker would aim to speak with you about any safety concerns and call your emergency contact.
Your emergency contact does not always have to be a parent, but they do need to be a trusted and responsible adult.
The only other time a support worker would speak to your parents/guardian was if you asked them to.
What can I talk about?
Anything that’s on your mind — including stress, anxiety, friendships, bullying, family issues, school, identity, confidence, relationships, grief, or anything affecting your wellbeing.
Is support available in languages other than English?
Let us know if you would like an interpreter to attend your session; this can be organised with notice. Alternatively, we can try to connect you with a service that can offer support in your preferred language
Are sessions in-person or online?
Sessions can be in person, online or by phone — whatever works best for you.
However, we prefer to support young people in-person because it can help to boost engagement, rapport, and trust; it can also be easier to communicate with each other and it gives you an opportunity to see nearby services in the community.
After attending some in-person sessions with your support worker, online sessions may be available depending on your circumstances.
In-person support sessions are available in some local schools, at the Visy Cares Hub in Sunshine or council facilities such as the Sydenham Community Hub or St Albans Community Centre.
Can I ask to see a support worker of a certain gender?
Yes. We will let you know if we don’t have a counsellor available in your preferred gender.
What happens in the first session?
You’ll meet your counsellor or youth worker, talk about what brought you here, discuss your goals and decide together how we can support you moving forward.
Can I change my mind about support sessions?
Yes, sessions at Brimbank Youth Services are voluntary so you can end them at any time and for any reason.
If you feel like ending all of a sudden or after a session that may have been challenging, it can be helpful to reach out and talk to your worker about it.
Your feelings matter. Endings can be difficult, but ending in a relational way can be an opportunity for you to work through things differently from your past.
By letting us know, you can also avoid follow up calls and text messages.
Can I ask for a different support worker?
We understand that you won’t always click with everyone, and we want to make sure that you feel comfortable in your sessions.
Please let us know as soon as possible and we will do our best to find another worker who has time to see you. If our team don’t have capacity to meet your request, we can refer you to another helpful service.
What happens if I miss a support session?
It happens! You may be sick or notice a clash with another important commitment. Please give us as much notice as possible if you can’t attend an appointment, this lets us offer the time to another young person in need. We will offer you another appointment when we can.
If you cancel at the last minute several times, we will have a chat to see if you have any concerns about the support work and whether it is the right time for you to continue sessions.
If we do not hear back from you after several attempts to contact you, we will close your file. You are welcome to call us back for support at another time.
How many sessions can I have?
Up to 12 sessions available, however, the number of sessions varies depending on your needs.
Together with your youth worker, you’ll create a plan that suits you.
What happens if I feel like I need more sessions?
If you are leading up to your final session and feel like you need more support, chat with your worker about it.
If it is agreed that more sessions will be beneficial, your worker will request approval to extend your sessions, or they will make sure that you are connected to another helpful service.
How long do support sessions go for?
Sessions usually take 50 minutes and are scheduled either weekly or fortnightly. This is due to the number of young people requesting support and on the waitlist.
We aim to see you regularly so that we can support as many young people in Brimbank as possible.
Sessions are provided from Monday to Friday between the hours of 9am and 5pm.
What happens if I need support between sessions?
You can contact your worker via phone or email on the days that they work. If you cannot reach your worker, you can contact a member of the Youth Wellbeing and Belonging Team on 9249 4000.
Keep in mind that workers cannot respond to messages/calls after hours and we are not a crisis service.
If you need urgent help, please contact one of the below:
Kids Helpline: 1800 551 800
Lifeline: 13 11 14
Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636
13YARN: 13 92 76
1800 RESPECT: 1800 737 732
If you experience an emergency, please call 000 or visit the emergency department of your closest hospital.
Can the workers provide support to guardians of young people?
We encourage family inclusive practice where suitable and often find positive results when families are involved in the support sessions.
We also deliver the Tuning in to Teens program throughout the year which teaches parents how to improve emotional communication in the family.
Can I connect with my support worker via social media?
We do not accept friend requests from young people during or after support sessions. We follow ethical codes of practice to avoid dual relationships. We take your support journey seriously and by following these boundaries, we can support you if you need help in the future.
I’m not sure if counselling is for me. Can I still contact you?
Absolutely. We can have an informal chat first so you can ask questions and see if B-Heard feels like a good fit.
How do I make a complaint?
We are open to feedback because it allows us to continue improving the service.
If you do not feel comfortable sharing your feedback with your support worker, please contact the Wellbeing and Belonging Team Leader or Brimbank Youth Services Coordinator on 9249 4000. You can also email bys@brimbank.vic.gov.au.
How can you access youth support or counselling?
- Fill out this form
- Phone 9249 4000 to speak to a youth support worker
- Email the Youth Wellbeing and Belonging Team on youthsupport2@brimbank.vic.gov.au
- Attend the Visy Cares Hub & request to see a worker from the Brimbank Youth Services
We support young people on a short term basis at various locations in Brimbank.
How professionals can refer a young person:
If you have spoken to the young person about support options and they have shown interest in our service, please phone the Youth Wellbeing and Belonging Team on 9249 4000.
Referrers are required to contact us to discuss the needs of the young person, program eligibility, response times and any other questions prior to making the referral.