What is the Vision’s Community Support Program?
The Stirling Support Program provides free, short term counselling to individuals who may otherwise not have access to counselling services.
Individuals can access up to 6 free counselling sessions, with therapists at our Scarborough office.
Who is eligible for the Program?
Eligibility for the program requires individuals to meet one of the following criteria:
Stirling residents who are low income earners or pensioners. These residents must be entitled to a health care card and unable to access services easily elsewhere. Residents must be one of the following –
- Pensioners
- Job Seekers
- Disability Support Pensioners
- Low Income Earners
- Or anyone in dire need at the discretion of admin intake
To find out if you are eligible please call our Support Team on 1300 184 746
How can the Community Support Program help?
The program can help with issues and problems including but not limited to:
- Relationship and family issues
- Communication skills
- Conflict resolution
- Anger management
- Stress
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Panic
- Trauma
- Substance use
- Coping with change
- Coping with unemployment
- Grief and bereavement
- Referral and finding the right service for you
How do I arrange an appointment?
- Call the Vision support team on 1300 184 746
- Request a Community Support Program appointment
- Provide your details (you may be asked for an pension or healthcare card)
- Book an appointment time
Project Information
The Stirling Support Program delivers counselling services to Perth individuals who are unable to or are having difficulty accessing counselling services privately or are ineligible to access funding for services through their community service providers. They may be low income earners, pensioners or individuals in great need of counselling services due to a crisis situation.
The program is delivered by Master of Counselling students on placement as part of their qualifications as well as volunteer counsellors who have graduated as qualified counsellors or psychologists.
All students and qualified therapists are fully supervised according to their member association requirements or course provider guidelines and partake in Vision’s Group and Peer Supervision.
The program is delivered at the Vision Counselling head office –
173 Gildercliffe St
Stirling Leisure Centre
Building 2
Suites 1-2
Scarborough WA 6019
Project Background
The Stirling Support Program was a community partnership between Vision Counselling and the City of Stirling established in 2014.
Vision Counselling observed that there were a large number of Stirling residents who are unable to access mental health services or family support services quickly and easily as they do not have the funds to pay for private practice consultation fees or they were required to join long waiting lists to access community mental health service providers. This continues to be our target group for the Community Program.
In March 2013 Vision Counselling and Psychology enlisted volunteer counselling and psychology students as part of our Support Team at our Scarborough office. As Support Team members qualified into their profession, they became therapists who require work experience. Vision has also engage with registered training providers and Universities, to support emerging counsellors complete their Master qualification and deliver counselling services with the Community Program.
Our view for this program is to connect individuals in need of therapeutic services with the therapists who have the skills, creating a successful volunteer counselling program.
Project Objectives
- To deliver counselling services to people who are unable to access services elsewhere as they are unable to afford private practice fees.
- To connect clients with appropriate mental health service providers, whilst the program provides short term support in the interim.
- For students and new graduate counsellors and psychologists to gain valuable work experience in a supported therapeutic role.
- To deliver a collaborative program from the Scarborough Community Hub (our head office), welcome clients with an open-door policy.
Benefits of the Project
The local community will be able to access counselling quickly if they are in crisis and will be supported whilst appropriate referral for long term supports are put in place with the assistance of our practice. New graduate therapists will have an opportunity to utilise and develop their counselling skills and make a contribution to the local community.
Project Funding
This initiative is currently funded by Vision Counselling, with an initial contribution and a grant from the City of Stirling.
Accessing the Program
The service is free for low income earners or people in crisis who are unable to access therapeutic services elsewhere such as their connected community service provider.
Clients may be asked to show their Health Care Card.
City of Stirling residents can refer themselves for counselling.
To arrange an appointment, please telephone our Support Team and let them know that you would like to access the Stirling Support Program –
Telephone: 1300 184 746
