Whether it’s arranging transport to a vaccination hub, help booking an appointment, child minding or promoting up-to-date public health information through trusted community leaders – the Victorian Government is boosting targeted support to ensure no Victorian is left behind as we move towards our vaccination targets.

A $21 million package will boost tailored support for Victorians who may face additional barriers to vaccination – including people living with disability, at risk youth, seniors, culturally diverse and multi-faith communities, social housing residents and victim survivors of family violence.

This includes $13 million to support children, older people, carers, families and clients with complex needs – including young people in the child protection system and social housing residents, as well as Victorians living in other accommodation settings such as Supported Residential Services.

Agencies will receive funding to help book appointments, promote existing transport options or arrange alternatives, or offer respite or occasional childcare in suburbs with low vaccine uptake.

A further $1.2 million will deliver community-led and culturally specific vaccine support by culturally and linguistically diverse groups. This support could include, for example, transport, information or childcare.

On top of that, $2.5 million will go towards trusted volunteer-based organisations such as neighbourhood houses, men’s sheds and multicultural community organisations, to encourage and support people to get vaccinated.

The package also includes funding to drive vaccinations through women’s health services, and work with young people from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds to support vaccine take up, and LGBTIQ+ communities.

This builds on support that continues to be available for disadvantaged and at-risk Victorians through vaccination pop-up sites across the CBD for people experiencing homelessness, on-site vaccination for family violence survivors, and a program to vaccinate everyone aged between 12 and 18 by the end of the year.

Priority vaccinations are still available to disability support and child protection practitioners, people with disability and Victorians with complex needs living in high-risk accommodation settings like rooming houses.