Encircle Community Services’ Young Parent Program (YPP), which offers group antenatal education, peer support connections, and referrals to relevant services for pregnant and parenting families from Greater North Brisbane, is seeking support from the community to help vulnerable young mothers obtain their licence for greater independence and convenience.   

According to YPP Senior Practitioner, Talitha Eckermann, the biggest issues for young parents are the cost of living, social isolation, affordable and stable housing, domestic and family violence, and access to adequate, affordable and timely mental health support.   

“With cost of living skyrocketing for our young parents, many are navigating public transport to save money, but are struggling with inconvenient timetables and routes to get to their destinations, and the logistics of carrying baby capsules, prams and nappy bags, or being heavily pregnant across multiple modes of transport,” said Eckermann.  

She highlighted the immediate need for financial support to help young parents in the program gain their driver’s licence and is inviting expressions of interest from local businesses and organisations.   

“It’s something many of us take for granted, but with a single driving lesson costing around $90 and the driving test costing $75, to even apply for a Learner’s license sets our young parents back several hundreds of dollars that they simply don’t have when preparing for a baby.” 

Recent funding from Beyond Church’s ‘Be Rich’ campaign has enabled the team to prepare hospital bags for expectant mothers to enrich their birthing and post-partum experience, while the Kedron-Wavell Community Grant has funded life-saving swimming lessons for young families.   

The impact YPP has had on local families for 35 years is evidenced by the community support it receives on social media.   

Encircle’s Young Parents Program has recently moved from Stafford Road to the heritage-listed premises at 12 Emerald Street, Kedron.  

YPP will continue to deliver programs that support young parents, help build peer connections, and provide information from a variety of services including midwives and child health nurses. Phone 3357 9944 for more information.   

To provide financial support for the program’s independent transport drive, interested organisations visit the Encircle Community Services website. 

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