TPYSA Service Updates – COVID-19

TOM PRICE YOUTH SUPPORT ASSOCIATION

ESSENTIAL SERVICE DELIVERY

The Tom Price Youth Support Association is committed to providing services to the communities of Tom Price, Paraburdoo, Wakathuni and Bellary Springs for as long as possible, whilst balancing the safety of clients, staff and the community. We will continue to ensure the delivery of services deemed essential such as Centrelink until otherwise dictated by Federal and State Government Authorities.

We recognise that the Centrelink and MyGov website is presently overloaded due to the high volumes of people using the system, as a consequence of the devastating effects of COVID-19 on Australians across the country with the loss of jobs.

We are sympathetic and as a Centrelink Agency, we will try and assist people to deal with the crisis and the associated frustration that comes from long phone wait times or from not being able to access the Department of Human Services website. Rest assured we will support and advocate for our clients wherever possible, but we need your patience and understanding.

To protect both clients and staff, we are limiting the number of people who can enter the office at any one time, to two people, which ensures adherence to the social distancing rules which will keep everyone safe. We will have chairs outside the centre and ask that you use these until we can safely deal with your query.

We have advised Centrelink’s Regional Officers that clients are facing access difficulties and they will be on hand to assist us where possible.

Our hours are 9am to 1pm Monday to Friday and we are based at the Tom Price Youth Centre, Stadium Road, Tom Price.

EXISTING RECIPIENTS OF BENEFITS

Economic Support Payment

We can advise that all people who are presently receiving the following benefits will receive a one off Economic Support Payment of $750 from 31/1/20. This is an automatically generated payment so you do not have to apply.

To be eligible for the first Economic Support Payment, you must be residing in Australia and be receiving one of the following payment or hold on of the following concession cards:

• Age Pension
• Disability Support Pension
• Carer Payment
• Parenting Payment
• Wife Pension
• Widow B Pension
• ABSTUDY (Living Allowance)
• Austudy
• Bereavement Allowance
• Newstart Allowance
• Youth Allowance
• Partner Allowance
• Sickness Allowance
• Special Benefit
• Widow Allowance
• Family Tax Benefit, including Double Orphan Pension
• Carer Allowance
• Pensioner Concession Card holders
• Commonwealth Seniors Health Card holders
• Veteran Service Pension; Veteran Income Support Supplement; Veteran Compensation payments, including lump sum payments; War Widow(er) Pension; and Veteran Payment
• DVA PCC holders; DVA Education Scheme recipients; Disability Pensioners at the temporary special rate; DVA Income support pensioners at $0 rate
• Veteran Gold Card holders
• Farm Household Allowance

Reporting Tip

Western Australia is on a different time band to the eastern seaboard and up to 3 hours behind other states. For Western Australians, traffic onto the Departments Website will be most heavy at the beginning of the day, as you are competing with the rest of the population. However, this also means that the work-day finishes earlier for the other states and traffic onto the website or phone services will slow down from 3pm WA time. Please consider reporting a little later when traffic may be lighter.

For more information on eligibility requirements for the Governments stimulus package, please follow the link below.

https://www.dss.gov.au/about-the-department/covid-19-information-and-support

Please follow the link below for FREE printable COVID-19 Prevention resources.

https://www.tpysa.org.au/resources/[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Information for families regarding Child Care Subsidy (CCS) in response to Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Brief Summary of what you need to know:
– From 6th April 2020, centrelink customers will no longer be required to pay child care fees even if they do not attend child care within this period.

TOM PRICE YOUTH SUPPORT ASSOCIATION

CHANGES TO SERVICE DELIVERY

To the Communities of Tom Price, Paraburdoo, Wakathuni & Bellary Springs

The Tom Price Youth Support Association is temporarily closing it’s Youth Drop In Programs from 5pm today, Wednesday 24 March 2020, after the announcement made by the Prime Minister last night.

This includes the Tom Price Youth Centre and the Paraburdoo Youth Centre.

Other essential services, such as Centrelink, will continue to operate at the Tom Price Youth Centre, so staff will still be available to take calls or address queries.  Our Paraburdoo Youth Worker will also be available, so please feel free to contact us by phone or email.

At this stage our April ‘in house’ school holiday programs such as National Youth Week will be postponed until we receive further advice.

Our apologies to the young people who use our services.  We realise that present circumstances are impacting you greatly during a time of great chaos and uncertainty.  We are looking at developing online activities and will keep everyone updated on this as we progress.

Please check our facebook page and snap chat for updates. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tomprice.youthcentre Snapchat: tpyouthcentre18

It’s normal to feel overwhelmed or stressed by news of the Corona Virus outbreak.  If you feel that you need to talk about your feelings or concerns or just need to access information, please call us, contact us on social media or fill in the contact form on the following link (https://www.tpysa.org.au/contact-us) We are here to help and support each other through this difficult time.

Please be safe and well.

TPYSA Staff