Vulnerable youth need a helping hand

It was the same when those longer in the tooth were at that exciting stage of their lives, and for untold generations stretching back in time.

Making that progression through the teenage years to early adulthood is a crucial part of anyone's life.

Often this is when young people get an inkling, or even a far clearer realisation, of what they want to do with their future.

That in turn begins to carry considerable weight in decisions being made as to what to do with study options, in particular around Year 9 when electives become available in the curriculum.

It's not always so easy, especially when - like many other teenagers - you don't know what you want to do.

Regardless, those secondary school years are of great importance, at the very least in creating a solid base of learning from which students can later tailor their future studies.

It is a time too when teenagers get their first taste of what it actually means to be an adult; in everything from self-discipline to learning how to work effectively with others.

All of that is a given, but not for all.

If there's stability at home, a sense of being loved and supported in a safe haven, students can thrive. They can put their all into their studies free of the worry that comes if you haven't got such certainty in their lives.

For many though, uncertainty prevails.

When you come from great disadvantage, being an effective learner can be a challenge of the higher order.

This is why a project now being planned for Wodonga is so crucial. The idea is that 40 self-contained units would be built for vulnerable youth, on a site next to La Trobe University.

As BeyondHousing's Celia Adams says, this could help "break the cycle of homelessness and disengagement for young people in our region".

On that score alone it is vital that this visionary project becomes a reality.

And for that to occur, the Victorian government must provide financial backing - and in a timely manner.