Operation Newstart Eastern - run by Victoria Police, Berengarra School and the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development - is an eight-week personal development program for students aged 13-17 who are considered "at risk" and are having problems at school.

Over the past three school terms, students have joined the program for reasons such as disengagement at school, a lack of motivation, low self-esteem, bullying and issues with teachers and authority figures.

The program is run by a police officer and an outdoor-education teacher with the help of other professionals.

The program may be suspended next year until the teacher position is funded.

Glen Waverley's Berengarra School funded the teacher position for the first year on the understanding it would then be taken up by DEECD.

Operation Newstart Victoria chief executive Phil Wheatley said DEECD could not give an assurance for the funds needed and at this stage he was not

sure if the program would proceed next year.

"It would be a great shame because the program only started this year. ONE only got off the ground because of some passionate, dedicated people who put a lot of time and resources into it.

"All these things come down to dollars in the end."

Mr Wheatley said he hoped the department would make a decision this week.

Berengarra principal Peter Heffernan said the school had invested a significant amount of resources to help kick off the program for the community.

Bronwyn Harcourt, principal of the Croydon Community School, which hosts ONE, said the seven students who had applied for the next ONE course had all been placed in other programs.

A DEECD spokesman did not respond to the Journal before deadline.