Public to farewell Melbourne youth worker Les Twentyman

Mr Twentyman died last week aged 76, with tributes describing him as one of "Melbourne's big characters", a "true son of the west" and a devoted servant to people in need.

His family quickly accepted an offer for a state funeral and Premier Jacinta Allan on Thursday revealed the service would be held at St Patrick's Cathedral on April 16 from 10.30am.

"Les Twentyman represented the very best of us, showing the power of kindness through a lifetime devoted to helping others," she said.

"His passion and hard work changed lives, and his legacy will always live on in the young Victorians he fought for and believed in."

The service will be open to the public and live-streamed online.

His family has requested people contribute to the Les Twentyman Foundation, which aims to engage young people with their education, families and community, in lieu of flowers.

Foundation chief executive Paul Burke said the outpouring of tributes to Mr Twentyman in recent days had been heart-warming.

"As we farewell Les we need to remember that he was not someone to stand on ceremony," he said.

"Les was a rebel, who loved a laugh, loved a red and loved the west.

"He was larger than life and would want us to come together in celebration of a life well lived, to share in his stories and to acknowledge the incredible legacy he leaves - a legacy of helping those in need that will continue through the foundation he created."

Born the eldest of five children to fruit shop owners in 1948, Mr Twentyman was raised in Melbourne's western suburb of Braybrook.

He was a candidate for Victorian parliament's upper house in 1992 and 1996 and in the lower house at the Kororoit by-election in 2008.

Mr Twentyman received an Order of Australia medal in 1994 for his service to youth as an outreach worker.

Australian Associated Press