Safe haven

Sometimes all it takes is a little outside intervention to solve problems at home.
This has certainly been the case for the Tamworth Youth Refuge, which has achieved great success with its early intervention program aimed at tackling the problems leading to youth homelessness.
Since its inception last May the early intervention program has worked with over 70 families, Tamworth Youth Care early intervention/prevention worker Jessica Toole said.
Ms Toole said this had prevented around 70 per cent of the young persons from leaving home or being asked to leave.
“We help put in place strategies to help the parents cope with the young person’s behaviour and ultimately provide them support,” she said.
Tamworth Youth Care housing support worker Sarah Alderton said the program was a brand new model designed to find solutions to the problems leading to homelessness.
“Once they enter the homeless cycle there’s a greater chance they’ll stay there,” she said.
Mrs Alderton said the program provided mediation and liaising services, and that sometimes it was necessary for a third party to get in and simply ask questions like “is this worth busting the family up over?”
Member for Tamworth Kevin Anderson visited the Tamworth Youth Refuge last Friday and met with staff to discuss the positive work being done and potential funding options.
“The Tamworth Youth Refuge plays a much larger role in our community than we realise,” Mr Anderson said and praised it for providing opportunities for young people to stay on track.
“It’s very important that programs like this get recognised for what they do,” he said of the early intervention program. “It’s achieving what it’s set out to achieve.”
Ms Toole said funding needed to be obtained to ensure the continuance of the program.
Mr Anderson said he had asked staff to prepare a funding proposal with supporting documentation recording the program’s success, which he said he would submit to the NSW Minister for Family and Community Services Pru Goward.
“What we’ve got to do is try and break [the homelessness] cycle,” Mr Anderson said.
“At the end of the day all you have is family.”

Story: Matthew Mulligan

Short URL: http://www.tamworthcitynews.com.au/wordpress/?p=2073

Posted by admin on Feb 22 2012. Filed under Top Stories. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.