New project for at risk youth
Local
Centacare Catholic Family Services has partnered with Housing Choices Australia and Aboriginal Sobriety Group on an innovative project to prevent young people falling into homelessness after exiting out-of-home care.
Funded by the Department for Child Protection, the $2.7 million Next Steps pilot will provide young adults aged between 17 to 21 years on long-term guardianship orders with a direct pathway into low cost accommodation across Adelaide.
“Young people leaving residential care face many barriers as they transition into adulthood without family support,’’ said Megan Welsh, executive manager, Centacare Domestic Violence and Youth Homelessness Services.
“They may have high and complex needs that impact their capacity to live independently and impede their ability to enter and sustain their own tenancy.
“We don’t want to see them cycling in and out of homelessness – we want to see them settled in community and engaged in employment or education with a strong sense of place and belonging.’’
In the first two years, Next Steps will settle up to 20 young people in city housing, with on-site access to medical, dental and mental health services.
Comments
Show comments Hide comments