Teenagers in crisis will have new access to safe housing under a Labor pledge of $6 million for two youth crisis accommodation shelters in the North and North-West.
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Ahead of Sunday’s full release of Opposition Leader Rebecca White’s housing affordability policy, The Sunday Examiner can reveal Labor’s plan to protect teenagers aged 13-16 from homelessness.
Ms White said the two planned crisis shelters would help prevent vulnerable youth from falling through the cracks and ensure they were not sleeping rough.
She said while young people aged between 13 and 16 may be eligible for Centrelink if assessed as ‘at risk’ living at home, they are not eligible for Housing Connect or Child Safety Services.
““For too long access to housing options and support for unaccompanied young people aged 13-16 years has remained unresolved,” Ms White said.
“Labor is committed to giving some of our most vulnerable young people a safe place for six weeks while they attempt to reconnect with their families or access other services.
“Labor will invest a total of $6 million for a site in the North and a site in the North West to provide emergency short term accommodation for young people in this at-risk age group.”
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Ms White admitted it would be a challenge to tailor support for youth in crisis, but Labor did not want to see young people “fall through the gaps”.
The two proposed shelters would be modelled on Colony 47’s Mara House to provide care around the clock in the best location possible.
The state government is in the process of establishing a $1.4 million Youth at Risk Centre in the state’s south, which will accommodate up to nine young people aged between 12 and 15 who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
On Thursday Human Services Minister Jacquie Petrusma released an update on the state government’s $73.5 million housing affordability strategy, saying the program had helped 491 households to access safe and affordable housing.
“We have set bold targets to help more Tasmanians into a home by aiming to triple the number of affordable houses by 2025, as well as increase housing for young people at risk by 10 per cent,” Ms Petrusma said.
A further part of the state government’s plan includes an additional eight units to Thyne House in Launceston for vulnerable young people aged 16 to 25.
