An extensive Youth Hub project entering its first stage of construction has been given a major revenue boost by one of the South Island’s largest foundations.
The Rātā Foundation has today announced an investment of $500,000 into the project.
It’s a big boost for the hub, which plans to provide a “one-stop shop” for young people needing social services, counselling, employment or education support.
Rangatahi aged between 16 and 24 will be able to make use of its 22 supported housing units.
The project first came to light back in 2013, when the Government invested $18.1 million into the new venture, and is chaired by Dame Sue Bagshaw.
Located on Salisbury St in the central city, on a site gifted by Anglican Care, the hub will meet important needs for young people in the Christchurch community.
The Youth-19 survey, conducted in 2019, found one in five high school students were unable to access critically needed services for their challenges.
The report found depression and suicidal thoughts had increased among young people and recommended improvements, including one-stop shops where teens could access healthcare and other services.
Bagshaw said young people who had a rough start to life “don’t know where to go” to get much-needed help.
“We want the Youth Hub to be a place where all young people can come to meet others, gain confidence and overcome loneliness,” she said.
“[It is] a key factor in the declining rates of youth mental health and wellbeing.”
The Rātā investment is massively appreciated by the Youth Hub board. Bagshaw believes it’s allowed the hub’s supported housing facilities and office block to be completed by mid-next year.
Rātā chief executive Leighton Evans said the hub would meet significant needs for young people.
“The Youth Hub directly aligns with Rātā funding priorities to ensure communities in need have equitable access to the facilities, resources and opportunities that allow them to thrive.”
Evans believes mental health is a considerable challenge in New Zealand and a key focus for his foundation is to help young people access “long-overdue quality mental health services”.
He said the housing facility was exciting. “It will not only provide immediate support in the health and housing space, it will also nurture education, recreation and cultural development.
“It is setting our rangatahi up for long-term success.”
The total project budget for stage one is $19.6m and it’s expected that more than 8000 young people aged between 10 and 24 will walk through the hub’s doors each year.
At least 13 organisations have expressed their interest in having offices on the site. Among those expressing interest have been Youthline, Family Works and Te Kura.
Youthline’s aim for having an office in the hub will be to prevent young people from repeating their problems numerous times.
Ataahua Hepi, the organisation’s volunteer co-ordinator, said young people often find processes such as phone calls a challenge and the hub would provide a solution to this.
“A young person may walk in with more than just one problem and, rather than having to do the phone calls or referrals, we can be like, ‘Oh actually, let’s just take a walk down the hall and talk to these people’.”
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