AVALON YOUTH HUB LAUNCH

Photography: Turtle Pictures - Northern Beaches Mayor Michael Regan and Education Minister and Pittwater MP Rob Stokes, joined supporters at the launch of the Avalon Youth Hub

Photography: Turtle Pictures - Northern Beaches Mayor Michael Regan and Education Minister and Pittwater MP Rob Stokes, joined supporters at the launch of the Avalon Youth Hub

A new service for young people and their carers in need of support, has launched in Avalon with overwhelming community backing.

The Avalon Youth Hub project began towards the end of last year in response to an alarming rise in youth suicide and mental health issues in the Pittwater area. A lack of community services in the region prompted the drive to establish more and reverse the tragic trend. The Hub was developed to provide support with the ultimate goal of turning this curve.

The Hub is a project of The Burdekin Association, funded by the Northern Beaches Council and delivered in collaboration with several other key community service partners.

It operates as an Intake, Assessment and Referral point where young people and their carers can drop in, have a chat to a professional worker and be linked into the right service.

A Northern Beaches Council grant awarded to the Hub earlier this year, ensures significant support to operate the service for the next two years. 

The Hub is based at the Early Childhood Centre in the Avalon Recreation Centre and currently opens three afternoons a week with plans to increase to five afternoons a week and possibly a regular weekend opening. Extensive community consultation and engagement will take place in the next six months to ensure the Hub meets the needs of the community.

Services that are able to travel to the Pittwater region are also able to book consulting space at the Hub in order to provide onsite support to clients.

Others instrumental in establishing the Hub include Ian Bowsher from Barrenjoey High, Justene Gordon, CEO of The Burdekin Association and an Executive Committee including representatives from the Primary Health Network, The Northern Beaches Council, The Burdekin Association, The Northern Beaches Youth Interagency and Child Youth Mental Health Service.

The following organisations are part the Core Access Team offering their workers to help staff the Hub on a regular basis as well as using the Hub space to see clients, once they are accepted into their service.

  • Mission Australia
  • Community Care Northern Beaches (CCNB) – the Seasons Program
  • The Burdekin Association
  • Catholic Care – Drug and Alcohol Youth Support Service and Family Referral Service

Co-founder of Goodwill, Sera Kumeroa, said that this will be the first time many of these services have been able to offer a point of contact and support within the Pittwater community, strengtheni ng support for young people and their carers. Streetwork will be hosting a free BBQ at Dunbar Park every Wednesday afternoon.

Goodwill Hunting Co. has been managing community engagement, stakeholder consultation, development of policies and procedures, and operational management. “We were so thrilled with the turnout at the launch of the Avalon Youth Hub. The support from the community has been amazing, and we look forward to providing help to young people and their families in the area,” added Sera.

The Avalon Youth Hub is located at the early Childhood Centre in the Avalon Recreation Centre, 59 Old Barrenjoey Road. Opening times are: 12-5pm Mondays, and 3-5pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays. You can access help by calling 0487 936 875 or by emailing help@avalonyouthhub.org.au . Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/avalonyouthhub/