Local young teens who are homeless or at risk of homelessness will receive 24/7 help and crisis care with $689,446 of new funding for the Nepean Blue Mountains area.
Member for Hawkesbury Dominic Perrottet welcomed the roll out of the state-wide Homeless Youth Assistance Program (HYAP), a $32 million NSW Government homelessness initiative.
“For those of us with secure families it is nearly beyond comprehension that there are young teens who find themselves homeless and needing help, but each year about 85 are coming to homelessness services in our district for help,” Mr Perrottet said.
“While local services will deal with the immediate crisis they also have resources in place to help young teens return safely to their family, and if that can’t be done, to assist them into more appropriate long term care and accommodation.
“These young people are going to get the help they need, whether its education, training or health services, so that they have a future of hope.”
Minister for Family and Community Services Brad Hazzard said the program was funded for four years and it assist up to 1300 young teens aged 12-15 who each year turn to homelessness services in NSW.
The Land and Housing Corporation is delivering $4.5 million in additional transitional housing homes to HYAP in; the Central Coast; Illawarra Shoalhaven (Blackbutt and Shoalhaven location); Nepean Blue Mountains (Penrith and Richmond); South Western Sydney (Campbelltown and Ingleburn); Western Sydney (Blacktown) and Far West (Broken Hill).