The hunt is on in Moorabool for a place young people can call their own.
Feedback to Moorabool council’s Youth Spaces feasibility study is urging that space for young people be included in upgrades to the Andy Arnold Centre at Bacchus Marsh.
Young people, parents and service providers surveyed as part of the study have raised concerns about the lack of places dedicated to young people and their support services.
Bacchus Marsh police youth resource officer James Ross, also a member of the council’s youth spaces sub-committee, spoke at council’s July meeting in support of the study’s draft report.
“I’ve always had the opportunity to work with service providers and young people,” Mr Ross said.
“Something that has always been of concern is the lack of space where young people can go, not to just hang out and play, but but to access important services. That’s what we’re hoping to achieve here.”
Moorabool council health and well being committee chairwoman Tonia Dudzik said young people needed somewhere safe to go, especially when they needed help or to find a safe alternative to home or school.
“I have young children of my own so this means a lot to me,” Cr Dudzik said.
“I also left home when I was 16 because I had no choice.
“I didn’t have access to services that I needed and that’s why I want this to happen. It’s really important that we get behind a space like this.
“We need state and federal funding to help us do it,” Cr Dudzik said. “There’s no doubt we need youth spaces; we’ve needed them for years.
“We need them to provide a place for young people to go to when they have an issue, whether it’s a mental health issue or experiencing abuse at home, whether needing help with drugs and alcohol counselling or with getting bullied, or needing to access education providers.”
Information: www.moorabool.vic.gov.au
