Federal
and State Ministers and the NSW Police Commissioner
join Father Chris Riley and supporters to mark
the beginning of a $4 Million Community Youth
Centre project at Macquarie Fields.
On Friday February 23, The Hon
Mal Brough MP Federal Minister for Families, Community
Services and Indigenous Affairs; The Hon Chris
Hayes MP (Federal Member for Werriwa);The Hon
Cherie Burton (NSW Minister for Housing); The
Hon Tony Stewart MP (Member for Bankstown); Dr
Andrew McDonald (Labor Candidate for Macquarie
Fields) and NSW Police Commissioner Ken Moroney
will join Father Chris Riley, CEO and Founder
of Youth Off The Streets; Campbelltown City Councillors,
community leaders and Miss World Australia, Sabrina
Houssami to officially break the ground at the
site of a proposed multi-purpose youth facility
building project in Macquarie Fields.
Officially marking the launch
of the Youth Centre project close to the second
anniversary of the 2005 riots celebrates the goodwill
and community spirit that is now found in the
Macquarie Fields area. It also serves to remind
community leaders of the need to ensure that young
people are given access to education and facilities
that will help them realise their dreams.
"Building
a youth centre will go a long way in not just
breaking the cycle of crime and anti-social behaviour
but in fostering a sense of confidence and self-worth,"
said Father Chris Riley, CEO and Founder, Youth
Off The Streets.
An extension of the youth outreach
work currently being undertaken in Macquarie Fields
by Youth Off The Streets, the facility will provide
youth services such as educational programs and
sporting facilities along with treatment services
including; drug, alcohol and psychological counselling.
“In
Macquarie Fields we have some really amazing kids
that have been neglected by society for far too
long. The time has come to give them the resources
they need,” stated Father Riley.
Staffed by Youth Off The Streets, Father Riley
envisages the youth centre and its services will
have extended opening hours so it is available
to young people 7 days a week, at the times they
will most need it.
Youth Off The Streets are grateful
to the organisations that have already agreed
to sponsor this project. They include: Multiplex,
Paint A Rainbow Foundation, Krikis Tayler Architects
and Macquarie Fields Police.
Youth Off The Streets began working
in the Macquarie Fields area after being invited
by concerned members of the community shortly
after the February 25, 2005 riots. Since then,
Youth Off The Streets have been running a successful
outreach program that brings young members of
the community together with youth workers and
volunteers to share a meal and recreation every
Tuesday and Thursday night.
Where: Macquarie
Fields Youth Centre 159 Victoria Street, Macquarie
Fields
Date: Friday
23 February 2007
Time: 10:30
– 11:30am
About Youth Off The Streets:
Youth Off The Streets is a community
organisation working for young people who are
chronically homeless, drug dependent and recovering
from abuse. We support these young people as they
work to turn their lives around and overcome immense
personal traumas such as neglect and physical,
psychological and emotional abuse.
Since opening in 1991, Youth
Off The Streets has grown from a single food van
delivering meals to young homeless people on the
streets of Kings Cross to a major youth specific
agency providing a wide range of services offering
a full continuum of care.
It is our goal that these young
people will leave our care drug free, with a high
school education, living skills and a full or
part time job in hand.
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