Youth hub’s reprieve

Community Gro to remain open until end of August

Community Gro’s Youth Hub, which was set to shut down at the end of April after being defunded, will now remain open until the end of August after they got the nod to use surplus funds.

The Garbutt youth hub is vital in providing Townsville’s young people a safe place to spend time while they learn healthy habits and make new friends.

The hub was provided with nearly $1.5m by the Safer

Communities Initiative project funding which will no longer be administered due to federal funding cuts.

The program was able to see out its full term of funding before it was set to run out at the end of this month.

After lengthy discussions between Community Gro and the funding body, the Youth Hub will remain open until the 30th of August this year using surplus funds from the initial funding. After that date the hub’s doors will have to close unless further funding is provided. Community Gro CEO Kathrin Meehan said she was relieved to hear the news of the extension, but the battle was far from won.

“It’s really disappointing. We talked without young people last night and they’re disappointed,” Ms Meehan said.

“Offering a safe space for our young people gives them a sense of belonging in the community. We’re teaching them about respecting the community and respecting yourself and respecting elders and they’re really important lessons for Townsville and the community.”

Currently the youth hub is attracting 10 new members each month, with a total of 89 members.

“Our young people would love the hub to be open every night, but we would love to secure long-term funding to keep our doors open five nights a week, which would be sustainable for us,” Ms Meehan said.

In March, federal member for Herbert, Phillip Thompson wrote to the Minister for Home Affairs asking her to reinstate the fund which helped secure approval for the use of excess funds.

“The Youth Hub was due to close at the end of this month, which would have left approximately 90 of our young people without a safe space, where they are engaged and off the streets,” Mr Thompson said.

“The Albanese Labor government must acknowledge that this is a fantastic program that needs ongoing funding.”