‘Must-have’ Youth Hub asking city council for $2 million boost
Young people are being ignored in the Christchurch City Council’s draft spending plan, at a time when rangatahi mental health is deteriorating, says advocate Dame Sue Bagshaw.
However, she told councillors during the long-term plan hearings yesterday that investing in a wrap-around support service for vulnerable rangatahi was a worthy way to correct that.
Construction of the Christchurch Youth Hub, led by Bagshaw, is on track to be completed in July, but there is still a funding shortfall to get started on stage two of the project.
The Youth Hub Trust is asking for $2 million, which Bagshaw said would save the project money in the long term, as it would stop the workers from needing to pack down – then restart – the construction site.
While the Youth Hub had the funding to complete stage one (which featured construction of an accommodation wing for up to 23 rangatahi), stage two included building a second wing of supported housing and communal spaces, used for such things as arts, training and vegetable gardens.
Some services are expected to move into the facility later this year, with the supported housing to open early next year.
The Youth Hub has raised $21m already through central government and generous donations – and was also partnered with the likes of the Rātā Foundation and NZ Lottery Grants board – but needs a total of $24m for the second stage, which would fund more housing, spaces for recreation, events and education, and a cafe which could be used to upskill people.
Bagshaw, the chairperson of the Youth Hub Trust, told councillors she understood that there were many projects vying for public funding, “but we feel this [Youth Hub] is a must-have, not a nice-to-have”.
She said the Youth Hub would help the council meet its goals of providing a thriving city which didn’t leave anybody behind, while also being a prototype of an effective rangatahi support service for the rest of Aotearoa. Councillors aren’t expected to make a final decision on any items in the draft long-term plan until June.
The Youth Hub has raised $21m already through central government and generous donations ... but needs a total of $24m for the second stage.