Coast Shelter operates youth refuge

The Umina youth refuge operator Youth Angle has come under the auspice of emergency accommodation provider Coast Shelter, while its long-term future is decided.

Coast Shelter CEO Cr Laurie Maher said Coast Shelter would look after Youth Angle "for about six months until the Department (of Community Services) can call for an expression of interest for a permanent auspice".

"The management committee of Youth Angle handed the auspice to the Department so it can keep the cottage functioning," said Cr Maher.

"A lot of the smaller ones management committees are finding it extremely difficult to get people to put their hand up to go on committees and because of the accountability requirements these days it can be fairly heavy on management committees," he said.

For many years, Youth Angle has provided refuge and cottage accommodation for young men and women on the Peninsula.

Cr Maher said Coast Shelter's Board of Directors agreed to accept the temporary auspice and provide the management and support of Youth Angle after a request came from the Department of Community Services.

Youth Angle provides support and accommodation for up to six young people in the refuge and more recently, in partnership with Pacific Link Housing Association, provide six outreach cottages for young men and women.

Youth Angle will now temporarily form part of Coast Shelter's range of services.

Coast Shelter now operates three youth refuges, a women and children's refuge, a men's refuge, an accommodation support program, a family brokerage program and a Community Centre.

It accommodates individuals and families in 60 properties across the Central Coast.

Kaitlin Watts, 16 Aug 2011 Interviewee: Laurie Maher Newsletter, 1 Aug 2011 Heidi Blyth, Coast Shelter