6 May 2023
Budget 2023 is investing in our youth and keeping them engaged with positive activities through a $10.5 million investment to establish a new youth and community hub in Darwin’s northern suburbs.
The Darwin Youth and Community Hub, to be built on the former Casuarina Fire Station site on Rowling Street, provides the opportunity to build a fit for purpose facility to support young people and the community.
A range of youth activity providers and other support services, such as health and wellbeing providers will be able to run their programs and support young people at the youth and community hub with the current occupants, Darwin Men’s Shed to be relocated in the coming months.
Local residents and community members provided feedback through community focus groups and an online survey from December 2022 to January 2023, with local service providers and young people and their families also consulted.
Feedback from the community consultation will be incorporated into the next phase of the project which includes progressing a design tender for the construction of the new youth and community hub in the coming months.
The youth and community hub builds on the successful youth hub model in Palmerston and will provide young people aged from 8 to 18 years living in Darwin’s northern suburbs a safe place to hang out, have fun and connect positively to the broader community and support services.
The $10.5 million investment includes $4.5 million from the Territory Labor Government with the Australian Government providing $6 million to construct a new purpose-built youth hub facility and a new Men’s Shed.
Quotes from Minister for Youth Lauren Moss:
“Our Government delivered the 10-year Northern Territory Youth Strategy 2023-2033 last month and Budget 2023 provides the investment required to ensure young Territorians are connected to culture and community.
“The new youth hub in Darwin’s northern suburbs will offer a safe and empowering space for young people to participate in a range of supervised activities, undertake skills development as well as provide leadership opportunities.
“This hub will not only connect young people with support services and programs tailored to their needs but will also provide a space for the community to engage with and be proud of.
“Our young people are our future and the Territory Labor Government is proud to support programs that support Territory youth.”
