Completion of New Palmerston Youth Drop-In Centre

The new Palmerston Youth Drop-In Centre is now complete and will officially open on the first day of the upcoming school holidays.

The Palmerston Youth Drop-In Centre is an initiative under the Palmerston Youth Action Plan, the Breaking the Cycle of Crime in Palmerston plan, and is a partnership between the Territory Government and the City of Palmerston.

The YMCA NT has been awarded the contract to operate and manage the Palmerston Youth Drop-In Centre. They will work in partnership with Larrakia Nation to deliver cultural activities as part of the program and arrange for the transport of young people to a safe environment when the centre closes each day. $7.42 million in grant funding has been provided for this service over five years.

The centre will cater for all young people aged 10-17 years providing leadership opportunities and ways young people can be involved in designing and delivering activities. It will be fully supervised and include security and monitoring systems to ensure the safety of young people, staff members, the community and businesses.

The centre will operate between 3pm-10pm Monday to Friday and from 10am-10pm on weekends and throughout school holidays.

Activities include cooking classes, music lessons, sharing of cultural knowledge, sexual health and safe relationship education, positive peer group and recreational activities.

The Palmerston Youth Drop-In Centre is a two-staged project. The first stage includes the fit out and operation of the centre, which is now complete.

Stage two includes a review to consider the need for short-term safe sleeping spaces for young people unable to return home to a safe environment. The review will also consider the timing and delivery of the second stage, with a decision to be made within 12 months.

Members of the public are invited to a Community Open Day on 27 June to walk through the new Palmerston Youth Drop-In Centre, find out ways they can be involved, and have a swim at the pool between 1-3pm. The centre is located at the City of Palmerston’s Swimming and Fitness Centre at 31 Tilston Avenue, Moulden.

As noted by Minister for Territory Families, Dale Wakefield

“A Territory Labor Government will always invest in youth services and in programs that will cut youth crime and keep our communities safer.

“The CLP and Terry’s Alliance cut youth services when they were last in Government and they will do it again if they get a chance. You can’t reduce crime and anti-social behaviour with cuts.”

As noted by Member for Drysdale, Eva Lawler

“The Territory Labor Government is investing in the people of Palmerston. The Palmerston Youth Drop-In Centre will keep at-risk young people off the streets and engaged in educational activities to help develop their life skills.

“The centre will be a benefit to the community and also have a positive impact on surrounding businesses, as there is an increase in security and monitoring systems.”

As noted by Member for Brennan, Tony Sievers

“The new Palmerston Youth Drop-In Centre is a great addition to our Palmerston community as it will connect young people and their families to the appropriate services that they need.

“The YMCA NT already do a wonderful job engaging with our young people and it’s great to see that they will be doing more to engage with young people by operating the youth drop-in centre.”

As noted by Mayor of Palmerston, Athina Pascoe-Bell

“Families, youth and supporting our community’s need for a dedicated space for young people are all vitally important to Council. We are pleased to have partnered with the Northern Territory Government to provide a safe and inclusive space which supports young people in our community. We look forward to welcoming Palmerston youth and their families to the centre very soon.”

/Public Release. View in full here.