Christchurch Youth Hub set to provide short-term accommodation for young homeless people

December 9, 2018

The $10m centre will be the first in NZ to provide short-term accommodation for homeless young people.

Homeless young people in Christchurch are set to get more support, with plans for a $10 million youth hub.

The centre will be the first in the country providing short-term accommodation for those as young as 10. 

An abandoned bowling green in central Christchurch is a field of dreams for youth health advocate Dr Sue Bagshaw.

She told 1 NEWS the site will be developed with a market garden and 25 housing units. 

The $ 10 million facility will serve the city's young people with short-term housing, counselling, medical and career advice  in a one-stop shop.

It'll be open to children as young as 10.

"Puberty is getting younger for a start and therefore the associated brain changes are happening earlier and therefore the associated difficulties in controlling mood is getting greater too," Dr Bagshaw said.

She has been providing physical and emotional care to the young people of Christchurch for decades, and through the earthquakes. 

At a charity concert to kickstart the Youth Hub campaign, musician Lindon Puffin credited Dr Bagshaw for helping him through tough teenage times and he dedicated a song to her.

The Anglican Church is providing the land, and Dr Bagshaw and her team have to find the money - and win the support of nearby residents to gain resource consent.

"I know when people think of young people, especially young people who've had problems, they go 'ah what's going to happen to my property?' But you know what, actually I think this is going to be amazing, Dr Bagshaw said.

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