Insufficient emergency accommodation for young Wellington women

The Wellington Salvation Army will hit the streets on Friday to collect money for much needed emergency accommodation for teenage girls and young women.

The Salvation Army established the only emergency accommodation in the city for girls aged 15-22 in Island Bay five months ago but its scope is limited.

Salvation Army girls’ home manager Rachel Harvey said the two-bedroom house can only accommodate one resident and the plan is to add another four bedrooms.

“The girls referred to us are in crisis through choices and circumstances sometimes out of their control. Tragically, lack of space means we’re turning referrals away and because of their age, these girls have nowhere safe to go,” she said.

The Salvation Army receives weekly enquiries for accommodation from community groups, families and Government agencies like Child, Youth and Family, the courts and the Police.

The new home is being modelled on The Salvation Army’s Wellington boys’ home, The Inn, which has live-in staff who provide support and guidance with the aim of creating a stable family environment.

Like The Inn, the girls’ home takes a holistic approach helping residents improve their social skills and offering support while they study and train for employment.

“The aim is to provide more than a safety net in times of crisis, to pick these young women up and get them back on their feet,” Harvey said.

ENDS

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