Accommodation problem at Night Shelter

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32639, 22 June 1971, Page 22

Accommodation problem at Night Shelter

It was becoming very difficult find accommodation for youth on the fringe of trouble, said the Anglican City Missioner (the Rev. M. J. Goodall) in an interview yesterday. Often board was available only at $4O or more. Usually those on the fringe of trouble were unemployed and could not afford such amounts. Often boarders had to pay an additional cleaning bond which was returned in full if the house was left in good condition. Although the bond helped to foster a sense of responsibility, most did not have money for it, said Mr Goodall.

Young persons already in trouble tended to congregate in poor company to lower the costs of rent

It was difficult to find homes for the numbers of young people who arrived at the Night Shelter seeking accommodation and employment

This did not mean that the Night Shelter was being used as a free boarding-house. Unemployed young people were seriously attempting to find jobs and other accommodation, but many, because of their backgrounds, found it difficult to hold down jobs and returned to the Night Shelter for help. Many returned not because they were lazy but because they were easily discouraged in their search for work and board.

At present the Night Shelter was providing accommodation for 11 men. Though

the centre had a capacity for 10, more than 20 persons had been , accommodated on a single night. The average length of stay was a fortnight to three weeks. It usually took a person a week to find himself a job, and it was policy to keep him on until he had received his first week’s pay.

The greatest number of persons had been accommodated in April, 84 men occupying 343 beds. Last month the bed occupancy rate was 334 and 68 men were accommodated.. Their average age was 18. For the last month the St Vincent de Paul Society, a Roman Catholic social service organisation, had been sending two voluntary staff each night, and meeting the cost of accommodating the overflow.