User-friendly resource centre planned

Press, 13 April 1988, Page 13

User-friendly resource centre planned

■ The Christchurch (Secondary Schools) Youth Council has decided to commit $3OOO to 'the establishment-- of a youth resource centre in Christchurch.

!' The suggestion that a resource centre could be ■set up within the ChristChurch Youth Centre was (first raised by the Youth Council about a month ago.

| It would be a place where young people could go for help on la variety of issues, from information about contraceptives to advice on flatting. Many of the youth councillors said they 'would probably feel too intimidated Ito approach any of the established ‘agencies fori help with; a

problem, but would I feel more comfortable visiting a centre aimed primarily I at young People. ! , | The youth resource worker at: the tljristchurch City Council, Peter Voice,* believes there is a heed for such a I centre | because] , so many youngsters are; at la loss to know where to go for help — they may; be unemployed, getting! into trouble with the law, or suffering an! unwanted pregnancy.| , | I | | If a centre here) was established he envisaged that it might 'be possible to have specialists available so many hours a week from . places (such as the Community I Law Centre andl Family Planning Clinic!

The Youth Council recently asked the city council’s cultural and community services committee for financial assistance to investigate the feasibility of setting up a youth resource centre. I

They received a $3OOO grant for design and drawings for refurbishing the first floor of the Youth Centre. The Youth Council decided to put $3OOOl towards the resource centre out of its own funds to show it was committed to the project. Peter Voice says it will cost about $9OOO for the initial rent of the room in the youth centre and work involved in estimating the feasibility of the project.