Young people in Kurri Kurri and surrounding areas now have a place to meet new friends, get help with school work and seek information on a range of services.
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Youth Off The Streets’ Hunter Valley Outreach has officially opened its drop-in centre at 35 Station Street, Weston.
The drop-in centre is located next door to the service’s former premises, which had room for office space and not much else.
Hunter Valley Outreach manager Kim Lenard said it was a goal of hers to move into the bigger space since she started with the service eight months ago.
“The young people are pretty excited to have somewhere extra to go,” she said.
The drop-in centre will operate on weekday afternoons, and Ms Lenard said she hopes other community organisations will be able to use the space earlier in the day.
Along with office space for Ms Lenard and her three staff, the new site has games tables, books and space for young people to socialise.
Youth Off The Streets’ director of outreach services Ranna Peera said while its outreach programs are mainly focused on visiting areas where youth already congregate (such as skate parks), the drop-in centre provides young people with an added option to access its services.
“It’s not a typical thing for us, but we have trialled it, and it has worked,” she said.
“It’s an added option that could be of great benefit for young people.”
Paterson MP Meryl Swanson conducted the official opening on Thursday afternoon.
Ms Swanson – who grew up in Heddon Greta – said the drop-in centre could make a difference in the lives of local youth.
“I know what it feels like to be a kid from a town where there’s not a lot to do sometimes,” she said.
“There’s no beach on your doorstep, and limited public transport options, so it’s great that we we have things here for young people to do.
“It could be that intersection in the road where they come along and have that conversation that could put them on a different path.”
The Weston drop-in centre will be open weekdays, with structured activities for under-12s on Tuesdays (3.30pm to 6pm); homework help and tutoring on Wednesdays (3.30pm to 4.30pm) and over-12s’ activities on Thursdays (3.30pm to 6pm).
Hunter Valley Outreach also run programs at East Cessnock Skate Park on Monday afternoons from 3.30pm to 6.30pm, and Kurri Skate Park on Friday nights from 5.30pm to 9pm.
