$8.6m for Youth One-Stop Shops social support

Budget 2014 provides $8.6 million of new operating spending over the next four years for social support needs at Youth One-Stop Shops, Youth Affairs Minister Nikki Kaye says.

“Currently Youth One-Stop Shops are funded to provide health care to young people, but the money hasn’t been there to provide social support,” she says. “I understand that social support work can take up about 30 per cent of the time of Youth One-Stop Shops.

“They will now be better able to meet the health and social support needs of about 40,000 young people. It is important that we continue to provide more accessible services to young New Zealanders.

“I have visited One-Stop Shops across the country and I recognise the great work they do. In many situations, helping young people with issues such as accommodation or counselling is crucial and necessary to ensure health issues can be resolved.”

The $8.6 million in funding over four years is being provided from Vote Health to address these issues. It will meet about 20 per cent of the Youth One-Stop Shops’ operating costs in 2014/15 and 30 per cent of costs from 2015/16. It will also help cover the cost of core social support work and will provide an ongoing funding stream to assure sustainability of the Youth One-Stop Shops.

“This funding will provide certainty and sustainability to crucial frontline services for young people. Youth One-Stop Shops are in small towns and cities across New Zealand helping young people get through some difficult situations.

“That is why this initiative has been an integral part of the Prime Minister’s Youth Mental Health project. This money will make a real difference to young New Zealanders,” Ms Kaye says.

“Youth One-Stop Shops are one of a number of this Government’s commitments to young people that contribute to our goals of increasing achievement of NCEA Level 2, reducing offending by reducing youth crime, and reducing long-term welfare dependence.”