Services for young people of all walks of life

I was pleased to visit Rise Community Network yesterday and meet with CEO, Justine Colyer, Divisional Manager for Mental Health and Youth, Sean Loke, and Youth Program Manager, Dawn McAleenan.

Rise provides a broad range of vital community services to Western Australians, including many resources for children and young people.

I enjoyed hearing about their Stratton Edge Youth Centre, a place where young people can come to meet new friends as well as enjoy a host of recreational activities like sport, art and skills workshops.

In 2014, a large group of young people who sue the centre served as an Advisory Committee for my office.

Rise also provides crisis services for youth who are at-risk or have intensive needs.

We know that family violence is a key cause of youth homelessness. Rise’s Kira Safe House offers safe accommodation along with professional support to young women escaping from violent relationships or households.

These kinds of resources are extremely important for young people who may not have their own support networks.

I commend Justine, Sean, Dawn and Rise Network for their achievements and look forward to seeing the good work continue.