Judi Moylan MP

Judi Moylan Attends Youth Homelessness Forum

The Federal Member for Pearce, the Hon Judi Moylan MP this week attended a forum to discuss the ever growing problem of youth homelessness. The ‘Eliminating Youth Homelessness Within a Generation’ forum was held at Perth College and co-sponsored by Anglicare WA and Parkerville Children and Youth Care. The forum brought together several keynote speakers including the Executive Director of the Brotherhood of St Laurence in Melbourne and newly appointed Chair of the Federal Government’s White Paper Homelessness Steering Committee Mr Tony Nicholson. Mr. Nicholson provided an insight into the role of the Homelessness Steering Committee, which will produce the first White Paper since the Government was elected. Following the session Judi Moylan expressed her concern that homelessness remained an entrenched problem with more and more people living on the streets. “For young people this often means social and economic disengagement with disastrous results,” Mrs Moylan explained. “As former Minister for Family Services responsible for the National Youth Homeless Taskforce under the Chairmanship of David Eldridge, I am pleased to see Homelessness continue as a focus for Government.” “The ‘Reconnect’ Programme has been very successful in endeavouring to reconnect young people with their families and where that is not possible ensuring that they are assisted to get housing, work education and training and where appropriate mental health services,” Mrs Moylan said. Mrs Moylan said that despite the strength of the ‘Reconnect’ Programme, homelessness continues to challenge those working in the sector and poses particular risks for youth. “It was sobering to hear Mr Nicholson point out that some 40,000 youth experience homelessness at some time each year.” Mrs. Moylan said that the solutions rest in local programmes to resolve local problems. “Often mainstream services are city centred and young people in regions and rural areas are forgotten.” “Those working in the field do an outstanding job and are to be commended for their dedication and commitment to resolving the problem of homelessness.”