With 57 homeless young people turning to youth support service YIRS in the month of February, calls are being made for more funding to be funnelled into youth services.
YIRS (Youths Information Referral Service) is a youth service for young people aged between 8 and 21 and their families, with the most commonly seen issues facing Mackay’s young people being homelessness, mental health and education.
An average of 20,000 young people present to YIRS a year, and, with only four staff, Service Manager Dee Chapman said more funding is required to provide intervention and support to our young people.
“There’s just not enough manpower,” Ms Chapman said.
“The demand is high, ongoing and increasing.
“We talk about crime in youth but, basically, their basic needs aren’t being met.
“If we put more supports in place for this youth, we’re going to see less crime.”
Member for Whitsunday Amanda Camm welcomed changes to breach of bail legislation that was passed in the Queensland Parliament earlier in the month criminalising breach of bail for children aged 10 to 17 years.
“Juvenile repeat offenders are causing havoc in the community and to deter these young criminals it was crucial that we reinstate the breach of bail offences,” Ms Camm said.
Ms Camm is now calling for increases to funding for youth services in regional communities to prevent children from becoming involved in criminal activity.
“This government talks about early intervention and supporting young people with complex needs, yet for my community of Mackay, Isaac and Whitsundays there has been not one increase in funding in the past decade,” she said.
“My local community’s service, YIRS, is now using reserve funding and making a loss each year to support young people — young people with complex mental health issues who are known to Child Safety and the youth justice system.”
53 per cent of the young people that present to YIRS are victims of abuse, trauma or neglect, 41 per cent are under a current child protection order and 49 per cent have mental health issues.
Ms Chapman said, with more funding, these young people will have better access to the support they need.
“Young people bounce back from trauma if we intervene early enough and put those supports in place,” she said.
YIRS Service Manager Dee Chapman and Member for Whitsunday Amanda Camm at YIRS One Stop Youth Shop Mackay. Photo supplied: Office of Amanda Camm
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