Community talks underway for youth justice residence redevelopment

The Palmerston North youth justice residence is one of three around the country which provides a secure place in which to work with and rehabilitate troubled young people.

It was built in 1999 and has delivered a vital resource to the region, which in turn has played a constructive role in supporting it.

But it needs to be modernised and we are now consulting on a proposed $13 million redevelopment.

The redesign will enable Child, Youth and Family to develop units that house smaller groups of young people and provide the residence with the flexibility to house young women, rather than having to send them to Auckland or the South Island.

Smaller groups will help us to better manage the needs of young people in a safer environment and the new units will provide more effective spaces in which to work with them and help transition them back into the community.

As part of the redevelopment we plan to increase the number of available beds from 30 to 40.  This will allow more local young people who need to be in a residence to remain closer to their families.

The construction is expected to begin later this year and to be finished by the end of 2012.  It will occur within the existing parameters of the site and is expected to result in both short and long-term local employment opportunities.

Child, Youth and Family will be contacting businesses and households in the vicinity of the residence to discuss the proposals directly.  We will also be talking with the wider community and continue our discussions with the council.

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