Premier Opens First Integrated Service to Help Homeless

WA Premier the Hon Colin Barnett MLA  officially opened UnitingCare West's new multi-million dollar centre in Perth’s Aberdeen Street for homeless people and families at the beginning of February.

During the visit, the Premier was shown around the new facilities by Chris Hall, CEO of UnitingCare West, and Wendie Wilkie, chair of the UnitingCare West Board.

The Premier took time to learn more about the services which would be offered at the centre, which is now WA’s first integrated service response centre for homelessness.

He commended the work of UnitingCare West and said his government was looking for more opportunities to partner with community services.

The Aberdeen Street centre will act as a hub for people in need of accommodation support, financial counselling, emergency relief and mental health support.  

 

For the first time, it will bring together a host of specialist services and programs to provide a ‘one stop’ location from which individuals and families can access a range of support services.

During his address to guests, Mr Hall said UnitingCare West was seeing more and more people who were struggling to make ends meet, and with the rise in the cost of living and in food and essential services such as electricity, he said demand for the organisation’s services would continue to increase.

“This centre is essentially a one stop shop and will provide people with a range of support services at one location so they don’t have to navigate a maze of services in different locations,” Mr Hall said.

 

“People may visit the centre when they need help with a short term crisis, but our aim is to work with clients using an integrated holistic approach.  We are providing ongoing guidance with a focus on longer-term strategies and solutions.”

 

UnitingCare West was also privileged to have students from the Wesley College Moorditj Mob Program dance at the opening ceremony. 

 

The building in which the centre is housed was purchased by UnitingCare West, the Uniting Church’s primary welfare agency in Western Australia. 

 

The new service has also received additional government funding and corporate support this year, in addition to a grant from Lotterywest, which also contributed around $2 million to refurbish the building.

UnitingCare Australia

Please click here for UnitingCare Australia www.unitingcare.org.au

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