FED: New program to prevent homelessness

AAP General News (Australia)
12-14-1998
FED: New program to prevent homelessness

SYDNEY, Dec 14 AAP - Prime Minister John Howard today announced $60 million funding to
kick-start a new program aimed at preventing youth homelessness.

Speaking at the launch of the final report of the Youth Homelessness Task Force in Sydney,
Mr Howard announced the money would be spent over the next four years to assist families
before they reach crisis point.

The main recommendation of the task force report was the continuation of early intervention
pilot programs.

"The new program will be based on the successful model trialled under the pilot program
which provided support and mediation services and involved a range of community agencies
focused on identifying family conflict at its early stages," Mr Howard said.

The funding will provide 100 new services across the country which will assist many
thousands of young people and their families, he said.

A Salvation Army report released last week showed that more than 100,000 young people were
homeless in Australia at any given time.

AAP mw/sb/bjm

KEYWORD: HOMELESS HOWARD

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