Skip to content
The Catholic Leader
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
The Catholic Leader
No Result
View All Result
Home News

Youth on the streets

byStaff writers
8 February 2004 - Updated on 16 March 2021
Reading Time: 2 mins read
AA
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

YOUTH Off The Streets founder, Salesian Father Chris Riley, said he was forced to close his only Queensland facility after battling unsuccessfully for about two years to secure State Families Department funding to keep the facility afloat.

Youth Off The Streets, which has cared for about 45,000 troubled youths, mainly in NSW, over the past 10 years, ran Connie’s Place at Greenbank, south of Brisbane, for about three years.

The 10-bedroom property became the focus of media attention late last month when it was destroyed by fire, and accusations were made that Youth Off The Streets workers and teenagers abandoned the house without informing the owners, and leaving employee records, furniture and electrical equipment.

Fr Riley denies the accusations about abandoning the property, and has the evidence to prove Youth Off The Streets had retrieved its staff and client records, as well as its belongings.

He said staff walked through the facility with the property owner about three weeks ago to check what needed to be done before the organisation left.

Youth Off The Streets closed its Greenbank facility at the end of last year because of financial constraints.

‘We drained $2 million we’d raised in Sydney and NSW to keep that service afloat,’ Fr Riley said.

He said the Youth Off The Streets board told him it was no longer possible to continue running the Queensland facility under those circumstances.

Youth Off The Streets had come to Queensland with the guarantee of corporate funding for the Greenbank facility but that funding source did not continue, and that was why it was being propped up from NSW.

Fr Riley said he had written to the Families Department and Premier Peter Beattie warning them the Greenbank facility would close if government funding was not made available.

Related Stories

Gwen has given 15,000 hours of cuddles to sick and premature babies

Helping stroke survivors earns Ozcare volunteer national recognition

Br Alan Moss remembered for a life of faith and learning

He said the department used the facility for young people under its care but was not prepared to provide funds.

He had sought government funding of $65,000 a year for each child but the Queensland Government had tried to negotiate that down to $55,000.

Connie’s Place had accommodated up to five young people at a time, with its target group being males aged 12-17 who had legal issues, were homeless, or dealing with issues of aggression and/or drug and alcohol addiction.

A police spokeswoman said the fire was being investigated.

A Families Department spokesman said Connie’s Place was on the department’s preferred provider’s list and had provided places for a number of young people. But it could not guarantee the number of referrals it would make in the future.

ShareTweet
Previous Post

THE LAST SAMURAI

Next Post

Cooking up pancake treat

Staff writers

Related Posts

Gwen has given 15,000 hours of cuddles to sick and premature babies
QLD

Gwen has given 15,000 hours of cuddles to sick and premature babies

20 May 2022
Helping stroke survivors earns Ozcare volunteer national recognition
QLD

Helping stroke survivors earns Ozcare volunteer national recognition

20 May 2022
Br Alan Moss remembered for a life of faith and learning
QLD

Br Alan Moss remembered for a life of faith and learning

19 May 2022
Next Post

Cooking up pancake treat

MP hit by abortion campaign

Celebration of marriage

Popular News

  • Here are the stories of 10 new saints being canonised this Sunday

    Here are the stories of 10 new saints being canonised this Sunday

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Queensland election: The pro-life political parties committed to abortion law reforms

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Parishes unite for Logan deanery family festival this Sunday

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Br Alan Moss remembered for a life of faith and learning

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Angel’s Kitchen serves hot meals to the hungry in Southport

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
Search our job finder
No Result
View All Result

Latest News

Gwen has given 15,000 hours of cuddles to sick and premature babies
QLD

Gwen has given 15,000 hours of cuddles to sick and premature babies

by Joe Higgins
20 May 2022
0

BRISBANE grandmother Gwendoline Grant has clocked up 15,000 hours cuddling and caring for sick and premature babies...

Helping stroke survivors earns Ozcare volunteer national recognition

Helping stroke survivors earns Ozcare volunteer national recognition

20 May 2022
Br Alan Moss remembered for a life of faith and learning

Br Alan Moss remembered for a life of faith and learning

19 May 2022
Catholic relationship advisers offer five tips to look after your mental health

Nationwide rosary event happening for Australia’s patroness this Saturday

19 May 2022
Francis offers advice on politics: Seek unity, don’t get lost in conflict

Francis offers advice on politics: Seek unity, don’t get lost in conflict

19 May 2022

Never miss a story. Sign up to the Weekly Round-Up
eNewsletter now to receive headlines directly in your email.

Sign up to eNews
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Jobs
  • Subscribe

The Catholic Leader is an Australian award-winning Catholic newspaper that has been published by the Archdiocese of Brisbane since 1929. Our journalism seeks to provide a full, accurate and balanced Catholic perspective of local, national and international news while upholding the dignity of the human person.

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader
Accessibility Information | Privacy Policy | Archdiocese of Brisbane

The Catholic Leader acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the First Peoples of this country and especially acknowledge the traditional owners on whose lands we live and work throughout the Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader

0
    0
    Your Cart
    Your cart is emptyChoose another Subscription
    Continue Shopping