Federal Parliamentary Press Gallery Mid-winter Ball. |
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| 19-06-2008 |
Many thanks to the politicians, journalists, businesses and all those who participated in raising $155,000 for Mission Australia at last night’s Federal Parliamentary Press Gallery Mid-winter Ball.The Press Gallery’s Mid-winter Ball – held in the Great Hall in Parliament House, Canberra – is an annual event where political differences are put aside and money is raised for a worthy cause.This year, Mission Australia was the major charity beneficiary and its share of the funds ($225,000 in total was raised on the night – a record for the event – with $70,000 being shared between several other charities) will go towards a new homeless program, Nightspot. Nightspot is currently being piloted in Brisbane’s outer suburbs and is aimed at preventing homelessness among young people. Family conflict is the main cause of youth homelessness in Australia – a problem that has doubled over the past 20 years with close to half of the country’s 100,000 homeless population aged under 24. Sometimes, giving a young person ‘time out’ from home when there is serious family conflict – just for a week or two – allows for breathing space where problems can be more effectively solved.Under Nightspot, young people – aged 16-25 – stay temporarily at the house of a carefully screened volunteer. When the conflict is resolved, the young person returns home. It’s a valuable alternative to young people entering the emergency accommodation system where they can get caught up in the cycle of homelessness. Mission Australia will use the money raised from the Mid-winter Ball to help roll Nightspot out into other parts of Australia in the near future. |
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