News

Young Victorians

Labor urged to reinstate youth street teams for Frankston

15 June 2015

June 15, 2015

Daniel Andrews has axed plans to extend the Salvation Army’s Youth Street Teams to Frankston.

In Frankston today, Shadow Minister for Young Victorians Steph Ryan called on the Premier to reverse his decision to improve the safety of the suburb’s streets and provide a more secure environment’s for young people out at night.

“The Coalition had plans to invest $400,000 to extend the Salvation Army’s Youth Street Teams to hotspots across the state, including Frankston,” Ms Ryan said.

“These teams do their best to ensure that the only consequence of a big night out is a headache the next morning and nothing worse.

“Each Friday and Saturday night volunteers hit the city streets, armed with bottles of water, thongs, maps and train timetables.

“They help young people get home safely and provide assistance to those who are intoxicated or who find themselves in vulnerable or unsafe situations,” Ms Ryan said.

The program also includes a ‘chill out zone’ where vulnerable young people incapable of getting home can spend time until they are more capable of doing so.

Ms Ryan said the teams helped free up the time of police officers, allowing them to spend more time on patrol instead of looking after young people who were intoxicated.

“The success of the Salvation Army’s Youth Street Teams across Melbourne’s CBD makes a powerful case to roll the initiative out in Frankston,” Ms Ryan said.

“Many a young person has these teams to thank for getting them home safely after they made a poor decision.

“I urge Daniel Andrews to roll this wonderful initiative out in Frankston to improve the safety of the Peninsula’s young people,” Ms Ryan said.