Taking University to the Streets of Katoomba
18 September 2023
The Street University Katoomba officially opened this week providing a free community space for young people (aged 12-25) that embraces art, music and culture while providing early intervention support for alcohol, drug, mental health and wellbeing concerns.
The service is federally funded through Wentworth Healthcare, the provider of the Nepean Blue Mountains Primary Health Network (NBMPHN) and is delivered by the Ted Noffs Foundation building on the success of their seven existing Street Universities across Australia, including one in Penrith.
The Street University concept, developed by the Ted Noffs Foundation, is a unique intervention centre structured around drug, alcohol and mental health services. A diverse range of artistic,cultural and educational programs (called “hooks”) are designed to engage difficult to reach young people and bring them into the centres. This “non-traditional” health setting provides counselling to young people that delivers a significant decrease in drug use and crime, and improvement in their mental health and wellbeing.
Wentworth Healthcare CEO, Lizz Reay said that she was proud to bring this innovative youth service to the streets of Katoomba and to surrounding areas through their outreach activities.
“Essential to what we do as a Primary Health Network, and as a regional health planning and funding body, is knowing our region and understanding the healthcare needs of our community,”she said.
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