News

As part of its Centenary of Giving celebrations, the Commonwealth Bank partnered with CommBank Foundation to provide 1,000 community organisations across Australia with a $10,000 grant – and our Y-Shac youth accommodation facility in Spearwood was one of the successful recipients.

Y-Shac is one of Anglicare WA’s housing support services for young people aged between 15 and 20 years, either homeless or at risk of it in crisis accommodation. It also supports youth between 16 and 25 years in transitional housing.

The Spearwood site is a facility providing short stay crisis accommodation, as well as some transitional accommodation up to 12 months. In 2017 Y-Shac supported 64 young people to change direction in their lives.

Rieki Rolle, Manager of Y-Shac said their application for a grant had focused on two main areas.

“We really needed some funding to support young residents into tertiary and vocation training, and also to help bring them some personal development coaches, including Yoga teachers, who specialise in treating trauma – so that our young people can build their self-esteem and self-worth. This contribution from Comm Bank will make a great different to our residents as they move forward in their lives” Rieki said.  

Y-Shac services include connecting young people to secure accommodation, the chance to grow skills and to connect to the right type of services enabling them to cope with life’s challenges. 

Young people can be in need of emergency accommodation due to many reasons, such as mental ill-health, family breakdown or violence, exposure to substances or other community issues.

Other services offered at Y-Shac include advocacy, referral, drug education, case management, goal setting, financial planning, and budgeting.