THE Yacaaba Centre will live to see another 18 months after securing $200,000 and a new house in Nelson Bay to continue providing homelessness support services on the Tomaree Peninsula.
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Last Thursday, the Department of Family and Community Services (FACS) announced the Yacaaba Centre had been successful in its bid for full funding through the Going Home Staying Home Service Support Fund.
Yacaaba Centre director Lynn Vatner said staff were "delighted" with FACS announcement, which came two months after it was told it would lose its state government funding when the Going Home Staying Home reform package kicked in.
"We are absolutely delighted to secure that funding," Ms Vatner said.
"We still have a lot of fund-raising to do, but we will live to see another 18 months."
On Monday, Ms Vatner announced the Yacaaba Centre was in the process of signing a lease for a new house to operate from in Nelson Bay.
"We're holding off in announcing exactly where it is until we finalise the lease arrangements," she said".
On the service support fund announcement, FACS Hunter New England district director Marie New said the Yacaaba Centre had put forward a proposal that would "deliver positive outcomes" for the homeless.
This would include working in partnership with the Raymond Terrace Neighbourhood Centre, which won a $885,000 regional service tender in June.
Ms Vatner said the Yacaaba Centre would refer people to the neighbourhood centre.
From its new Nelson Bay premises, Yacaaba Centre staff would provide case management, information, advice, counselling and referral services.
They will assist with accommodating the vulnerable and support those with drug and alcohol, or mental health issues.