The stage one construction of Aotearoa's first purpose-built Youth Hub has been boosted with a $300,000 donation from the Riccarton Rotary Youth Trust.

Youth Hub Christchurch is currently under construction at 109 Salisbury Street in central Christchurch and will include everything Ōtautahi’s young people need to improve and maintain their mental health from health and support services to recreation and creativity.

Construction of stage one, which includes a supported housing wing with 23 bedrooms, a wraparound services block for youth providers to work from and an outdoor activities courtyard is expected to be completed in July. The Youth Hub Trust will then spend the rest of the year fitting out the facility before opening it progressively from late 2024.

“We’re delighted to be able to support the Youth Hub with this $300,000 donation. We have never previously given a single grant of this magnitude but we believe the objectives of the Youth Hub closely align to those of our Trust,” Chair of the Riccarton Rotary Youth Trust Murray Compton says.

“The Youth Trust has been operating for more than 30 years and has provided more than $3 million in support of youth. We look forward to being part of this exciting project that will benefit all young people in our region.”

Chair of the Youth Hub Trust Dame Sue Bagshaw says she is thrilled with the donation.

“This project would simply not be possible without donors like the Riccarton Rotary Youth Trust believing in what we’re trying to build for our city’s young people,” Dame Sue says.

“Youth Hub Christchurch will help all Christchurch youth, especially those who have had a rough start in life, break the intergenerational cycle of adversity and give them the skills, support and confidence they need to meet their potential.”

More than 8000 young people between 10 and 24 are expected to walk through the Hub's doors annually. The donation from the Riccarton Rotary Youth Trust will go towards furniture and equipment purchases for the project and the large meeting room in the youth services block will be named in recognition of their generosity.

The Youth Hub Trust continues to fundraise to fitout the facility, as well as for stage two which includes an apartment block with 5 apartments each with 2-3 bedrooms, and communal spaces for training, education, creativity, music, performance and events.

Further information about the Youth Hub, including ways to donate, are available on its website here https://www.youthhubchch.org.nz/

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