FIVE Port Stephens Lions Clubs have joined forces to help create a brighter future for women, children and young people escaping domestic and family violence.
The clubs recently donated $10,000 towards the region’s new Domestic Violence Core and Cluster development.
The combined contribution from the Lions Clubs of Raymond Terrace, Tilligerry, Soldiers Point, Medowie and Tea Gardens will fund the fit-out of a dedicated youth space within the purpose-built crisis accommodation facility.
Accepting the donation on behalf of Port Stephens Family and Neighbourhood Services (PSFNS), assistant manager Ann Fletcher said the project represented a significant step forward in supporting families during one of the most challenging times of their lives.
“The new Domestic Violence Core and Cluster development is being established to provide safe, secure and purpose-built crisis accommodation for women and children escaping domestic and family violence,” Ms Fletcher said.
“The model combines a central ‘core’ building, where residents can access on-site support services, with self-contained accommodation units that provide families with privacy while remaining connected to professional assistance.”
Ms Fletcher said the Lions’ donation would help create a welcoming, age-appropriate space where young people could study, relax and feel safe while their families began their healing journey.
“In many older-style shared refuges, young people, particularly teenagers, have had limited opportunities for privacy or spaces that met their developmental needs,” she said.
“It is especially significant for teenage boys, who have often been excluded from traditional refuge accommodation because of the shared nature of older facilities.
“This purpose-built space reflects a more inclusive model of care, ensuring that young people can remain safely with their families while accessing the support they need to recover and rebuild their lives.”
She said every community contribution helped create an environment where families could recover from trauma with dignity, safety and hope.
“Community partnerships like this demonstrate that our region stands alongside victim-survivors and is committed to helping families rebuild their lives,” Ms Fletcher said.
The combined Lions donation highlights the power of local service clubs working together to support projects that will have a lasting impact on vulnerable members of the Port Stephens community.
By Jacie WHITFIELD
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