VMHPAA Expresses Concern Over Closure of Kiama Youth ServiceYoung People’s Wellbeing Must Remain a Priority
- Shane Warren
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
MEDIA RLEASE
For Immediate Release
13 April 2026
The Vocational Mental Health Practitioners Association of Australia (VMHPAA) expresses concern regarding the reported closure of a long-standing youth service in Kiama due to council budget pressures.
While we recognise the financial challenges faced by local governments across Australia, the withdrawal of youth services carries significant long-term consequences not only for individual young people, but for families, schools, and the broader community.
Youth services often provide far more than recreation. They offer safe spaces, trusted adults, early intervention, informal counselling, mentoring, crisis support, and connection; all critical protective factors for mental health.
VMHPAA Chair Shane Warren, drawing on his background in youth engagement and parent coaching, said:
“When we remove youth spaces, we don’t remove need, we remove support. Young people still carry stress, uncertainty, identity challenges and social pressures. The question becomes: where do they go next?”
Adolescence is a period of heightened vulnerability but also enormous opportunity. Access to supportive environments can prevent escalation into crisis, disengagement from education, substance misuse, or involvement in the justice system.
Research consistently shows that early intervention and community-based support are both more effective and more cost-efficient than reactive responses later in life.
VMHPAA Secretary Susan Sandy, with experience in school welfare and relationship counselling, added:
“Youth services are often the first place a young person feels heard. When those doors close, we risk increasing isolation and delaying help-seeking. The long-term social and emotional cost can far exceed short-term budget savings.”
VMHPAA calls for:
A review of the decision and exploration of alternative funding pathways
Consideration of partnership models with community organisations
Transparent consultation with young people and families
Recognition of youth wellbeing as core infrastructure, not discretionary spending
In a time where young people are navigating economic uncertainty, digital pressures, and growing mental health challenges, stepping back from youth support sends a concerning message.
We urge decision-makers to re-examine available options and prioritise solutions that safeguard the wellbeing of young people. Investing in youth is not an expense, it is prevention.
Media Contact:
Shane Warren, Chair
Susan Sandy, Secretary
Philip Armstrong, CEO
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