About Youth Off The Streets
- Xanthe Longhurst
- Mar 28, 2016
- 1 min read
Chris Riley’s foundation ‘Youth Off the Streets’ website opens with a quote ‘give kids in crisis a chance to recover and a place to heal.’ This quote explains easily what Riley’s aim has been for years, to provide youth with a chance. YOTS opened in 1991 has transformed dramatically in 25 years, from starting out just by delivering food at night to the homeless in Kings Cross. They now provide 35 different services to young people suffering from homelessness, drug abuse or physical abuse. There goal is to provide youth with the knowledge and services so they can eventually find themselves a successful path through life. The organisation employs approximately 200 people and more than 400 hundred volunteers are involved to help these youth survive tough times. They believe there is no such thing as a child born bad, however circumstances can negatively impact a child easily (Youth Off The Streets, 2016). Chris Riley runs a number of different programs through YOTS and #LaceItUp is just another wonderful one that runs in winter every year to raise awareness of how hard life is for children on the streets. Youth Off The Streets is a very important program as more than 47,000 young people under 25 are homeless, making up 48% of the homeless population (Youth Off The Streets, 2016).
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