Guest Speaker: Shirley McKinnon from STAY (Short Term Accommodation for Youth) which provides crisis accommodatio
n for young people.
-STAY has a program integrating young people back into the community.
-There are a range of reasons for people being in STAY.
-STAY teaches how to look after yourself e.g cooking and cleaning.
-STAY workers accompany young people to help them integrate. Teaches how to drive, cook etc.
-STAY is based in Quarry St, Geraldton where they have 6 bedrooms. Last year they accommodated ninety people, but are always looking for more accommodation. Last month they had to turn away seventeen people.
-STAY is much more than crisis accommodation as it also deals with mental health, addictions to drug and alcohol and teenage mothers.
-STAY offers 
practical support through two specific projects
1) A vocational training program. $4000 would provide books and materials to enable seventy people to undertake a course of study.
2) A community presence program. $4000 would enable STAY to develop a stand that STAY residents/volunteers could use at markets etc to raise funds for further STAY programs.
STAY needs rental accommodation, but it is difficult to find them in the current economic circumstances.
STAY is staffed by paid employees and qualified counsellors.
People are referred to STAY by schools and parents of young people.
Amanda Brunelli, the Manager has been there for thirty years.
Questions and contributions from Barry Dring, Grant Woodhams, Karen Godfrey, Wayne Hosking.
Vote of Thanks by Rob Mosel, who is a former Board Member of STAY.