Detour House is a non-profit organisation servicing homeless and other at-risk girls and women, based in Sydney, Australia. Detour House also incorporates The Girls Refuge (formerly Young People's Refuge), a crisis accommodation service for homeless girls.[1][2][3]

History

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Detour House was established in 1984, providing a structured three month rehabilitation program for homeless women affected by drugs or alcohol dependence. Young People’s Refuge (YPR) was established in 1975. YPR was one of the first youth refuges established in NSW. Both services are independently funded by the Department of Community Services as Specialist Homeless Services. In 2003, Young People's Refuge fell under the auspices of Detour House, which took over the management of refuge. The entire organisation is overseen by a volunteer management committee of professional women from the community.[4]

Going Home Staying Home reforms

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Following the News South Wales government homelessness reforms in 2012, funding Detour House was threatened, however, the organisation remained funded.[5][6][7][8]

In 2016, Young People's Refuge was renamed to The Girls Refuge.[9][10]

Founding of Yfoundations

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In 1976, Young People's Refuge along with Taldumande and Caretakers Cottage, and other early NSW youth refuges, founded Yfoundations, a peak body organisation, to represent youth refuges to government.[11][12]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Detour House". Detour House.
  2. ^ "ABOUT US". The Girls Refuge.
  3. ^ "Sharing the Dignity for homeless and at risk girls | Leichhardt Women's Community Health Centre". www.lwchc.org.au. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016.
  4. ^ "About Us". Detour House. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
  5. ^ "Sydney's oldest women's refuge faces uncertain future". 24 June 2014.
  6. ^ "The Glebe Society". 7 July 2014.
  7. ^ "Concerns Remain For Regional Women's Refuges After Win For City Services". The New Matilda. 3 November 2014.
  8. ^ "Inner-city women's services saved – for now". South Sydney Herald South Sydney Herald.
  9. ^ "The Sebastian Foundation helping The Girls Refuge". The Sebastian Foundation. 30 June 2016.
  10. ^ "Jules Sebastian's plan to help domestic violence victims: renovate rooms to rebuild lives". 6 August 2016.
  11. ^ Coffey, Michael. "What Ever Happened to the Revolution? Activism and the Early Days of Youth Refuges in NSW." Parity. Volume 19, Issue 10. Another Country: Histories of Homelessness. Council to Homeless Persons. (2006): 23-25.
  12. ^ Coffey, Michael. "What Ever Happened to the (R)evolution?: Take 2 Revisiting Activism and the Early Days of Youth Refuges in NSW." Undercurrent No. 1. (2008): 5-12.