Why did father chris riley start youth off the streets?

Answer 1

Father Riley was inspired by the film Boys Town which features the hardships of some of the most disadvantaged youth. In 1990 he headed to the inner city of Sydney to help some of the streets kids he had connected with. On the 2nd of April 1991 he opened the doors of the first Youth Off The Streets service, Don Bosco House in Marrickville, Sydney. This was a safe place for kids who were affected by alcohol and drugs and each night the servce filled up with kids. Some nights there were 40 staying in the house, although all that could be offered was a bean bag to sleep on, they were still safe. At the same time Youth Off The Streets was running a Food Van on the streets of Kings Cross, providing hot meals to homeless young people. This was 20 years ago, Youth Off The Streets has now grown to a major youth specific accredited charity employing over 180 staff members who work to provide opportunities for young people to turn their lives around and overcome immense personal traumas such as disadvantagte, neglect, physical and emotional abuse.

We now have more than 25 services across NSW.