PEOPLE POWER PREVAILS
WORDS and PHOTO Liam Stretch
Not all heroes wear capes. In fact, they usually present themselves in the humblest of ways. This is the picture of local legend, Dame Sue Bagshaw. You may recognise the name – she and husband Phil (CNZM) are two of the biggest advocates for the most vulnerable in our city. For the pair, it’s all about filling the gaps. For Sue, the space that needs attention is the youth sector – particularly health.
Sue’s story in youth health begins in the early nineties. After emigrating from the United Kingdom, she was working for Family Planning and saw the challenges that young people face when approaching medical experts – especially surrounding sexual health.
She wanted a place that removed the stigma and didn’t come with the same barriers as a GP’s surgery: cost; embarrassment; loss of confidentiality; fear of judgment; acceptance.
“You just don’t know who you might see at a GP; there could be someone in the waiting room that passes it onto their parents,” Sue says.
Out of these thoughts came the idea to have a place that does it all, and after three years of fundraising, 198 Youth Health opened – at 198 Hereford Street. Ending abruptly in the earthquake period between 2010 and 2011, the team used this time to come up with a bold vision for the future.
“We plotted and planned during the earthquake. It was a perfect opportunity.” The plan Sue and others came up within the earthquake time was the concept of Youth Hub, with many different organisations coming together to provide the services youth desperately needed – one of which would be 198 or as it is now know 298 Youth Health.
198 morphed into 298, named after its first location following the earthquakes at 298 Barbadoes Street. It is now located at Unit 1, Amuri Park on Bealey Avenue. It offers services by appointment for any young person; including counselling, medical care, and most importantly, a smiling face.
Since the establishment of 298, ‘we have been deliberately looking for land,’ Sue says.
In 2017, a trust was formed, and a plot of land was found and purchased with the help of the Anglican Church. This plot, at 109 Salisbury Street, was the location of a former bowls club and provided the perfect opportunity for a mixed-use facility.
There were ten focus groups, which allowed the team to talk to about 85 young people ranging from St Andrew’s College to Te Punawai Youth Justice, and the Christchurch Youth Council.
Through this discussion, as well as working with the City Council Planning Department, a concept design was developed.
Sue credits a very competent architect who swiftly altered the designs to fit the constant changes.
“Field Studio of Architecture was excellent, they listened to everyone.”
The Youth Hub will have event spaces, a youth drop-in centre, a basketball court, offices, a medical centre, transitional housing, mental health services, an eatery, and a working farm/greenhouse setup run by Cultivate Christchurch. The space is loosely modelled around Philadelphia’s Covenant House as well as similar examples in Australia – the difference with Youth Hub will be the wrap-around care.
Since then, a process of headhunting began for the organisations that would best serve the youth of Ōtautahi. These include, Qtopia, Youthline, Methodist Mission, and Cultivate Christchurch (who will manage the farm area/greenhouses).
For now, the consent process continues – until it is fully approved, no big sums will be received. They will need around $20 million – watch this space.