Challenge 2000 and TSA’s Wellington Youth Services have formalised their working relationship by signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the aim of achieving better outcomes for young people.

Under the agreement, Challenge 2000 will take responsibility for Sanctuary House, a transitional home for young women, previously run by Wellington Youth Services. ‘We have been looking at how we can continue to ensure there is a safe, supportive environment where we can house young women’ states Tim O’Donovan, TSA’s Director of Wellington Community Ministries. ‘By working with Challenge 2000 we are confident that Sanctuary House and the young women seeking refuge there have an optimistic future.’

The agreement will enable a much closer relationship between the two organisations. ‘The alignment of our beliefs and values as Christian organisations and the opportunity to bring together our different communities of young people are motivating factors in developing the relationship with Wellington Youth Services’ says Kitty McKinley, founder of Challenge 2000.

Challenge 2000 will provide staff to live at Sanctuary House while both organisations will accept referrals and provide social work support for young women living there.

‘It’s no secret we have struggled to attract volunteers to live at Sanctuary House so we are very grateful to Challenge 2000 staff for providing a stable home-like environment’ says Tim O’Donovan.

Both Challenge 2000 and Wellington Youth Services believe that working together at Sanctuary House will result in even greater collaboration and the potential to develop new and exciting joint initiatives.

‘We are very much looking forward to seeing the benefits of this partnership reflected in the positive outcomes achieved by the young people we are supporting’ says Kitty McKinley.

For more information please contact:

Tim O’Donovan, Director of Wellington Community Services, The Salvation Army: tim_odonovan@nzf.salvationarmy.org

Kitty McKinley, Founder, Challenge 2000: kittymckinley@xtra.co.nz