A grant of $88,000 will pay for a mobile youth worker to help homeless young people in the Peel region.

WA Attorney General Michael Minchin today announced the funding for the Passages Resource Centre, run by St Vincent de Paul, in Mandurah.

“The new youth worker will engage with people aged between 12 and 25 who are either homeless or spend a lot of time on the streets to address and prevent at-risk behaviours through an individual case-management approach,” Mr Mischin said.

“These mobile referral workers are able to support and mentor young people in not only finding the best support to meet their needs, but also to transport or accompany them to other agencies so they can take up any opportunities presented to them.”

Passages Resource Centre manager Gayle Mitchell said the resource centre helped up to 70 per cent of homeless youth in the Mandurah area by providing basic services such as laundry facilities and showers, and creating a safe space for young people to link with other supportive services.

The grant is from the Criminal Properties Confiscation Grants Program which is funded from money and property seized by police. Under the program, grants of up to $200,000 can be given to projects which prevent drug-related crime, support victims of crime or assist law enforcement.

Passages Resource Centre advisory council chairperson David Reed said since the Mandurah centre was opened three years ago the number of staff had been increased to meet higher demand.

“Since opening in Northbridge 17 years ago and in Mandurah three years ago we have seen 26,000 youth and they have visited our houses 83,000 times,” he said.