Overview
In the lead-up to the festive season, Sydney's weekend nights are set to become that little bit safer with the introduction of a volunteer-run 'Safe Space'. Between 10pm and 4am on Fridays and Saturdays, the World Square-based area will be staffed with Salvation Army volunteers, who'll provide help to anyone who needs support — be it in the form of water, first aid, telephone calls or advice on how to get home.
At the same time, the volunteers — who’ve been dubbed Take Kare Ambassadors — will be patrolling CBD entertainment precincts. They’ll keep an eye out for vulnerable individuals, offering assistance on the spot and, if need be, directing them towards the Safe Space.
The initiative is a collaboration between the Thomas Kelly Youth Foundation, the City of Sydney and the New South Wales Police. It will be piloted for three months, before its permanency is determined. "There are currently no prevention services in place to assist young people who are ejected from venues due to being too intoxicated, and they can end up on the street in a vulnerable state with the potential of becoming either a victim or an offender," Mr. Kelly said in a media statement. "Tonight all that changes. Many parents will owe so much to the Take Kare Ambassadors, but few will ever know that their son or daughter got home safely because a team of people volunteered their time to come to their children’s side when they needed it the most."
"It’s vital that we do everything we can to calm Sydney’s streets and curb alcohol-related violence," added the Lord Mayor Clover Moore. "The City will continue to work with NSW Police and the NSW Government to create the safest possible environment we can for young people out at night. This program will play a pivotal role in helping intoxicated young people in the city sober up, seek assistance from a responsible adult and get home safely late at night."
The Safe Space trial is one of several moves by the City of Sydney to boost safety. Others include temporary toilets at Town Hall, Whitlam Square, Taylor Square and Springfield Mall, which will be open between 10pm and 6am on Friday and Saturday nights until next March; extended opening hours for the City’s info kiosks (until 9pm); the addition of crowd control barriers to the Bayswater Road taxi rank between 9pm and 6am on Saturday nights; and the installation of variable message signs in the CBD and Kings Cross, conveying safety and transport information.
Image: Luke Reynolds.