How Lotterywest is helping at-risk youth get essential support around Perth and WA

Lotterywest PICYS
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While plenty of West Aussies have hit the Lotto jackpot, Lotterywest’s impact on the broader Western Australian community is where you’ll find the real winners.

Thanks to you playing Lotterywest games each week, Lotterywest grants are helping the people of our State via hundreds of different grants, to the tune of $351.5 million in the last financial year alone!

We’ve been diving into a number of these grants through our Dream State series, and this week we’re looking at the Perth Inner City Youth Service (PICYS).

PICYS works with young people, primarily between 16 and 25, who are homeless or at risk of being homeless and looking to access support, accepting people regardless of race, culture, religion, disability, family composition, sexuality, or gender diversity. PICYS also works with their partner’s, children, families and significant other people.

Lotterywest PICYS

Through the grants program, Lotterywest has supported PICYS over a number of years, with a most recent $35,000 grant providing assistance in the form of food vouchers and hampers, meals, hygiene products, rent and utility assistance along with transport costs.

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A further $54,000 in grants has gone towards equipment and furniture for transitional housing to reduce vulnerability and homelessness, in turn helping to fund fitting out 10 of the 18 accommodation places PICYS has in the inner city metropolitan area.

Lotterywest PICYS

Some of PICYS other services include:

  • Household Network: transitional supported accommodation in the inner city metropolitan area.
  • PICYS PILLAR: a psycho-social support program for young people experiencing homelessness and with a diagnosed mental health condition;
  • Base Camp: regular “open drop in” times and other mental health support groups all allowing people to catch up with other young people in a safe and supportive environment;
  • Base Camp aGender: a monthly drop-in space for trans and gender diverse young people who are experiencing homelessness and disconnect from family.

Find out more about PICYS via picys.org.au, and for more about how playing lotto is helping make good things happen in the WA community head to the Lotterywest Dream State Hub.

This article is sponsored by Lotterywest and endorsed by us. Please see our Editorial Policy for more info.