Latest news with #ElizabethWright
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Two new 'one-stop shop' family hubs open
Two new council-run family hubs have been opened, offering services including parenting advice, child development clinics and youth support. North Northamptonshire Council held events to open the hubs at Glapthorn Road, Oundle and Newton Road, Rushden. They act as "one-stop shops" for families, with the aim of giving children the best start in life and supporting parents and carers, the Reform UK-run council said. Council leader Martin Griffiths said: "The last few years have been a tough time for young people and families and we have to do whatever we can to support them." He added: "I'm very proud of our expanding family hubs network and I'm delighted to see the great work that is happening right at the heart of our communities." The council opened its first family hub in Towcester and plans to open a fourth by the end of the year. Elizabeth Wright, executive member for children, families, education and skills, said they are "friendly and safe spaces for babies, children, young people and their parents or carers to go when they need help and support". Family hubs date to the early 2000s, when New Labour introduced Sure Start centres - focused on supporting young families with early education, childcare and health advice. Many closed after 2010 when funding was cut by the Tories, but in 2024 the Conservative government under Rishi Sunak rolled out 400 new "family hubs" across 75 local authorities. The Labour government recently announced plans to expand the network to up to 1,000 by the end of 2028. Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. More on this story Food voucher scheme 'paused' due to high demand Family hubs to open in every council in England Councils commit £1.5m to domestic abuse service Related internet links North Northamptonshire Council
BBC News
11 hours ago
- Politics
- BBC News
'One-stop shop' family hubs open in Rushden and Oundle
Two new council-run family hubs have been opened, offering services including parenting advice, child development clinics and youth Northamptonshire Council held events to open the hubs at Glapthorn Road, Oundle and Newton Road, Rushden. They act as "one-stop shops" for families, with the aim of giving children the best start in life and supporting parents and carers, the Reform UK-run council leader Martin Griffiths said: "The last few years have been a tough time for young people and families and we have to do whatever we can to support them." He added: "I'm very proud of our expanding family hubs network and I'm delighted to see the great work that is happening right at the heart of our communities." The council opened its first family hub in Towcester and plans to open a fourth by the end of the Wright, executive member for children, families, education and skills, said they are "friendly and safe spaces for babies, children, young people and their parents or carers to go when they need help and support".Family hubs date to the early 2000s, when New Labour introduced Sure Start centres - focused on supporting young families with early education, childcare and health closed after 2010 when funding was cut by the Tories, but in 2024 the Conservative government under Rishi Sunak rolled out 400 new "family hubs" across 75 local Labour government recently announced plans to expand the network to up to 1,000 by the end of 2028. Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
SBS Australia
4 days ago
- General
- SBS Australia
'Rent is going up five times faster than wages': What's behind WA's housing crisis
Elizabeth Wright parks her ute beneath the shade of a tree at a quiet suburban park in Perth's north. It's not her first time here, and lately she's been coming more regularly — not for fresh air or a picnic, but to mentally prepare for something more confronting. The 38-year-old single mother gestures to the adjoining car park and says this is where she thinks she'd park on most nights. ''I would build a secure load on the back of my ute," Wright tells SBS News. "It's just about condensing life into a vehicle and [to] see what I can fit in the back of it." In a quiet moment by the water, Elizabeth Wright reflects on the uncertainty of life without stable housing. As rental prices soar, she's among a growing number of Australians facing an increasingly fragile future. Source: SBS News / Christopher Tan Wright, who is on income support, talks through the layout of her single-cab ute, with calm resolve: she's already planned how to convert it into a sleeping space. "I probably have to get a smaller bed than this … so I can fit a wardrobe on the side … and that's all I would really need," she says. "I always aim for minimalist living but maximalist style, and the past year and a half has really challenged me to do that." I can't have my daughter with me in that space. That's what's demoralising, that's what breaks me. Wright grew up in Perth and moved around frequently as a child due to her father's work. Later, she lived with her mum and stepdad until they decided to sell the family home to downsize in July last year. That was when her rental journey began — one she never imagined would lead her to scoping out bedding options for a ute. But after a year of renting across Perth — and facing three evictions through no fault of her own — she's rehearsing how to survive homelessness. A single mother on the brink of homelessness scopes out this park in Perth's north as a potential place to sleep. With nowhere stable to live, she's planning how to turn her ute into a last-resort shelter. Source: SBS News / Christopher Tan For now, Wright is couch surfing at her sister's rental, another single mother on the verge of being priced out of housing in Perth. "But, just sort of losing [my] home over and over again, after losing something I'd built myself [and] having to re-set up somewhere else … I am so over moving things," she says. Housing pressures most acute for WA renters Wright's story is becoming disturbingly common, not just in Western Australia, but across the country. According to a 2025 housing affordability study by Bankwest Curtin Economic Centre (BCEC), capital city house prices have surged by 59 per cent — an increase of more than $373,000 — with Perth and Brisbane recording an 84 per cent growth. Perth's median house price jumped from $463,000 in 2019 to $851,000 in February 2025, driven by investor interest and population growth. It's one of the steepest increases for a capital city in the past five years. Despite recent and forecasted interest rate cuts, as well as expanded government first home buying schemes, affordability in Perth is continuing to deteriorate. But it is renters who are feeling the sharpest edge. Perth recorded the steepest rise in advertised weekly rents nationwide between 2019 and 2024, outpacing all other capital cities. Source: SBS News The median advertised rent in Perth has climbed from $350 a week in 2019 to $650 by the end of 2024 — an 86 per cent spike that makes it the least affordable capital city for renters in the country. Along with the Northern Territory, WA is one of the two remaining jurisdictions that still allow "no-grounds" evictions. This describes a scenario in which landlords can evict tenants without providing a reason, as long as they give 30 days' notice at the end of a fixed-term lease or 60 days during a periodic lease. They can issue an eviction notice even if the tenant hasn't done anything wrong. There are seven other legal grounds for eviction, including property sales, hardship and tenant breaches. The lack of protection from no-fault termination leaves renters like Wright vulnerable. Growing risk of homelessness According to the most recent Census, 9,729 people were experiencing homelessness in WA in 2021 — a 114 per cent increase from the previous Census. That includes 2,315 people who reported sleeping rough. In the last financial year, Shelter WA says nearly 25,000 people sought help from specialist homelessness services in WA, representing an 18 per cent jump over the decade. Housing advocate Jordan van den Lamb says the crisis is no longer isolated to the most vulnerable. "We're seeing 10,000 people experience homelessness each month," he says. "Most people have felt this pressure in the last three years. Renters are choosing between their rent and medication, groceries, bills." Housing advocate Jordan van den Lamb says soaring rents and weak protections are pushing more Western Australians to the brink. "We can't rely on a market solution to fix a market failure," he says. Source: SBS News / Christopher Tan Shelter WA estimates a person earning $70,000 a year would now spend 58 per cent of their income on rent alone. "I am pretty sure constantly moving out … unless you want to … is not what the great Australian dream is for housing," Wright says. The power imbalance Tenants are increasingly afraid to speak up. Alice Pennycott, principal tenancy lawyer at Circle Green Community Legal, says she sees this fear every day. "People come to us for advice on repairs, but then they hesitate — worried that if they complain, their lease won't be renewed," Pennycott says. There's no way to challenge a no-grounds eviction. Unless the notice itself is invalid — the reason doesn't matter. Victoria and NSW have scrapped no-fault evictions. NSW introduced reforms in May, allowing landlords to terminate leases only for specific reasons, such as selling the property, renovating, or moving in themselves. Advocates say the WA government is reluctant to act, fearing landlords may exit the market. But Pennycott says that's not a justification for inaction. Alice Pennycott from Circle Green Community Legal is calling for urgent reforms to end no-grounds evictions and improve protections for people at risk of losing their homes. Source: SBS News / Christopher Tan "We are not saying landlords shouldn't be allowed to evict people," Pennycott says. "We are saying we just want a reason and we are supporting introducing more reasons into the legislation." A broken market Even with 20,500 homes completed in 2024 — the most in seven years — WA still fell short of its National Housing Accord target of 25,000 dwellings. Since March 2023, only 694 new rental dwellings have been added in Perth, which represents a growth of just 0.4 per cent. Over the same period, the population has surged by 119,000, leaving a rental shortfall of 7,700 homes. Vacancy rates have ticked slightly above 2 per cent but remain well below healthy levels. "Rent is going up five times faster than wages," van den Lamb says. "We can't rely on a market solution to fix a market failure." Even with 3,300 social homes delivered and 5,800 more promised by the WA government, waitlists continue to grow. Demand for social housing in WA has surged, with the waiting list ballooning and urgent applications rising sharply over the past six years. Source: SBS News More than 21,000 people are now waiting for public housing. The average wait time is 151 weeks. Among priority applicants, including people escaping domestic violence or homelessness, demand has jumped 330 per cent in six years. 'You didn't choose that life' For many Western Australians, financial stress is only the beginning. "People used to get a termination notice and say, 'Well, I'll just find another rental.' Now they're saying, 'Where am I going to go?'" Pennycott says. Accessing legal support is becoming more complex, she says. People are looking for help more than ever because they have fewer alternatives. We hear from people every day who don't know where they'll sleep next week. The cumulative toll on renters like Wright is immense. "If you can't have your children with you, or you're both living in a car and you didn't choose that life, that's not just hard, it's dehumanising," she says. "How is it that we live in such a beautiful and privileged society, and there are so many people without somewhere to live?" Systemic change needed The latest BCEC report titled 'A long way from home' outlines a comprehensive plan to tackle WA's housing crisis, and calls for urgent investment in both rental and public housing. Short-term recommendations include expanding the Commonwealth Rent Assistance scheme and making the WA Rent Relief Program permanent. The program has already helped over 2,700 renters remain in their homes. At Circle Green Community Legal, frontline staff take calls from renters facing mounting housing stress. Many are seeking urgent advice after receiving eviction notices or struggling with unaffordable rent hikes. Source: SBS News / Christopher Tan The report also calls for more crisis and transitional accommodation, particularly for women and families escaping domestic violence. In the medium term, it recommends fast-tracking housing completions, scaling up social and affordable housing using the state's investment fund, and targeting new developments at first-home buyers and key workers, such as childcare educators, retail and hospitality workers, health support workers, and general administrative services. It also calls for incentives for build-to-rent developments and enforceable standards for rental properties. Among its long-term recommendations, the report urges the WA government to commit to delivering 24,000 new homes each year — including a minimum of 1,200 new or repurposed social dwellings — and to replace stamp duty with a more efficient system to support household mobility. Small steps, but a long way to go In 2024, the WA government updated its Residential Tenancies Act, with the first tranche of changes allowing pets and minor modifications in most rentals and limiting rent increases to once every 12 months. The reforms were introduced in addition to the ban on rent bidding and retaliatory actions from landlords brought in earlier that year. However, there's still no cap on rental increases. In a statement to SBS News, a state government spokesperson declined to say whether it would abolish "no grounds" evictions entirely. "Recommendations for a second phase of reforms are expected to be finalised for consideration later this year," the spokesperson said. "Stage two will consider a range of further measures to protect renters, including setting minimum standards, the collection of bonds, rents and other charges, and clear definitions of boarding and lodging. "Consultation with stakeholders will guide the second phase of these reforms." Seen through her office window, tenancy lawyer Alice Pennycott works to support renters navigating an increasingly hostile housing market. She says more and more people are reaching out with nowhere else to turn. Source: SBS News / Christopher Tan But advocates say these measures barely scratch the surface. "It doesn't address the heart of the problem: renters being protected from being thrown out into the street into homelessness," Pennycott says. WA court data shows more than 1,500 eviction applications have been filed annually in the last four years, not including informal or unchallenged cases. BCEC figures also reveal that nearly two-thirds of single women renters in WA aged 55 and over are living in poverty, with half in the "severe poverty" category. "There's a growing awareness now. Everyone knows someone who's been impacted — whether it's rent hikes, eviction, or just the stress of trying to find a place to live," Pennycott says. "[But] we've been lobbying for change since 2019." Sitting beneath the trees by the Swan River, Elizabeth Wright reflects on the emotional toll of housing insecurity. With support systems stretched and options running out, she says no-one should be forced to raise a child from the back of a car in a country as wealthy as Australia. Source: SBS News / Christopher Tan For Wright, the crisis isn't just about statistics — it's about recognising the humanity of renters. We treat housing as a commodity, but it's a basic human right. Wright's wish is singular: All she wants, she says, is a place to call home again. "I just want to give my daughter a secure place to grow up. "Not a car, not someone else's couch. A home."
Hamilton Spectator
30-05-2025
- General
- Hamilton Spectator
Tetlit Gwich'in to film climate change documentary on moose hunt
Hunters, Elders and youth are organizing a fall moose hunt and will be filming the expedition with the help of a cash injection from the Arctic Inspiration Prize (AIP). 'Wisdom from the Water' was awarded $30,000 during the May 13 AIP ceremony in Ottawa, one of 12 teams to receive a prize from the overall $3.7-million annual charitable event. 'It's still sinking in,' said Tetlit Gwich'in Chief Elizabeth Wright. 'We're very excited. 'The youth will have this documented for further use, so that other youth who are not on the trip will be able to see it.' Wright said the idea came out of last year's fall moose hunt, where a group of 15 youth joined hunters, Elders and other mentors as they sourced their quarry over a five-day excursion. The adventure was so popular organizers decided to build on it. Now, the plan is to not only harvest a moose, but for the youth to film the effort. But more than that, they will also document how a warming climate is transforming the Peel River canyon and will interview Elders about the changes they have witnessed over their lives. Wright said the goal is to not only help youth reconnect with the land and their culture but to also acquire some modern work skills in documentary film-making. 'We're going to do a documentary talking about the impacts climate change has on the land and the wildlife in the Peel watershed,' she said. 'The Elders noticed over time the caribou don't go into certain areas anymore and birds are coming earlier. 'We want the youth to do the whole documentation. They'll be taking pictures and video, but also they're going to be learning about climate change. We want the Elders to share what they've seen that's different. Whether its the landscape, whether it's the channel in the Peel river or the migratory routes of the animals we depend on.' Planning is still at an early stage, but Wright said the goal is to do an eight to 10 day trip in September, to allow for more people to get involved if they have scheduling conflicts. She said the outing is open to as many youth as are interested and participants from other Mackenzie and Beaufort Delta communities are also welcome. The trip will be by motorboat going up river. She expressed her gratitude to Margaret Gordon for sponsoring the bid for the Arctic Inspiration Prize and thanked the project's support staff, as well as the Gwich'in Tribal Council. 'It's very humbling,' she said. 'It was a community project — and it was the community that won.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Penn State report outlines reasons for keeping Scranton campus open
Citing its importance to the region and the diverse population it serves, Penn State officials are recommending keeping Penn State Scranton open to be a hub for Penn State in Northeast Pennsylvania. In a report issued Tuesday, officials said the campus in Dunmore is worth investing in because of 'its regional significance, operational soundness, and capacity to serve as a primary hub for Northeastern Pennsylvania' and suggested it serve as the primary anchor for the region. The report highlights investments in the campus, including the renovated mechanical engineering labs, nursing suite and library. It points out the mechanical engineering program is growing and the nursing program is regionally respected. The campus unveiled a $13.1 million renovation of the library and nursing facilities last fall and dedicated a new mechanical engineering building in late 2022. Officials acknowledged in the report that the campus has experienced declining enrollment but remains viable for future growth and investment, adding that being in Lackawanna County puts it in a position to serve a dense and diverse population. 'Unlike many campuses facing demographic headwinds, Penn State Scranton benefits from proximity to growing suburban communities and school districts and access to major highways, making it a logical anchor for Penn State's presence in the region,' the report states. 'The area's demographic profile also includes significant populations of first-generation and lower socioeconomic status students, aligning with Penn State's access mission.' The campus enrolled 827 students for the fall semester, 88% of which live in Pennsylvania and nearly 55% of which reside in Lackawanna County, according to enrollment information from the university. Enrollment has dropped nearly 27% in 10 years and 40% from its peak of 1,388 students in 2010, according to the report. Of those students, nearly 42% are Pell Grant recipients, 16% are underrepresented minorities, almost 46% are first-generation college students and nearly 17% are student athletes. While on-campus housing isn't offered, the report states the campus has strong connections to local school districts, employers and transfer pipelines, characteristics that the report said makes it particularly well suited to support dual enrollment growth, regional partnerships and hybrid academic models. 'Penn State Scranton's leadership has demonstrated both vision and effectiveness,' it concludes. 'The campus has consistently engaged in University-wide planning and collaboration efforts, and its openness to innovation positions it well to adopt new delivery models or share administrative services with other locations. Faculty and staff have embraced Penn State's goals, and the campus community has maintained a strong culture of adaptability and student-centeredness.' Elizabeth Wright, regional chancellor for the campus and the ones in Hazleton and Wilkes-Barre, said in an emailed statement Wednesday that while there has been no official decision by the Board of Trustees regarding campus closures, the recommendation to keep the Scranton campus open and invest in it was based its location near major interstates and metropolitan areas, demographics and the significant number of first generation and low income students. She added the campus' mechanical engineering and nursing programs are two areas with strong potential based on community needs and trends. 'The campus has already made significant investments in those programs over the past several years, most recently with the Mechanical Engineering Building, new Nursing Suite and Library Building renovations,' Wright said in the statement. 'We believe Penn State Scranton enhances Penn State's mission and provide meaningful impact to northeast Pennsylvania.' Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi announced in February that some commonwealth campuses will be closing, and she will decide which ones by the end of the semester, with no campus closing before the end of the 2026-27 academic year. The announcement stated that 12 of the university's 19 campuses — including Scranton and three others in Northeast Pennsylvania, Penn State Wilkes-Barre, Hazleton and Schuylkill — were under review. Media outlets reported this week that the president recommended closing the DuBois, Fayette, Mont Alto, New Kensington, Shenango, Wilkes-Barre and York campuses. Officials publicly shared the full recommendation report regarding the campus closures Tuesday night following the reports. Trustees will meet privately Thursday to continue discussing the proposal, SpotlightPA reported. Elected officials and community leaders in Lackawanna County have called for Penn State Scranton to remain open, citing its importance to the region and the students it enrolls. Reached for comment about the report Wednesday, Bob Durkin, president of the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, said he was happy to hear the campus could remain open. 'I'm pleased that Penn State has decided to continue that investment and to recognize the financial, economic and workforce value of Penn State Scranton,' he said. Durkin said the campus is top for nursing and mechanical engineering, job fields that are forecasted to grow in the region. Penn State Scranton also employs people from the area on its campus. 'They've provided us with assistance and direction on how do they and we help grow the workforce and the entrepreneurial ecosystem of Lackawanna County and Northeastern Pennsylvania,' Durkin said. He said the campus allows students to access a Penn State education locally and it fits in well with the higher education ecosystem in Northeast Pennsylvania. 'Penn State is an absolutely first-class institution and that's an experience that you can only get if you're in a commonwealth campus,' Durkin said. 'I'm looking forward to Penn State University Park continuing to follow up on those words and continuing to invest as necessary.' In addition Penn State Scranton, the report outlines reasons for keeping the Hazleton and Schuylkill campuses open.
