Opinion: A youth home in your backyard

The home in Emerald St will provide a safe, short-stay home for young people who have been remanded by the Youth Court, says the Ministry for Vulnerable Children.

It's a little too easy to dismiss as "Nimbyism" the concerns of residents facing the prospect of a youth home in their neighbourhood.

NIMBY is a too cute acronym for the phrase Not In My Back Yard. Its close cousin is USEBY - Use Someone Else's Back Yard.

You won't find either term in our story this week about Te Kohanga, the home set to open in Emerald St, Pukehangi. And to be fair, the response from locals has been rather measured.

The Ministry for Vulnerable Children, Oranga Tamariki, says the home, set to open in a month's time, will provide care for four or five young people who have been remanded by the Youth Court.

The residents of the home will be screened for suitability for the placement, says the ministry, with safety issues a consideration, and nearby Aorangi School was assured by the ministry the youths would have 24/7 supervision.

But the concerns, as detailed in our story, are easy to understand, especially for parents of young children.

The key, as with most issues, is communication.

Some felt the information pamphlet delivered to neighbours wasn't enough. A local kohanga says it wasn't told about the home.

But a community information evening on Monday night only attracted three neighbours, all of whom left feeling well informed, says the ministry.

The ministry appears genuine in its wish to make this work with community support, and has extended an open invitation to neighbours to drop in or phone to discuss concerns.

Let's hope worried locals take up this opportunity and can allay some of the concerns about what's going on in their backyard.