The Ark Youth and Community Centre opening

Unveiling The Ark: A Safe Haven for Youth and Community

Following the purchase in August 2019 of what was known as Avalon, 9 Killafaddy Road, St Leonards, Launceston City Mission developed a plan to create a home for services to children, young people and families.

"We had a vision for The Ark to become a safe place for children and youth, because all kids deserve that. The Ark in the history of the Bible was a safe place, a safe haven, and the dream is coming to fruition," said City Mission CEO Stephen Brown.

The Ark represents a bigger, more holistic approach to supporting young people all the way from children to adulthood and those critical evolution points in the middle years.

"A lot of the issues we see in later life in people come down to stories about what happened between the ages of 0 to 12. I think once they have safety, they can heal and grow. And that's really what we're hoping to help them with," said Stephen Brown, pictured below.

The Ark now accommodates City Mission programs for children, young people and the community. Inside Out for Kids teaches emotional literacy to primary school students; The Mish supports teenagers transitioning into adulthood; and Mission 2 a Future helps individuals build pathways to education and employment, mentoring them to gain the confidence to achieve their goals.

In addition, The Ark now serves as the home for City Mission’s Community Development team, who work to support individuals in neighbouring communities.

The Ark Youth and Community Centre was opened by Her Excellency the Honourable Barbara Baker AC, Governor of Tasmania on Wednesday 26^th July 2023.

The Ark will be a long-term asset for the people of this community as we work with children, young people and parents. We're looking forward to the future with a flexibility, and the safe spaces, to respond to what the community needs.