By Michael Burt
The Bello Youth Hub took centre stage in the Council Chambers this week amidst growing community concern about the future of youth services in Bellingen.
Bellingen Shire Councillor Jennie Fenton lodged a Notice of Motion calling for urgent transparency on the status of the Youth Hub at this week’s Council meeting following a Public Forum on Monday.
Experienced youth educators Rob Stockton and Paul Tipper led support for the motion at the forum, speaking passionately about the Hub’s successes and praising the efforts of former youth coordinators.
Mr Stockton, a former Bellingen High School Principal, said the Hub is currently “not working at an optimal level” and change is needed to get the wheels turning back in the right direction.
“This is about working with youth in the best way possible, and the Hub was doing that,” Mr Stockton said.
“The Superintendent of Police said this was the very best example she has seen and it is doing a lot to moderate youth crime.”
Mr Stockton called for a return to a community and Council led sub-committee to guide the Hub’s activities and to support grant applications, and to entice the return of former coordinators
The Youth Hub, opened in August 2012, has long been recognised as a vital support space for young people and families across the Shire. It won an award for NSW Youth Service of the Year in 2025.
In 2023, Council decided to shift oversight of the Youth Hub to the Neighbourhood Centres of Bellingen Shire (NCOBS). The Section 355 Committee that had governed the facility since its inception was dissolved by Council resolution in August 2023
Paul Tipper said the Hub’s success was built on extensive community effort, volunteer commitment, support from local business and an experienced management committee.
“For the last 10 years, there has been one management committee made up of five people who have been continuously on that committee,” Mr Tipper said.
“The system worked really well where those people bring diversity of knowledge and experience to the table, and the Hub worked incredibly well.”
Mr Tipper said he was “shocked” earlier this year when NCoBS decided to remove the committee.
Cr Fenton’s Motion calls for a detailed report on how the current arrangement has operated since its commencement, including governance, operational arrangements, service delivery, facility access, maintenance, and funding.
It also requests six monthly public reports on the Youth Hub’s service delivery, usage, and partnerships. As reported in the last edition of the Bellingen Shire News, Cr Fenton and Cr Dominic King claimed they have not seen in progress reports since August 2023.
Cr Fenton has also requested a copy of the current arrangement with NCOBS.
“Young people and their families need clarity. Staff and volunteers need clarity. The broader community needs clarity,” Cr Fenton said.
“This motion is about restoring transparency, ensuring support for any future staff, and making sure the community is included in decisions about the Youth Hub’s future
“For many young people, the Youth Hub has been the difference between connection and isolation — between being supported and feeling alone,” Cr Fenton said. “When a facility like this changes, the community deserves clear information about what is happening and what comes next.”
NCoBS Welcomes Youth Hub Motion to Improve Transparency
Neighbourhood Centres of Bellingen Shire Inc (NCoBS) has welcomed the Cr Fenton’s Youth Hub motion, saying it supports the opportunity to provide accurate information about the service, its operations, and its future direction.
Chairperson Jocelyn Box said NCoBS remains committed to ensuring the service delivers meaningful outcomes for young people while evolving to meet changing community needs and best-practice.
“While NCoBS would have welcomed direct engagement before concerns were raised publicly, the Council motion now provides an important opportunity for facts, transparency, and constructive discussion to become the focus of the conversation,” Ms Box said.
“We hope this process allows the conversation to move forward based on facts and a shared commitment to achieving the best outcomes for young people”.
Under new leadership since November 2025, Ms Box said the organisation has focussed on strengthening governance and improving processes across services, including the Youth Hub. The priority for the Youth Hub is ensuring it’s a safe, responsive, and effective service.
Ms Box said a key part of this work is to create new opportunities for young people and the broader community to help shape the future of the Hub.
“NCoBS is establishing a Youth Advisory Group, providing young people with a direct voice in the planning, delivery and evaluation of programs and activities. The group will hep ensure that services and initiatives are informed by young people and build their leadership and advocacy skills.”
“We’d love to see young people in Bellingen Shire empowered by similar initiatives as the Bongil Bongil Youth Collective in Toormina, and the Nambucca Valley Youth Council,” says Chairperson, Jocelyn Box.
“I worked with community partners to establish the Nambucca Valley Youth Council into a thriving youth voice in the Valley, and I want to see young people in Bellingen Shire get the same opportunity”.
NCoBS is also seeking to increase collaboration with services funded to support young people in the Shire and plans to develop a “Friends of the Youth Hub” Advisory, creating a “new avenue” for parents, carers, and community members to become connected and involved with the Youth Hub.
“We know there are many people in our community who care deeply about young people and want to contribute positively to the Youth Hub”
In the meantime, Ms Box said services at the Youth Hub have been running as normal, with dedicated staff and volunteers stepping up.
“We are incredibly thankful and proud of our staff and volunteers. This has not been an easy time for them, but their commitment to community is part of who they are as people and they make us who we are as an organisation”.