Politicians shown value of volunteers in Albany to combat food insecurity among children and young people

State MPs visited Albany this week on a fact-finding mission about food insecurity issues facing children and young people affected by poverty. Members of the Joint Standing Committee on the Commissioner for Children and Young People met with organisations that were aiming to address food insecurity in the region. Albany MLA Rebecca Stephens was joined by fellow committee members North Metropolitan MLC Ayor Makur Chuot, and Mining and Pastoral MLC Neil Thomson. On Monday, they visited Albany Foodbank, Worklink WA, the Salvation Army and North Albany Senior High School’s Clontarf Academy. Ms Stephens said the NASHS Clontarf students were provided breakfast and lunch each school day. “About half the kids said they probably wouldn’t have eaten breakfast if they didn’t get it from Clontarf,” she said. On Tuesday, the committee members visited Albany Youth Support Association, Albany Migrant Resource Centre and WA Country Health Service, before heading to Katanning. Ms Stephens said the visits were eye-opening. “There were some pretty similar messages from all the places we visited,” she said. “What shone through the most was that these not-for-profits could not keep going without the enormous work of volunteers in the community. “The other committee members were going ‘Wow, you’ve got so many services in your home town’, so I was really proud to hear about some of the services that were being provided.” The committee’s inquiry was launched in April to collect evidence about the most effective way for WA to address food insecurity for children and young people affected by poverty. Ms Stephens said the committee had more visits to regional communities in the pipeline. Children and young people can make a submission to the inquiry until November 25. Visit bit.ly/3wogh80.