19 December 2011

Pact’s Musselburgh Rise property has been refurbished and new clients have moved in.

The property used to house Pact clients recovering from mental illness, but that service moved to new flats at Helensburgh Road last winter. The Musselburgh Rise service has been extensively refurbished and has now re-opened for young people with an intellectual disability who have moved from Beaumont Road.

Pact Otago supported accommodation manager Thomas Cardy reports that all the clients and their families have been hugely supportive of the move and see it as a positive step forward for the young people.

Thomas says the philosophy is of a transitional service (with respite also available). Musselburgh Rise has a four-bedroom house (with two lounges) as well as three two-bedroom flats and two one-bedroom flats. Young people (the target group is less than 30 years old) will start off living in the house to learn living skills like budgeting, cooking, self care, use of public transport. They will then transition into the flats before moving on to more independent community settings. 

Thomas says Pact has received a number of inquiries about the new service from external potential clients and families.

“We are confident that we will be able to attract new clients and reach capacity by the middle of next year.”