The space will be a combined effort from Ted Noffs Foundation and Beyond Empathy who have joined forces and won a contract to support local, young people aged 16-24.

Ted Noffs Foundation clinical services manager Kieran Palmer said the creative art space would be the home of a treatment program offering clinical counselling.

“With a focus on indigenous Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, we have joined with Beyond Empathy in Moree to ensure the program is a success,” he said.

The two-fold strategy will see counselling and other professional health services offered to youth and an opportunity for them to express their feelings through the arts.

“We hope to deliver a level of excellence in terms of counselling and offering that expertise and a safe space for young people to work through their issues be that drug and alcohol, mental heath or trauma issues.

“They will also be able to show their creativity and culture through dance, music production and distribution.” Mr Palmer looked forward to connecting with the community of Moree, in particular the youth to find out their needs. “We’ll try to build something to offer that or do our best to find those certain pathways to allow young people to find a flourishing life,” he said.

Hunter New England and Central Coast Primary Health Network awarded the contract to Ted Noffs, part of a national drug and alcohol funding strategy by the federal government.

Chief executive Richard Nankervis said Ted Noffs were not only supporting treatment for youth but also engaging young people by combining clinical services with art and music.

“This is innovative and new, and of course evidence-based. This is a commitment of over $200,000 per year in funding to Moree for this program,” he said.

Barwon LAC Crime Manager, Detective Inspector David Silversides said police were working hard with government agencies to address social issues propagating drug and alcohol abuse.

“Any services that comes into the community here in Moree that assists young people, particularly around drug and alcohol abuse, is going to be a positive one.”