MYST's on the move and after a home for their shipping container

While excited by the opportunity this brings, the smaller, albeit central location in Springwood Avenue does not have room to store the group’s shipping container full of gear used for the organisation’s many outdoor programs.

MYST manager Damian Cooper is appealing to the community for somewhere to store the container in the Blue Mountains. It would need to be easily accessible at any time of day.

“You can drive down the highway and there’s 100 places with blocks of land where no-one’s doing anything,” Mr Cooper said.

“Maybe there’s a block of land someone’s grandma owns that we could use?”

The group has investigated paying for storage, but at $500 a month, it’s money the government and council-funded organisation can ill afford.

When MYST moves to the former Springwood Neighbourhood Centre site in January, they are hoping to build upon the success of their Stand Strong and yoga programs introduced at Springwood High this year, offering the programs at the new centre.

Mr Cooper said the service was seeing 200 youth a week at the MYST shopfront at Manners Park in Springwood and was keen to build on this with the space to offer a variety of programs at the new location.

“Young people need the space where they can have some ownership and this new location provides that,” Mr Cooper said.

MYST has operated out of Winmalee Youth Centre for 16 years in a building leased from Blue Mountains City Council at no cost. 

Mr Cooper said he had appreciated the support council had provided in finding a new location for the centre as its needs changed.

MYST provides support for disadvantaged youth, helping them develop the tools for emotional, physical and intellectual growth. They deliver a range of structured personal development, therapeutic and recreation programs to young people both in and out of school. 

If you can help MYST find a place to store their shipping container, contact Damian Cooper on 0413 099 947.