A local organisation's ability to help teenage males in trouble has been hampered by the former Government trimming the grant it received and the resignation of its lone male social worker.

The news came yesterday from Teen Services Director Michelle Johnson who also revealed that homeless teenage boys were sleeping in parks and her agency was looking to re-implement a programme which focussed on at-risk males.

In her speech to Hamilton Lions, Ms Johnson reported that the community based, non-profit, private agency had provided services to adolescents and their families for the past 31 years.

The agency receives about 15 new referrals each month from a variety of sources including parents, teens, social service agencies, doctors and school counsellors, she continued.

The most common reason for a referral is counselling and/or pregnancy, she added, and the problems are addressed primarily through individual/group and family therapy.

Limited services are available to males.

Ms Johnson said: "The majority of the clients referred to Teen Services are female, however the agency does provide counselling and support to male youth.'' But she added: "The male outreach programme has been non-existent since 1992, after the only male social worker resigned his post.

"Currently, the male programme is being revised with a view to re-implementing it in the very near future.'' Teen Services is partly funded by a grant from the Ministry of Health and Social Services.

And Ms Johnson revealed: "Due to a cut in the Government grant in 1993, the counselling staff has been cut from three full time social workers, inclusive of a male social worker, to two full time social workers, one based at Teen Services and the other at Teen Haven.

"The loss of our only male counsellor has hampered services to males.'' And there are males at risk in the community who need forms of help which are not being provided presently, she noted.

While recognising that the number of Island teens who were homeless had grown to "outrageous'' proportions, Ms Johnson added that Teen Services offered residential services to homeless women through Teen Haven.

However there was no real facility available to homeless teenage boys and she revealed that they often slept in parks around the Island.

GOVERNMENT GVT