Artist rendition of the assisted living facility for young people in the Caribbean Netherlands.
SABA/ST. EUSTATIUS--Fundashon Cas Bonairiano (FCB) and Care and Youth Caribbean Netherlands ZJCN are working together to create a residential facility for assisted living for young people, aged 16 to 24 years. Creation of a safe and suitable living environment that will provide space for twelve young people on Bonaire started a few weeks ago.
The assisted living pilot was launched in March 2021. In this residential facility on Bonaire, young people from the Caribbean Netherlands between the ages of 16 to 24 are guided towards more independence. These young people have completed a long-term assistance programme at Youth Care Caribbean Netherlands. Despite this assistance, their home situation has remained unchanged. Therefore, they receive the necessary guidance and assistance to promote their self-reliance and learn to live independently through the assisted living facility.
With a positive assessment from the Health and Youth Care Inspectorate IGJ the pilot phase has now, after two years, been successfully completed and the assisted living facility will be further developed. This year, the focus is on further professional development and the construction of a new facility.
After a tender, FCB selected BonNed as the contractor for this project, which has started laying the foundation for the building in which the assisted living will be housed. The facility will have bedrooms with shared bathrooms and a shared living room and kitchen. In addition, there will be studios and apartments with private kitchens and bathrooms. This will give young people from Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba the opportunity to learn to live independently in phases and under supervision in their “own home” in a shared house.
The design takes into account the possibility of possible future expansion of the assisted living facility. It is expected that construction will be completed by the end of this year.
