Hope Street applauds the Victorian government's funding announcement to increase immediate funding for crisis and emergency accommodation in Outer Growth Corridor Melton.

Today's comprehensive funding announcement by The Premier, Daniel Andrews, and Minister for Housing, Martin Foley, is a significant response to the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Family Violence. It acknowledges that young people who experience homelessness require specific tailored responses.

Hope Street has been working closely with various stakeholders in the LGA of Melton to establish an emergency accommodation facility along with specialist wrap around support services for over 220 young people experiencing homelessness. A youth refuge and community outreach services are designed to provide at risk young people with stable and safe accommodation and youth-specific supports.

Hope Street has put the call out to the Victorian government to help homeless youth and young families in the upcoming state budget.

Our recent Media Release on the Royal Commission into Family Violence: Report and Recommendations further highlighted the need to recognise and support the many young people experiencing homelessness due to family violence.  In the outer growth corridors of Melbourne this need has become urgent due to the lack of a first response centre in places like Melton.

In an interview with Melton Leader's Ami Humpage, Hope Street's Service Development Manager, Mandy Baxter, revealed that:

Just last week a couple were referred to Hope Street Melton because they had nowhere to go. They couldn’t get an appointment in the city for two weeks and without a first response centre in Melton, all we could do was put them up in a hotel for the night until we could find them a safe place to go outside of Melton.