• Statement on ABC article
    Hope Street has joined a coalition of nearly 100 organisations demanding the federal government do more for youth homelessness. With fresh figures revealing the extent of youth homelessness, the campaign, ‘Home Time,’ has called on the Commonwe...

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    Federal Government Extends Homelessness Funding
    We won! Led by Homelessness Australia’s campaign, the Federal Government will extend the 73 million funding to respond to the homelessness crisis. In solidarity with peak service providers and the Australian Services Union, an Open Letter to the ...

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    Hope Street and SleepSafe
    Hope Street is providing comfort for young people and their children.   Providing dignity and comfort for young people and their children who are striving to secure a safe place to call home with high quality and beautifully designed linen. Hope ...

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    Update on the Whittlesea Build Site
    The City of Whittlesea is forecast to grow by 10,9981 by 2041.   Update on the Whittlesea Build Site   Exciting news from the build site!  Over 100 young people aged 16-25 years will receive short term accommodation and support in the City of...

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    2023 Annual Report Brief
    Annual Report Brief:   The Hope Street Youth and Family Services Annual Report for 2023 is available and should be read by those passionate about advocating and raising awareness for the most vulnerable to homelessness in Australia, children, and ...

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    Voice to Parliament Statement
      Hope Street Youth and Family Services proudly supports the First Nations Voice to Parliament and accepts the invitation offered through the Uluru Statement from the Heart, acknowledging that it was developed through consultation with First Nation...

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    JOB ALERT: New career opportunities at Hope Street
    Hope Street has a vision to live in a society where all young people and young families have a safe place to call home. If you would like to play a part in ending youth homelessness, join our teams of passionate people making a difference in the live...

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    Annual Celebration Event: From surviving to thriving - Thank you!
    Thank you to all who attended the Annual Celebration Event, including our AGM, today. We hope that you found it informative and enjoyable. Our Annual Report is now available for you to download and share with your networks: 2022 Annual Report 2022...

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  • Joint letter on youth homelessness
    A coalition of more than 60 organisations, including Melton’s Hope Street Youth and Family Services, Council to Homeless Persons and Youth Affairs Council Victoria has thrown its support behind ending youth homelessness in Victoria. Australian Inst...

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    Minister Pearson and Mr Steve McGhie MP visit Melton refuge
    The Honourable Danny Pearson MP, Minister for Housing (as well as Assistant Treasurer, Minister for Regulatory Reform, and Minister for Government Services), and Steve McGhie MP Melton, Victorian Labor Member for the Melton District, visited the Firs...

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    Having a yarn at Kirrip
    On Monday 10 October 2022, the Hope Street team caught up with Executive Officer Peter Webster and the fabulous team at Kirrip Aboriginal Corporation for a yarn and to share the Kinya Lerrk Acknowledgment plaques that are being installed at all of Ho...

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    Help young people find a place to call home
    Today is World Homeless Day. The purpose is to draw attention to the needs of people who have the experience of being without a home and provide opportunities for the community to get involved. Hope Street Youth and Family Services provides individua...

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    Legal partner visits our Melton refuge
    On Thursday 06 October 2022, Hope Street’s CEO, Donna Bennett, was thrilled to host a visit from HWL Ebsworth Lawyers with Partner, Leighton Moon, and legal professionals, Jane Ku and Thomas Appleby, with a tour of our leading designed youth refuge...

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    Catchup with Izzy Huntington
    CEO, Donna Bennett, recently held a virtual catch up with Hope Street friend and one of our Ambassadors, Isabel (Izzy) Huntington (AFLW, Greater Western Sydney, Giants).  Izzy was delighted to get an update on the outcomes young people engaged with ...

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    Pamper Hampers: Self-care, wellbeing and skills development
    Due to a donation from a generous community corporate partner, young people engaged with Hope Street and calling our programs home are focusing on their wellbeing, learning self-care skills via engagement in tailored fun community activities. Over t...

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    Growth with Hope Street
    A priority at Hope Street Youth and Family Services is that young people using our services are given opportunities for both skills and personal development.  Tending a vegetable garden bed with others is an example of this, being a fun activity tha...

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Fun run in action

Whether you’re walking, running or pushing a pram, every step in the City of Melton's 5km Fun Run/Walk is a step forward for young people at risk of or experiencing homelessness.

The run/walk will take place around the Toolern Creek Trail on Saturday 27 April 2019 and all proceeds will go to Hope Street's crisis accommodation facility in Melton.

Sian, a young mum

Sian* is a mother of three from the Melton area who has overcome adversity and created a positive new future for herself and her young family with the support of Hope Street Youth and Family Services.

Ever wondered what it would be like to have three children in your care and nowhere to call home? It's an upsetting thought for any parent, yet for a number of young families in the Melton region it's a reality that, for various reasons, they have to face.

Living life with hope video

Hope Street is thrilled to reveal our very own anthem, an original song composed just for Hope Street, called Live Life With Hope.  A music video has been produced using the song and recent photographs taken of current Hope Street clients, to provide a glimpse into what being young and homeless looks like in Melbourne in 2019.

Please share the video below to spread the word about Hope Street’s work in responding to youth homelessness.

Ecodyamics team build bikes for young people

Hope Street is delighted to have received several bicycles built by Ecodynamics for our young people and young families in Brunswick and Melton.

On 21 February 2018, our Corporate Partner Ecodynamics held their annual Group Strategy Day at the Abbotsford Convent. As part of Ecodynamic’s Strategic Plan, the group is implementing an extensive Grassroots Program and has partnered with Hope Street to assist wherever possible in helping disadvantaged youth and young families.

Youth with health issues

Hope Street congratulates Odyssey House Victoria and all consortium members for being the successful provider of the new headspace facility in the City of Melton.

headspace is a specialist program providing early intervention mental and related physical health services to young people and young families. This is a significant win for young people and young families, as well as the community of Melton, as stated by NWMPHN CEO Adj/Associate Professor Christopher Carter:

"Melton has the highest rates of psychological distress of any local government area in Victoria, with 20.7% of people reporting high or very high psychological distress – nearly double the state average." -- New headspace service to boost youth mental health in Melton
Reaching out for more affordable housing

The Australian Government is seeking ways to make more community housing available to those finding it increasingly difficult to rent affordable homes.

ABC News' political reporter, Stephanie Anderson, writes:

Low income earners struggling with rent could soon get a helping hand from the Commonwealth as it works towards a government bank to fund community housing.

The Government is flagging action on affordable housing amid an ongoing political battle over the issue.

It is establishing a taskforce to design a government lender that would provide cheap loans to community housing organisations...

...
Letters of Hope

On the first day of a beautiful Melbourne Autumn morning, heartfelt messages of hope were left for homeless young people in Melton.

Since 2015 Woodgrove Shopping Centre has partnered with Hope Street to fight youth homelessness in the West. With the success of the Tree of Hope has come the Letters of Hope which was unveiled on 01 March. The installation, located at the Grove outside the Bank of Melbourne entry, is comprised of four letters: H-O-P-E. Colourful keytags obtained from Woodgrove or participating retailers for a gold coin donation, have a personal message written upon them and are then attached to one of the letters.

Hope to Home in Whittlesea pilot project

On 24 February 2017, the first meeting of the Hope Street in Whittlesea's Advisory Committee was held at the Office of Lily D'Ambrosio MP, in partnership with a broad range of organisations. The advisory group provides guidance in supporting young people in our Hope to Home in Whittlesea pilot program.

Late last year Hope Street welcomed the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation's commitment to our new pilot program. As one of their 2016 Innovation Grant Recipients, Hope Street is able to support young people and young families as they transition into a place they can call home that is affordable, sustainable and long-term. The Foundation has a strong focus on being part of a community wide response to addressing homelessness through their support of innovative early intervention projects and affordable housing initiatives.

Mar 2016 Media Release

Hope Street Youth and Family Services have welcomed the release of the Royal Commission into Family Violence: Report and Recommendations.

Hope Street made a submission to the hearings and says the recommendations that focus on young people and children highlight the need for specialist youth focused responses and are particularly critical for this cohort of people in our community experiencing family violence.

Hope to Home in Whittlesea

FEATURED PILOT PROGRAM: Hope to Home in Whittlesea

Many young people face obstacles when trying to secure stable accommodation due to no rental history, lack of affordable housing, and no employment to sustain rental leases.  The Hope to Home in Whittlesea pilot program will address these issues by:

  • Facilitating the transition of up to 30 young people (and their children) from the Hope Street in Whittlesea program or Whittlesea Housing into 1 and 2 bedroom units
  • Providing case management once they secure private rental of these units
  • Helping these young people maintain their tenancy, employment, education and training, and community connections
  • Engaging the support of community stakeholders including local businesses to address barriers contributing to youth homelessness

Please contact us if you would like to become a partner and support at risk young people and young families.

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