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 Hon. Julie Collins, Federal Housing and Homelessness Minister and the Housing and Homelessness Ministerial Council, has resulted in the Federal Government’s guarantee to not decrease Federal homelessness funding. Hope Street is pleased that the necessary Federal funding support will be secured for the sector to respond to homelessness services demand, which is needed for the community to have a compassionate response to homelessness. The very exciting news this time around is that now the funding has been wrapped into the base amount of money in the National Housing and Homelessness Agreement (NHHA). This is an important step towards more equitable funding for homelessness services, but it is necessary to acknowledge that young people and their families should not be left behind when it comes to homelessness services.

 

“In 2021–22, Victorian homelessness services assisted 102,000 people – that's 37 per cent of total clients nationwide. A long-term vision for homelessness service providers is socially and economically viable, as it is well-resourced service providers that address key areas to prevent vulnerable people falling through the cracks. This reduces the economic, health, and social cost later through an investment in a person’s life early to secure their wellbeing and opportunities for social and community participation, including cultural connection, healthcare, employment and education.” -  Donna Bennett, Chief Executive Officer.

 

There is an ongoing need to guarantee funding allocations and resources for youth specific homelessness services which provide valuable social housing and sustainable housing options with wrap-around supports for young people to achieve their goals and access secure housing options.

 

“Homelessness and housing service providers need to receive priority by Federal, State and Territory Governments, and not be side-lined when responding to the housing crisis as they are embedded into the community already. This funding guarantee will support service providers to continue their important work across Australia, but more needs to be done to respond to the on-going increase in demand for homelessness services, especially for young people and their families. The community needs a compassionate and well-funded response to homelessness which caters to the specific needs of vulnerable young people. For young people and their children, the experience of homelessness young has life-long consequences. It’s time for a compassionate response to the homelessness crisis with long-term investment.”- Donna Bennett, Chief Executive Officer.

 

OPEN LETTER TO THE HON. JULIE COLLINS, FEDERAL HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING MINISTER AND THE HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS MINISTERIAL COUNCIL.

Ministerial Communique

Media response to the Open Letter

 

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 Street is doing important work in the community to provide a safe place to sleep and receive support to young people at risk of homelessness and donations provide much needed resources as a part of the process to positive change.  

 

Thank you, Sheridan, and StreetSmart Australia for the SleepSmart donation of these 42 sets of brightly designed and quality linen ‘sleep kits’ for the young people who reach out to Hope Street Youth and Family Services via the Hope Street specialist programs.  

"At Sheridan, we've seen time and time again how transformative true rest can be on an individual. But not everyone is lucky enough to have somewhere safe to sleep — which is why this initiative is so important. Together with StreetSmart, the simple comforts of home are provided to tens of thousands across the country — while providing support to community organisations doing important work."- Andrew Seargean, Group General Manager of Sheridan Australia

“Being able to rest in a safe environment with quality linen is psychologically important for a young person to decompress and begin to develop a sense of belonging whilst they turn their minds to achieving essential day to day living goals. It allows a young person to feel comforted in a space, bedroom, that is theirs for a short-while.” Donna Bennett, Chief Executive Officer.

 

SleepSafe supports grassroots, community-based organisations by providing localised grants to shelters and vulnerable support services. SleepSafe believe that housing is a basic human right and raising funds for local emergency accommodation services and bedding products is integral to ensuring that all Australians have a safe place to sleep.

“A safe place to sleep is an important part of being comforted. For young people to have quality linen from Sheridan that is bright and beautifully designed ensures they feel valued. This ensures young people have a sense of belonging in a space that allows them to rest and begin to feel that they can focus on other basic areas of their life.” -  Donna Bennett, Chief Executive Officer.

 

 

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 Whittlesea. This capital build is led by Hope Street Youth and Family Services in partnership with the Victorian Government and the City of Whittlesea. Young people and young families who are experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless will receive safe and supported housing and wrap-around services tailored to their individual needs and circumstances.  
 

The Hope Street First Response Youth Refuge in the City of Whittlesea continues to develop since the sod turning ceremony in April 2023, which included then Housing Minister Colin Brooks and Lily D’Ambrosio local Member for Mill Park.  In June 2023 Aunty Joy Murphy-Wandin shared a Smoking Ceremony with Hope Street young people, staff, community and local government. These momentous events have been significant for Hope Street as a leading youth specialist homelessness service provider. Now the cement slabs are down, and the foundation is ready for framing, the projected finish date for the sites final stage will be September 2024.   

Recruitment will start with a team leader and a rostered team of six residential support workers, this site will offer 24 hours, 7 days a week daily support. It will also include two dedicated case managers. “This is a fantastic employment opportunity for the community sector workforce to thrive in a brand new, state of the art facility.” Sue Scott, Operations Manager. “For the team leader this gives potential to shape their own team and service delivery in the north-east growth corridor of metro Melbourne.”  

With 37.4% of the total homeless population being young people and children across Australia, this nation leading site is architecturally designed for wrap-around service support to give a foundation to those most vulnerable to homelessness in the community, 16-25-year-old young people and their children.   

The centre design will feature three buildings and landscaping that allows for herb and vegetable growth and therapeutic spaces. One of the buildings has eight bedrooms with ensuites, along with high quality communal areas for young people to move from surviving the thriving. There will be two self-contained family units that can accommodate families of various combinations and an administration/ office space for staff to work with young residents.  

Young people are supported to set individual goals in the below key areas:  

  • Developing living skills. 
  • Tenancy skills and budgeting.   
  • Health and wellbeing. 
  • Education/ training and employment.  
  • Community and cultural connection. 
     
    Sue Scott the Hope Street Operations Manager emphasises, “Each of these individual goals are centred on a young person’s specific needs and hope for their future, from cooking skills to finding a bulk billing GP, to completing education and finding the right job, the site will provide vital wrap-around support for young people.” 

The City of Whittlesea area has a growing population, with more young people and children in the area needing safe affordable housing and support in the community. Young families are most in need which is why Hope Street is providing emergency housing in the City of Whittlesea focusing on early intervention support and connection. Young people are bearing the brunt of the housing crisis, with the need for wrap-around service delivery being a vital part of intervention and prevention long-term. 

“It is important in the City of Whittlesea to have a First Response Youth Refuge, this type of youth homelessness refuge.  Hope Street is looking forward to this site being finished and providing nation leading youth homelessness specialist services.” Sue Scott, Hope Street Operations Manager.    

________________________________________________________________________________

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 young people.   

It is an undeniable cause for concern that young people and their children are bearing the brunt of the housing crisis. 37.4% of people in Australia experiencing homelessness are aged 0-24 years old (ABS 2021).  David McKenzie's forward address as a leading researcher in homelessness outlines the need for reform to combat this crisis.  

 

Facts and statistics on homelessness indicate that young people make up 25% of the homeless population in Victoria. Youth homelessness rose 29% in a decade.  Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people (aged 15-24) are 10x more likely to be homeless. As a leading specialist in youth homelessness services, Hope Street has a strategic plan to address child and youth homelessness in Victoria with nation leading facilities and wrap around services for young people and families, which the report outlines.   

During financial year 2023 Hope Street assisted 629 young people (16-24 years) and their children via 8 programs. Hope Street programs are offered in a continuum of service responses. This continuum is immediate (assertive outreach), emergency (youth and young family refuge), stable (transitional housing for 18-24mths) and sustainable (into private rental).    

Whilst we are in a national housing crisis, the annual report showcases the impact of Hope Street in combatting this issue. Children and young people that experience homelessness have life-long consequences and the need for vital wrap-around support is threaded into the Hope Street response as detailed in the report.  

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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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