Margaret Tucker Hostel morning tea and tour of Melton for Reconciliation Week.  

This week is Reconciliation Week 2024! Hope Street welcomed Worrell Blow, Manager from the Margaret Tucker Hostel for a Morning Tea and tour at the Melton First Response Youth Service Refuge on Wurundjeri country.

Worrell is a Yorta Yorta/Goreng Goreng woman from Victoria and has worked at the hostel since 2012. Worrell shared some of the history of Aboriginal community services in Melbourne for the team to learn about this significant work being done for and by mob.  Worrell also shared the history of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who established the Margaret Tucker Hostel. 

Margaret Tucker Hostel provides supported crisis accommodation services and support to young Aboriginal women and children aged 15-18 years who are experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness. The hostel was named after Aunty Margaret Tucker MBE who was a survivor of the Stolen Generation and respected leader and activist for Aboriginal rights.

As a purpose-built facility for young people and young families experiencing homelessness, the Melton First Response Youth Service Refuge showcases through this collaboration, elements of design that Margaret Tucker Hostel may consider in re-building for their Hostel as a purpose designed centre for their young women.

This event was attended by Hope Street staff from all five sites to hear Worrell’s insights and sharing of information that led to the development of Aboriginal specific services.  The significance and importance of Aboriginal established, governed, managed and operated services was acknowledged by all.  Hope Street and Margaret Tucker Hostel are keen to develop shared learnings and have recently signed a MOU outlining key activities to achieve together for the benefit of young people, their children and the teams with both agencies.  

Hope Street and the Margaret Tucker Hostel are committed to supporting each other’s work in youth homelessness in a collaborative environment connected to country and community.  Central to the relationship is the spirit of the theme: Now More Than Ever.

Both Worrell Blow and Donna Bennett confirmed their commitment to Hope Street and Margaret Tucker Hostel embarking on this journey of walking together in reconciliation.