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The Hope Street First Response Youth Service is an innovative new model designed to respond to youth homelessness via a place-based approach in the north-western growth corridor of Melbourne. The service consists of two components – a youth refuge providing supported crisis accommodation, and a mobile outreach service available 365 days per year including after hours:
Youth Refuge
The service is being provided within a purpose-built youth refuge consisting of three separate buildings:
- 8-bed communal living building
- 2-bedroom family unit for young people and their children
- an integrated consulting centre
The design is based on leading specialist youth-focused practice.
What does the refuge offer?
Service delivery is based on the enhanced youth refuge model aiming to improve outcomes for young people as a part of a homelessness prevention approach that includes access to:
- short/longer term accommodation
- emergency relief such as food, material aid or medication
- immediate and short term services for general and specialist health; employment, education or training; legal and financial matters; recreational/social connectivity
Hope Street has launched the new youth refuge in partnership with the state government, philanthropic community, corporate sector, Melton City Council and local community members. This purpose-designed centre provides specialist wrap around support services for young people and young families experiencing homelessness. The First Response Youth Mobile Outreach Service works with the emergency accommodation centre, providing at risk young people with stable and safe accommodation and youth-specific supports.
How can young people access the refuge?
Young people must be:
- 16 - 25 years of age
- individuals or part of a couple / family (eg siblings, single parent and child, couple and child)
- (at risk of) experiencing homelessness and in crisis
- linked to the Melton local government area as well as neighbouring LGAs
Please contact our First Response Youth Refuge Team on 0413 539 830 or
PROGRAM OUTCOMES
Learn more about the young people supported, and our impact, from our latest Annual Report.
Download
Youth Mobile Outreach Service
The First Response Youth Mobile Outreach Service establishes the first innovative youth homelessness and support mobile outreach crisis response in the City of Melton growth corridor, with an annual target of 100 young people/families.
The local government area of Melton has no specialist homelessness crisis response service - it is at least 27km to the nearest homelessness crisis response service and a limited VLine train service severely impacts young people's access to services. This service will significantly address young people's experience and disadvantage from the lack of homelessness support services due to the geographical isolation from the lack of social infrastructure.
The First Response Youth Mobile Outreach Service enhances the emergency response model and service delivery to young people utilising the Youth Refuge funded by the State Government.
What does the mobile outreach service offer?
Available 7 days a week from 9:30am to 10:30pm, our First Response Mobile Outreach Team will find, identify and engage with young people and young families who are (at risk of) experiencing homelessness in the Melton local government area and surrounding suburbs. Team members will go to where they are located, for example:
- hospital
- school
- police station
- Centrelink
- other service/agency
A safe place to meet with young people can also be arranged if they are staying/sleeping on a friend's couch, in a car, in the park or the streets.
Young people will get help to be safe, navigate and access the Homelessness Service System and other services (eg health), find emergency accommodation, get food and/or material aid, and more. Support will be provided that is holistic, integrated, quality, effective and timely.
How can young people access the mobile outreach service?
Young people must be:
- 16 - 25 years of age
- individuals or part of a couple / family (eg siblings, single parent and child, couple and child)
- (at risk of) experiencing homelessness
- in the Melton local government area or surrounding suburbs - includes Aintree, Brookfield, Burnside - Burnside Heights, Caroline Springs, Cobblebank - Strathtulloh, Diggers Rest, Eynesbury Township, Fraser Rise, Harkness, Hillside, Kurunjang, Melton, Melton South, Melton West, Rockbank, Rural Balance, Taylors Hill and Toolern Vale
Please contact our First Response Mobile Outreach Team on (03) 9132 4300 or
PROGRAM OUTCOMES
Learn more about the young people supported, and our impact, from our latest Annual Report.
Download
Note:
- Card holder reference in included kit instructions available for delivered kit only.
- Individual kit items available in our First Response - Melton folder.
In 2021-2022 Lirata Consulting conducted an extensive research evaluation of the First Response Youth Service model. Through interviews, focus groups and surveys, the evaluation gathered input from over 100 stakeholders including young people, staff, managers, service delivery partners, community partners, funders and others. The evaluation also undertook detailed analysis of quantitative and documentary data. Evaluation findings address the model, the refuge facility, service development and implementation processes, client outcomes, and Social Return on Investment (SROI). The final report was released in March 2023 at the Annual Celebration Event: From surviving to thriving.
