In December, Hope Street Youth and Family Services welcomed Federal Government representative and Member for Scullin, Andrew Giles MP to visit and tour the new First Response Youth Service centre. 
 
Andrew was able to see how this nation leading, culturally safe and therapeutically designed youth housing solution is now part of the local community in Melbourne’s northern eastern growth corridor.  
 
This impactful design features 12 emergency response beds being provided to young people, including two units dedicated to young families, one specifically for First Nations young families. 

Andrew was able to see the beautiful therapeutic and primarily edible gardens, and tour the disability accessible units, laundry, bathrooms, kitchen, study area, and art therapy / games room space.  

The community in the City of Whittlesea is now home to this brand-new youth housing solution to address inequity for young people and young families.  

With over 850 people recorded as homeless in the City of Whittlesea on census night 2021, Hope Street’s tested and successful program model will provide emergency accommodation and essential services to 100 young people including young people with children impacted by homelessness.  

Specialist youth focused services will be provided on site, with a professional team of youth workers and case managers, who will assist each young person to assess their individual needs and circumstances. The worker, jointly with the young person, will develop a plan, provide support and access to resources to enable the young person to achieve their goals in-particular health and wellbeing, education or employment, social connection, and ultimately a safe place to call home. 

Hope Street officially launches the First Response Youth Service Whittlesea centre, December 2024!

Hope Street was excited to welcome Victorian Government local representative Lily D’Ambrosio MP alongside Housing Minister Harriet Shing MP to publicly open the new site, the First Response Youth Service centre in the City of Whittlesea.

The Victorian Government is the major partner providing a one-off capital grant to build the First Response Youth Service centre through the Big Build Youth Housing Grant in 2021 as well as recurrent operational funding.     

The City of Whittlesea was first to partner with Hope Street with a commitment to providing land for the new centre.  The nation leading youth homelessness service centre will be officially recognised by Youth Mayors Zachery Melvaine and Kaynat Virk as a significant step for young people and young families experiencing homelessness.  

A special thank you to Craig Murphy-Wandin who commenced the event conducting the cultural ceremony of Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony.    Craig Murphy-Wandin is a proud Wurundjeri and Woiwurrung man who was born, lives and works in Healesville, on the ancestral lands of his grandfather. Using both traditional Indigenous and contemporary techniques, his practice centres on woodwork and is informed by his experience working as a carpenter and horticulturist.   

The architecturally designed centre, includes 12 emergency response beds for young people, including two units dedicated to young families, one specifically for First Nations young families.  

Hope Street is delighted with the long-term partnership with Mirvac who have made a significant contribution to the centre by landscaping the carefully designed outdoor garden and gathering spaces. Mirvac’s landscaping expertise adds to the soothing, calm and comfortable environment which will enhance young people’s ability to move forward with their situation as they strive for a better future.  

Hope Street is pleased to have created a new relationship with the Property Industry Foundation and is grateful for the donation to fund the construction of the bedrooms.  We look forward to strengthening this relationship into the future. 

This project also features donations from Marian and EH Flack Trust, Comfort sleep, Blind Concepts, Sleep Smart, Sheridan, Morc interiors, Harvey Norman Commercial, and John Holland.   

  Hope Street’s tested and successful program model will provide emergency accommodation and essential services to 100 vulnerable young people including young people with children impacted by homelessness, annually.  

Jordan, a 21-year-old male, was accepted into the Boost Program, moving into a 1-week Short Stay bed at the Brunswick West refuge. Jordan engaged well with his BOOST specialist case managers. At the completion of his Boost stay, Jordan was offered and accepted into a 6-week refuge bed stay within the refuge. At the time of referral, Jordan was experiencing significant family displacement and transience which resulted in homelessness.

Through his time at the refuge, Jordan worked diligently with the support of their specialist case manager and developed a case plan noting his goals. Jordan was very eager to gain employment and to find longer term accommodation, a Victorian Housing Register (VHR) housing application was completed, and a referral was made to the Bolton Clark Youth Homelessness Nurse (visits Hope Street refuge) to support him with medical, dental and optometry needs.

Throughout his time at the refuge the Boost specialist case manager completed a referral to a Transitional Housing (THM) property managed by VincentCare. The outcome was successful in Jordan obtaining the property. Jordan moved into the property shortly after.

Jordan was recently successful in obtaining a Community Housing long-term property in Prahran and the Boost specialist case manager has assisted with this transition providing support with information around the bond and rent in advance, supporting him to obtain furniture and settling into his new home.

Hope Street acknowledges the Wurundjeri People, the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we operate.

October 14th marked a year since the Referendum on a Voice to Parliament. Hope Street Youth and Family Services proudly supported the First Nations Voice to Parliament and accepted the invitation offered through the Uluru Statement from the Heart, acknowledging that it was developed through consultation with First Nations people across Australia.

The Hope Street staff and Board are committed to the principles of self-determination, social justice, access, and equity. We commit to walk hand in hand with our First Nations people, partners, and allies, to yarning, listening, learning, and owning our responsibility for educating ourselves, and enhancing our knowledge. In doing so we aim to strengthen cultural safety for First Nations young people and their children accessing our services.

Drawing on our values of; Fairness, Collaboration, Social Justice, Integrity, Diversity and Hope, we stand in solidarity with First Nations people, partners, and allies, committed to ongoing learning, identifying ways of how and where we can improve our ongoing commitment.

Donna Bennett, Chief Executive Officer.