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.