Update on the First Response Youth Refuge in Whittlesea: Walls up! Roof is on! 

“Hope Street First Response Youth Service in the City of Whittlesea will assist and empower young people and young families who are experiencing homelessness, to secure a safe place to call home and begin to rebuild their life.”- Donna Bennett, CEO, Hope Street Youth and Family Services. 

Hope Street and local partners are making a real impact with the development of the First Response Youth Refuge Service Centre in the City of Whittlesea.  In July 2024, the frame and roof have been completed and the bricks and window frames have been added to this build. Team Leader, Bianca Nash and Program Manager, Hang Pham visited the building site to check out the progress being made, and they are both busy coordinating the interior design and furniture for the youth refuge. Hope Street is currently recruiting for a suite of new youth residential support workers and case managers to support young people and young families that stay at the First Response Youth Service Refuge Service Centre from the end of the year.  

This refuge will be home for over 100 young people aged 16-25 years on Wurundjeri country in the City of Whittlesea area. The refuge building has bedrooms for 8 young people on any one night for up to a 6 week stay, and the two-family units that can be home for up to a 3 month stay for young families. One of these family units will be a dedicated Aboriginal unit focusing on connection to community and culture. The strengthened partnership with Margaret Tucker Hostel will ensure that best practice and specific resources are being integrated into service delivery for all Aboriginal and Torress Strait islander young people and their children as part of the Hope Street model.  

As at the start of July 2024: 

• Staff recruitment is underway. 

• Frame and truss are completed on all 3 buildings. 

• Roof is being put on. 

• Brick work is progressing well.  

• Window frames are set.  

Each day we are one step closer to opening the site, which will occur later in the year. Hope Street and both the Victorian and local Government have partnered to deliver the First Response Youth Refuge in Melton and the upcoming new location in the City of Whittlesea to tackle the high levels of youth homelessness in Victoria. This new build project has been made possible thanks to our many supporters and partners.  

A special thank you to The Property Industry Foundation for their investment in providing these safe emergency beds for young people and young families in the community. The Property Industry Foundation has provided $192,000 in beneficiary funding to Hope Street First Response Youth Service – supported crisis accommodation in Whittlesea, Victoria.  

The centre is also supported by State Government Homes Victoria Big Build Youth Housing Grant, a City of Whittlesea land lease, and Mirvac, who will donate landscaping.  The Mirvac team were again able to visit the site and see the progress that has been made and plan and develop the landscape program. Harvey Norman have also donated $2000 to supply the youth refuge with some much-needed kitchen appliances for young people. 

This July State Member for Melton, Steve McGhie MP, State Member for Sunbury Josh Bull MP and State Member for Broadmeadows Kathleen Matthews-Ward MP were able to tour Hope Street’s First Response Youth Refuge in Melton. This visit was an opportunity to showcase to Members of the Allan Government how Hope Street is providing therapeutically designed accommodation with wrap-around support for young people and young families experiencing homelessness.   

The Hope Street team is excited for the grand opening at the end of this year! If you’re interested in attending the opening of the new Whittlesea First Response Youth Refuge, please contact Katie Hooper at Hope Street.  Hope Street will be hosting a grand opening for partners, members of the community including neighbours, local MPs, journalists, members of the City of Whittlesea council and key allies in the community services sector responding to youth homelessness.  

Our vision is that society values and meets the needs and rights of young people. Hope Street focuses on providing solutions to youth homelessness through service development in growth corridors in Melbourne.