Timeline of the Whittlesea First Response Youth Service

Community unites to support young people experiencing homelessness in the City of Whittlesea

In 2018, Hope Street Youth and Family Services embarked on a new project to provide supported crisis accommodation solutions to young people and young families experiencing homelessness in the City of Whittlesea. This is part of Hope Street’s vision for a society in which all young people and young families have a safe place to call home.

‘Community wide partners are important for completing milestones that have a meaningful impact on youth homelessness.’ - Donna Bennett, Chief Executive Officer.

Our philosophy is that resolving homelessness is the responsibility of federal, state and local governments; the community; families and individuals. Hope Street believes that young people have the right to safe, secure, affordable housing and to be treated as equal citizens in our society. This means equal access to resources, decision making and life options.

Hope Street has spent six years on this important project that will be part of the community as a leading response to youth and young family homelessness in Victoria. Hope Street’s therapeutically designed First Response Youth Service sites are nation-leading to support young people and their children in need of safe accommodation and on-site wrap-around services.

As a niche youth homelessness service provider, Hope Street collaborated for community needs with Local and State governments to address crisis level youth and young family homelessness in this fast-expanding growth corridor. This project has been developed in partnerships with the City of Whittlesea local council and the State Government’s Big Housing Build with significant support from the local Member for Mill Park, Lily D’Ambrosio, Federal MP Andrew Giles and the City of Whittlesea Chair Administrator Lydia Wilson.

Through the State Government’s Big Build Youth Housing Grant, which was announced in December 2021, Hope Street applied for funding to build and operate a First Response Youth Refuge in response to community need. Through this initial grant Hope Street has been able to commit to building this new centre on land, leased from the local council and in Wurundjeri country.

In 2022 Hope Street’s Board signed a contract to build a brand-new facility in the City of Whittlesea and consulted with Brand Architect for the design plans. Thanks to the support of HWL Ebsworth Lawyers for their pro-bono legal consultation, this vital community project entered the next phase.

Property Industry Foundation and Mirvac became key partners and came onboard in 2022 to support this project as industry leaders to advance youth housing solutions to address youth homelessness in Victoria. This newly designed youth and family centre showcases how to achieve great outcomes for the community services sector through targeted and tailored resources for young people and young families impacted by major disadvantage and homelessness.

On Census night in 2021, 854 young people in the City of Whittlesea were recorded as experiencing homelessness, with many more suffering from housing stress and at risk of becoming homeless as cost-of-living pressures increase. On any given night, around 28,200 young people aged 12–24 years were estimated to have been experiencing homelessness on Census night in 2021, making up nearly a quarter (23%) of the total homeless population (ABS 2023).

A sod turning event in April 2023 included Lily D’Ambrosio, City of Whittlesea local council and Minister for Housing Colin Brooks MP. The build site had an official Smoking Ceremony a couple of months later in June with Aunty Joy Murphy Wandin AO, a Wurundjuri Elder actively involved in Aboriginal Affairs for over 30 years and held positions in executive policy and community development in all levels of government. The land features a beautiful gum tree which embodies the spirit of connection to country, and this new location will feature a designated unit for Aboriginal young people and their children.

Construction commenced in October/November with concrete slabs down by the end of 2023 just in time for summer. As frames were up by April 2024, the site was visited by local Government including local youth mayors, and Chair Administrator Lydia Wilson. Lily D’Ambrosio, Member for Mill Park and Andrew Giles MP, Member for Scullin, were able to visit and see the sites progress.

Thanks to Gerald Lynch, journalist at the Star Weekly local newspaper, Hope Street featured in an article on youth homelessness for ‘Providing Hope for struggling youth.’ in late April 2024.

In May 2024, Hope Street successfully recruited Bianca Nash as the Team Leader for the new centre and since this time have successfully recruited specialist case managers and youth residential support workers who will deliver the day-to-day services for young people. They are welcome members to Hope Street’s growing team. Part of this new role is the opportunity to coordinate the interior of the building with donations including kitchen appliances, beds, linen and fridges.

Hope Street’s First Response Youth Service has had community support through donations from – Comfort Sleep, Sheridan, Harvey Norman and Haier. This is part of the value that together we can end youth homelessness. We work with young people, young families, local communities and our partners – believing that together we achieve more.

The roof and frames on Building 1, 2 and 3 were complete by June 20th, 2024. This pivotal point in the First Response Youth Centre build project meant that the growing Hope Street team were able to tour the facilities and begin to plan the interior furnishings to create trauma informed, therapeutic spaces for young people and young families.

On the 4th of October, the beautiful red brick, wide framed windows and wooden frame interior had been complete with walls and doors. Now the site is at lock up stage with teams of contractors busily completing the internal fitouts.