The Hope Street in Whittlesea program is based on the Foyer model of supported transitional housing for young people and young families who are provided with safe, secure and affordable accommodation for 12 months to two years. Support is provided within a model of five one-bedroom units and two family units in Thomastown, and four family units in Preston.

Case management helps young people identify their goals and how they can transition out of the homelessness service system. Hope Street is responsible for the holistic programs and activities that are designed to achieve development in four core areas:

• Employment, education and training – including living skills development
• Maintaining successful tenancies
• Social and recreational development
• Citizen participation

The program:

• is an intensive outreach support service offering an integrated case management to young people with links to the City of Whittlesea
• proactively assists young people to develop resilience through effective integration and interdependence with their local communities
• is not a crisis support or crisis accommodation program

What does the program offer?

• Intensive individualised case management
  • Strong one to one relationship between case work and service user
  • Flexible service delivery model including tailored levels of support to young people's needs
  • Focus on re/connections with significant familial, personal and social relationships
  • Build links with key agencies/groups in community to achieve young people's goals
  • A continued flexible approach when young people move into interdependent living
  • Highly skilled workers within a highly responsive program
• Living Skills Program
  • Robust series of group work sessions cover topics such as sustaining a successful tenancy; accessing and sustaining employment, education, training; personal and social development; citizenship and participation
  • Utilise and value young people's skills and experiences as contributors and facilitators to the Living Skills Program
• Integration with community
  • Connect young people as meaningful participants (capacity building) with their local communities through employment, education, personal and citizen opportunities
  • Link to local communities through partnerships, community capacity building activities and joint initiatives with community groups and agencies

How can young people enter this program?

Young people must be:

• 16 - 25 years of age—priority will be given to those 19 years and under
• individuals or part of a couple / family (eg siblings, single parent and child, couple and child)
• (at risk of) experiencing homelessness
• linked to the Whittlesea local government area incorporating the suburbs of Thomastown, Lalor, Mill Park, Epping, South Morang, Doreen, Mernda, Wollert, Yan Yean, Eden Park, Whittlesea, Woodstock, Donny Brook, Kinglake West, Humevale and parts of Bundoora and Beveridge
• linked or willing to be linked to education, employment or training
• in receipt of an income that allows for independent living (purchase food, pay rent, travel, etc)
• able to perform a basic level of independent living skills in activities such as cooking, cleaning, shopping, self regulated routine
• willing and have the capacity to participate in the program

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