Hybrid housing a possible solution for youth homelessness
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After growing up in foster care and facing homelessness at 19, finding stable accommodation changed Alex Lipman’s life.
“It gives us independence and that sustainable housing. That sustainable housing for myself has led on to a career path in IT and also learning different skills like buying a motorcycle, buying a car, you know and getting ready to go out. These two years have built up a private rental kind of space.”
Mr Lipman is now 20 and works as a youth advocate.
He’s been in Canberra, campaigning alongside other youth ambassadors for an expansion of the Foyer Foundation program that turned his life around.
Fellow advocates, like Tyrah Chan-Hampton, have had some similar experiences.
“I had a lived experience in the out-of-home care sector, which forced me and my family to experience homelessness. I then later in life also found myself experiencing unstable housing and I was starting out my University degree.”
Youth ambassador Brea Dorsett found herself couch surfing during her V-C-E studies, the final year of school in Victoria.
“So it was already quite a challenging year. Two months into couch surfing I found myself at the doors of the Foyer Foundation and that was the wrap-around support service that really helped me to finish my year 12 VCE studies, move into University and take control of my life.”
Young people under 25 represent more than a third of homeless Australians.
After accessing services, nearly half remain in insecure living situations.
Kate Colvin is the chief executive of Homelessness Australia.
“When we’re talking about youth homelessness what we really mean is children and young people who come to homeless services without a parent or guardian. So, we’re talking about young people 15 to 24, and particularly teenagers who flee home are often doing so because of violence in the home, or perhaps they’ve come out as gay or trans and they’ve been rejected by their family and have left for that reason, or neglect in the home.”
Advocates say shelters and crisis accommodation don’t provide the security young people need.
So now, a group of community organisations, along with these youth ambassadors, are asking for federal funding in the May budget.
They want help to expand the foyer program and construct 10 new 40-unit buildings for young people to access secure housing, education support and employment opportunities.
Aimee Cavallaro is Foyer Central Manager.
“Young people have the opportunity to stay between 18 months and two years which I think creates some stability and real opportunity – and a safe space for young people to stop, breathe, set really intentional goals about where they want to go in the future.”
“We have that mid-term housing for two years, and two years is very big for a youth (young) person, you know, maybe they get two thirds of a degree done or they’re building up in their job aspirations as well. So this aspect of having your job, your education, your employment all in one, with the youth development coaches helping out, really builds a young person to go out there and have confidence, and have confidence to get maybe new private housing or a job higher up than what they already are (working in).”
Because of this, 80 per cent of Foyer residents then go into stable housing and more than two-thirds find work.
Chief executive of the Foyer Foundation Liz Cameron-Smith says the investment is also good for government.
“Because we know for every dollar invested in a youth foyer it delivers a 6 dollar return. So it’s actually a cost-effective solution, which should be one part of the government’s response to youth homelessness in Australia.”
Homelessness Australia CEO Kate Colvin again.
“Youth foyers are an important housing model because they provide young people with support around their education as well as support around other issues and provide a safe living environment for them. So one of the issues when young people flee a violent home or end up in a situation where they’re homeless is that sticking with education can be really difficult because they don’t have those family supports that other young people have.”
In a statement, Homelessness Minister Julie Collins said the Government has committed to continuing investment in youth homelessness.
She says it’s pledged 91.7 million dollars over three years.
Alex Lipman is hopeful it can make a major change to others with similar experiences.
“For youth, especially disadvantaged youth, there’s not a lot of housing options. When you go in the private market, and there’s less than one per cent available and you’re versing (in competition with) everyone. And as we are still going through, we’re still doing uni, we’re still working part-time, there’s not enough money to really go into that market. So having Foyer build in that as social housing, as affordable housing, it really helps the youth that are coming through that are disadvantaged to really get an opportunity to gain that rental experience, then to get out when they’re 21 or maybe 22, 23 and then (say) ‘oh, sweet, I can go into the private market and I have two years’ worth of experience in my hand for that.'”
