The current social housing and Specialist Housing Services (SHS) systems are not able to meet the needs of young people facing the housing crisis in Australia. Over 9,000 young people presenting alone to SHS services in 2023 and needing medium term/transitional support were turned away. The Foyer Foundation welcomes the $1 billion National Housing Infrastructure Facility directed to support crisis and transitional accommodation for youth experiencing homelessness (and women and children experiencing domestic violence) to help address this need.
The Foyer Foundation is calling on the Government to dedicate $184 million of these funds to build ten Youth Foyers. Youth Foyers, providing housing, education, employment and life skills support for young people aged 16-24 for up to two years, offer an effective, evidence-based solution to youth homelessness. To support investment in this evidence-based solution we call on the Government to ensure that NHIF:
- Is equitably shared across the jurisdictions, with consideration of the youth homelessness
population numbers in each location, guaranteed for a 12-month period as proposed - Funds crisis and transitional accommodation for youth aged 16 to 24 years who are experiencing
domestic violence, or are experiencing, or at risk of homelessness, allowing for solutions that
may support young people for up to two years - Invests in evidence-based solutions, supported by a strong framework and process for ensuring
outcomes, which break the cycle of disadvantage and deliver meaningful returns to government,
rather than simply the lowest cost options - Allows for applications based on 100% grant funding, with the option of supplementing with
concessional loans, to ensure that youth housing proponents are not disadvantaged in the
application process due to lack of Commonwealth Rental Assistance for young people - Supports a broad range of housing options for young people. Youth Foyers are one solution to
the youth housing crisis, suitable for some young people needing medium-term housing support
and ready for education or employment. Youth Foyers must be part of a comprehensive and
strong system of specialist homelessness services, that provides a stepping stone to
independence.
Read our response here – FoyerInvest response to NHIF Consultation Sep 2024.
