Hon Anthony Albanese MP
Prime Minister of Australia
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
via email: [email protected]
15 February 2024
Dear Prime Minister,
My name is Brea (pronounced Bree) Dorsett, and I am a 25-year-old woman born and raised on Yorta Yorta lands in a small
country town in Victoria, known as Mooroopna.
I am pinching myself that I am writing a letter to our Prime Minister right now, however it’s refreshing to see someone who grew
up in social housing representing and running our country.
When I look to you as Prime Minister, I feel seen and heard, and I have hope that Australia is moving in the direction where
everyone can achieve their aspirations and enjoy the benefits of a well-paid, secure job, no matter where they start or what has
happened to them.
While I wasn’t born into social housing, I experienced family breakdown and violence which led me to experiencing youth
homelessness during my year twelve VCE studies and needing support from services in my community.
After two months of couch surfing and struggling to maintain my education amongst the instability, I found my way to a service
known as Foyer. Youth Foyers provide young people like me experiencing, or at risk of homelessness with a safe and stable
home, with integrated education, employment and life skills support. This was the pivotal moment for me in my life where I had
a safe space I could call home and where I was able to develop my independence, finish my studies, and take control of my
future.
During my time with Foyer, I got to know many other students who had experienced hardship and disadvantage. While our
common experience of Youth Homelessness brought us together, I soon learnt a lot more about diversity, layers of oppression
and intersectionality which ignited a passion in me to use my voice for others.
With the support of Foyer and my passion for social justice I have transformed from a shy girl who could barely speak a word in
a social setting, to regularly keynote speaking across the country. I helped shape a bill in the legislative council here in Victoria
as part of the YMCA’s Youth Parliament Program and have been recognised three times for the 7NEWS Australia Young
Achiever awards, as well as YacVIC’s Young Person Leading Change and the winner of YacVIC’s People’s Choice Award.
I now live in a private rental of my own in Melbourne, am holding down multiple jobs while studying a Bachelor of Politics,
Philosophy and Economics; something I never thought could be possible for a small-town country girl who had experienced
youth homelessness.
I was moved by your acceptance speech on election night when you spoke with pride about your journey from public housing
and said “I hope that my journey in life inspires Australians to reach for the stars”. With the help of Foyer, I too have been on a
remarkable journey that I’m really proud of. I hope I can also inspire people and show our nation that representation matters
and a young woman who has experienced homelessness can one day have an office in the big house, too.
I will be visiting Canberra on the 18th and 19th of this month with three other former Foyer residents and a delegation of people
from across the FoyerInvest network to talk about the power of Foyers, and why more young people should have access to the
same opportunity to truly thrive.
We would love the opportunity to meet with you briefly and share our stories.
Thank you for helping pave the way for people like me, and I do hope to meet you soon.
Yours faithfully,
Brea Dorsett
Youth Ambassador and former student Foyer Shepparton
Download the Letter to the Prime Minister from Youth Ambassador Brea Dorsett
