Construction has commenced on "world-first" response to youth homelessness in Melbourne
Construction of a world-first model of intensive support and crisis accommodation for young people sleeping rough commenced this week in Melbourne.
Victorian Minister for Housing, Martin Foley, was onsite yesterday at Melbourne City Mission’s Frontyard Youth Services at 19 King Street to mark the start of the $8 million construction project, made possible by a partnership between Melbourne City Mission, the Victorian Government, philanthropists including The Peter and Lyndy White Foundation, and the property industry through the Property Industry Foundation.
The project will transform Frontyard, currently Victoria’s largest early intervention and crisis service for young people who are experiencing, or are at risk of, homelessness into a 24/7 service with new and expanded supports.
This includes two floors of crisis accommodation for young people who are currently rough sleeping in the city and onsite mental health, drug and alcohol and disability expertise.
As part of the new world-first model, Frontyard will pioneer digital engagement strategies to more effectively connect young people into support.
The Frontyard team will also actively hit the streets to find young people sleeping rough and connect them to services.
When construction is completed in early 2019, the new Frontyard will provide a breadth, depth and intensity of support "unlike anything else found in the youth homelessness system".
The new model of support has been designed to respond to the multiple and complex needs of young people with significant trauma, who experience challenges connecting into support services.
Existing Frontyard services will remain open throughout the redevelopment, at a temporary site at 244 Flinders Street in Melbourne.
The new Frontyard will open up at 19 King Street in early 2019.
Martin Foley, Minister for Housing, Disability and Ageing said, “Victoria is leading Australia - and the world - in investing in the Frontyard model which provides a comprehensive response to youth homelessness.”
Vicki Sutton, CEO Melbourne City Mission said that “the new Frontyard is a world-first and designed to disrupt the cycle of homelessness for Victoria’s most vulnerable and hard to reach young people.”
Peter Inge, Chairman Property Industry Foundation Victoria stated that “Our mission at the Property Industry Foundation (PIF) is to work with charities who provide programs that assist at-risk and homeless young people; It is PIF’s plan to nationally create 125 bedrooms over the next 4 years.”
“We’re proud to partner with Melbourne City Mission on the new Frontyard project that will provide a world-first 24/7 program with short term accommodation for the most severely marginalised and disadvantaged youth,” Mr Inge concluded.
A number of consultants in the industry such as Ashurst, Case Meallin, Urbis, Slattery, Fender Katsalidis, NDY, Wood & Grieve Engineers, Hendry Group, Equitable Access Solutions, Irwinconsult, and Built have already pledged their support with a plan to provide pro-bono services for the construction project.