Proud moment: Salvation Army Northeast Victoria Youth Services regional manager Leah Farnham outside the Salvos’ newly opened supported accommodation for up to 13 young people between the ages of 16 and 25 who are either homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
Photo by
Murray Silby
The Salvation Army has more than doubled its youth accommodation services in Shepparton as demand continues to rise in the community.
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The Salvos’ Northeast Victoria Youth Services officially opened its 13-bed supported accommodation in Middleton St for 16- to 25-year-olds experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness on Wednesday, October 25.
Northeast Victoria Youth Services regional manager Leah Farnham said the new facility was an increase on the six beds previously offered.
“There is super high demand,” she said.
“In the last financial year, we serviced 31 young people; this financial year, we’re expecting to serve 80, and then next financial year, it’ll be 100.”
Miss Farnham said young people called on the Salvos’ services for many reasons.
“Young people who are experiencing financial difficulties, mental health, physical health, family, relationship breakdown, domestic violence, all of that kind of stuff, and our services really wrap around the young person,” she said.
Salvation Army case managers work with the young people accessing their services, helping them towards sustainable housing through initiatives such as the life and living skills program.
The Salvos are also piloting a family reconciliation program, which aims to prevent young people becoming entrenched in homelessness and instead reunite them with their families when safe to do so by building the skills and capabilities of the families.
“We have young people who are sleeping rough. We have young people who are coming out of rehab ... who have extensive mental health situations going on, so we do have young people who really require our help, but they’re beautiful young people as well,” Miss Farnham said.
Historic day: A plaque marks the opening of the Salvation Army’s new supported accommodation for young people in Shepparton.
Photo by
Murray Silby
Northeast Victoria Youth Services is funded by the state government to provide accommodation for up to eight weeks but often covers the extra cost of a longer stay if the young person needs to.
“You can see how that time can push out a little bit because there’s so much to work on with the young person, and especially if their mental health is not okay, we really need to get that foundation first,” Miss Farnham said.
“And then we can start building on that.”
Miss Farnham said the type of accommodation offered in its new facility was classified as crisis housing, but there was limited transitional or social housing for them to move into when they departed.
Consequently, the Salvos are planning to expand their accommodation services in Greater Shepparton to include social housing.
“We are definitely at that point where there isn’t enough social stock,” Miss Farnham said.
“So we have to build it and build it and they will come. There is a need out there, so we are looking at building our own transitional housing, and what that looks like for us as the Salvation Army.”
Miss Farnham said the stability and security that supported accommodation provided to a young person could be vital in restoring that person’s hope that they could have a brighter future.
“That hope of having a future and knowing what that future looks like and being supported by case managers and people that know how to navigate the system really helps them,” she said.
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