Assisting young Australians gain and retain housing and employment

The Minister for Community Services, John Cobb, today presented $330 000 to YP4 as part of the National Homelessness Strategy, to be used for the coordination and evaluation costs of a new trial.

Mr Cobb said YP4 would trial a new integrated approach, combining services for housing, employment assistance and personal support, aiming to reduce and prevent homelessness experienced by young Australians.

A truly integrated approach to addressing homelessness, like the model trialled by YP4, will result in improved sustainable outcomes for young homeless jobseekers as well as significant efficiencies within specific programs.

‘YP4 is the initiative of four partner organisations: Hanover Welfare Services, Melbourne Citymission, Brotherhood of St Laurence and Lodden Mallee Housing Services and is expected to assist 240 homeless jobseekers aged between 18 and 35,’ Mr Cobb said.

‘The trial is being conducted in Cheltenham, Frankston, Central Melbourne and Bendigo, where participating community organisations already have established infrastructure and strong networks within local communities.

‘As part of the trial, up to 240 homeless jobseekers on Newstart or Youth Allowance are being offered up to two years support and will receive ongoing housing, employment and personal support.

‘Participants in the trial will be able to receive the help they need from a single agency, delivering services needed to assist them into long term work and housing through coordinated service delivery and ongoing support.

‘I look forward to the evaluation at the end of the trial which will allow a thorough assessment of the impact and effectiveness of the service model and assist with policy development and practice,’ Mr Cobb said.

This trial is one of the recently announced Howard Government’s National Homelessness Strategy Demonstration Projects.