In the 2023/2024 Victorian State Budget, the Victorian Government invested $32.5 million over 4 years, to start the Housing First program.

The program includes:

• housing for at least 2 years
• case work support
• tenancy support
• management of accommodation (such as collecting rent and organising maintenance).

The program will:

• give young people leaving care housing and support
• add to existing supports like the Better Futures and Home Stretch programs
• help young people leave care with the support they need

Stage 1

The first stage of the program is being delivered between August and December 2024.

This stage supports young people leaving residential care.

Stage 2

From January 2025, the program will extend to 3 groups.

Young people who are aged 16 ½ to 18 years, at the point of referral and who are:

• leaving residential care and who are on, or were on, an eligible order on or after their 16th birthday. Residential care includes lead tenant arrangements.
• leaving a custodial facility and who have been on an eligible order and in care on or after their 16th birthday
• leaving or have left residential, kinship, foster or permanent care, and are at immediate risk of homelessness in 6 months of leaving care, and who are, or were on, an eligible order on or after their 16th birthday.

Eligible order means:

• Long term care order
• Care by Secretary order
• Permanent care order
• Family reunification order.

* Residential care includes lead tenant arrangements.

Costs with participating in the program

Young people taking part in the program will need to pay rent. Their case work will explain the cost of them to arrange payments.

By paying rent, young people will have a rental history. This will help them to find other housing when they finish with the program.

Young people will also need to pay a fee to take part in the program. The fee can come from the young person’s Home Stretch allowance. Their case worker can explain how this will work.

Support with case work

Eligible young people will receive tailored support from their Housing First case worker.

This is on top of other existing supports such as:

• Targeted Care Packages
• Better Futures and Home Stretch programs
• National Disability Insurance Scheme.

For stage 1, a young person’s existing Better Futures Development Coach will deliver the case work support.

Tenancy support

From January 2025, tenancy support will be available.

A tenancy support worker, a Housing First case worker and an accommodation manager will:

• support any at-risk tenancies
• help young people find local opportunities and move into alternative, stable housing at the end of the program.

Accommodation management

A registered housing agency will manage accommodation. This will include, but is not limited to:

• ensuring housing is suitable and meets an appropriate standard of living
• organising maintenance when required
• ensuring young people understand their rights, roles and responsibilities of being a tenant
• negotiating and monitoring both tenancy and occupancy agreements.

Aboriginal young people

There is a dedicated number of places for Aboriginal young people in the program.

Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations will support Aboriginal young people who access the Housing First program.

Aboriginal young people will be able to access flexible funding, which will help them to:

• access culturally safe services
• connect or reconnect to the community
• make decisions and reach their goals.

Information for service providers

To help deliver the program, resources are available for service providers.

• Housing First for Young People Leaving Residential Care (Housing First) Stage 1 Service Requirements
• Housing First for Young People Leaving Residential Care: Stage 1 Performance and Reporting Practice Advice

Contact

If you have any questions, please email the Housing First support team at betterfuturescentral@dffh.vic.gov.au.