Organisation behind WA’s only Youth Foyer supports funding push for foyer in Albany and Broome

The organisation behind WA’s only youth foyer has thrown its support behind a funding push to expand the homelessness prevention and support program into other areas of Australia, including Albany and Broome.

Anglicare WA director of services Philippa Boldy travelled to Canberra with a Foyer Foundation delegation this week to urge the Federal Government to fund youth foyers in the upcoming budget.

The delegation is calling for 10 new foyer projects to be funded nationally, including one in Albany and another in Broome.

Youth foyers offer stable accommodation to young people at risk of homelessness for up to two years, according to the Foyer Foundation website.

Ms Boldy said Anglicare knew from its experience that foyers “are life changing experience” for young people facing homelessness.

She said Foyer Oxford had supported 790 young people over the last decade of who 96 per cent had moved into safe, stable housing after their time in transitional housing and 86 per cent were working or studying.

“These foyers have amazing impact on young people’s lives and operate as an integrated component of local community life,” she said.

“The Foyer Foundation’s Consortium of FoyerInvest partners have a goal to see 50 foyers established across the country by 2050.

“Our ask to the Federal Government is to provide the capital to fund the construction of the next 10 foyers in Australia . . . so that we can see the impact of foyers amplified across the country.”

She said the foyer model supported young people “through a unique combination of high-quality accommodation, support to access employment and training and wrap-around supports”.

“Many young people who have had an experience at a foyer say that their future pathway has been transformed by the experience at foyer,” she said.

Anglicare WA is one of 11 community sector organisations that form the FoyerInvest Consortium, which is run by the Foyer Foundation.