The Queensland Government has announced it is building two new blocks of housing for vulnerable young people in Pialba and Redcliffe.
The ‘Youth Foyers’ will provide 80 self-contained units (40 units in each location) where vulnerable Queenslanders aged 16-25 can stay in a supported living environment while they are learning and earning.
Tenants pay about 25 per cent of their income in rent and receive 24/7 on-site support from experienced youth support workers while they complete education, training or work.
Eight Youth Foyers are being built in Brisbane, Ipswich, Moreton Bay, Hervey Bay, Toowoomba, the Sunshine Coast, Rockhampton and Cairns, on top of existing foyers in Townsville, Logan and on the Gold Coast.
IMAGE of the Gold Coast Youth Foyer supplied by the QLD Govt
Minister for Housing Sam O’Connor said the Youth Foyers were a big step towards delivering the housing support young Queenslanders deserved.
Queensland Minister for Housing Sam O’Connor
‘Young Queenslanders can’t get ahead if they don’t have a safe place to call home’, Minister O’Connor said.
Eligibility
Eligible young people must be:
- committed to education, training or employment
- in need of a safe and stable environment to live in.
They may be experiencing housing insecurity because they:
- need to leave home due to family violence
- are experiencing overcrowding
- are unable to locate safe, affordable housing
- are leaving the Child Safety system after turning 18
- need to develop independent living skills.
The Queensland Government’s Youth Foyers website says ‘helping young tenants manage their budget to include accommodation is a key element of the youth foyer model’.
‘This allows them to gain the skills they need to sustain a rented home, while they are supported to make a smooth transition into mainstream accommodation.
‘The average stay for tenants is 18 months, but the duration of stay depends on each tenant’s circumstances and the plan for them to complete education or training or gain employment’
Artist’s impression of Hervey Bay Youth Foyer at top of story: SUPPLIED
For more information visit the Queensland Government’s Youth Foyer’s website here.
