The Lighthouse Foundation welcomes recommendations of NYC Report

The findings of the National Youth Commission Inquiry into Youth Homelessness validate the approach taken by the Lighthouse Foundation for the past 17 years.

Mr Kane Bowden, CEO of the Lighthouse Foundation, “Our aim has always been to make homelessness a thing of the past. Our vision is that every young person in Australia has a home. We believe the recommendations in the NYC report, fully supported by the Commonwealth Government, will make this an achievable goal. At last, the issue has risen into the consciousness of our national leaders and there is now a genuine commitment to ending homelessness. We applaud the goal of achieving such an outcome by 2030.”

Mr Bowden is particularly encouraged by the solution-focused actions in the report. The NYC recommends a large percentage of the Commonwealth Government’s funding be directed to developing a new layer of youth housing for homeless young people connected closely to education, training and employment and with appropriate outreach support that will ensure young people can sustain their independent living.

Mr Bowden said the report provides hope and encouragement for the work of his Foundation.

“Whilst we have delivered sustainable outcomes to many homeless young people in Victoria and we have always been willing to share our model and work with others, we welcome the Government’s commitment to help those of us in this sector overcome the awful fact that today over 100,000 people are homeless in our ‘lucky’ country”.

Lighthouse commends the vision of the NYC in engaging homeless young people to provide evidence at the inquiry. Such evidence provides wonderful insight into the needs of homeless young people; needs which are rarely seen, felt or understood in our community. The NYC inquiry reveals the common needs of homeless young people are to have a stable home; friends; healthy nutrition; to be cared about as individuals; to have adequate educational support; help when they need help; and reliable adults in their lives.

The Lighthouse Foundation provides long-term accommodation and support to homeless young people in Victoria. It offers a unique live-in care and outreach program where young people are engaged in employment, education, therapy and personal development to meet their long-term needs and to help break the generational cycle of homelessness.

The core Lighthouse philosophy focuses on relationships, community, providing young people with an environment where they are trusted, challenged, and can thrive. The Lighthouse approach aligns closely with the recommendations of the NYC Report.

10 April 2008