Evolve Housing for Youth

PHOTO: Employees of Evolve Housing for Youth and Opportunity Pathways program. Evolve Housing for Youth (EHY) is a division of Evolve Housing that provides short-to-medium term transitional housing support services for people aged 16 to 24 in the Parramatta and Cumberland local government areas.

The EHY team specialises in assessing the needs of at-risk young people and providing expert case management through a holistic client-focused model. EHY has a network of partners who can provide a wide range of support services to meet the individual needs of each client.

Individuals are given their own room in a share house with other young people, while families are given a property of their own. The EHY team provides case management and works alongside partner organisations to offer clients support including advocacy, referral to other service providers, financial assistance and help to enter the private housing market. Clients also have access to programs to help them develop important life and living skills in relationships, budgeting, and maintaining a property and lease. In the 2019–2020 financial year, EHY supported 194 tenants (113 females and 81 males). Approximately 50% of our clients were 16–20 years old when they began receiving support from EHY, 35.88% were 20–24 years old, and 13.52% were children aged 0–14 years old who were accompanying an older relative.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients made up 24.23% of our clientele in 2019–2020, while people from a culturally and linguistically diverse background made up 35.05% of clients.

Forty-five clients left EHY housing during the financial year, while 126 new clients were supported and or accommodated. 46.66% of housed clients moved

on to more independent living or with their family.

LIZ RESIDENT STORY

When Liz‡, a young single mother of three children, was referred to EHY, she was feeling dispirited after facing some challenging experiences in her personal life.

Liz and her family were soon placed in transitional accommodation and assigned a caseworker, Caroline, who assessed their needs and worked with Liz to

develop a case plan. Working with Caroline, Liz developed goals, strategies to address barriers, and was encouraged to celebrate successes.

After consistent support and appropriate referrals to external support providers, Liz soon settled down and enrolled in a TAFE course, which she has since completed. Her family have continued to stay with Evolve Housing, moving into an affordable housing property through our profit-for-purpose real estate agency EchoRealty.

Caroline said that the smile on Liz’s face when she

expressed her appreciation of EHY’s support was very motivating, as were her last words after completing her EHY client exit interview: “Caroline, your work is done”.

‡Not her real name

04 PROJECTS & PARTNERSHIPS