ACT Independent Senator David Pocock is renewing his calls to the Territory and Federal Governments to provide long-term funding certainty to frontline service providers in the ACT. This follows news that the Our Place Youth Foyer in Braddon is yet to have its funding renewed beyond 30 June 2025. The facility is jointly funded by both governments and there are plans to open a new one in Woden.

Senator Pocock has been approached by the Youth Advisory Group of Barnardos Our Place in Braddon expressing their concern and noting the distress caused to their residents as a result of the uncertainty. The Group has advised Senator Pocock they’ve been directed to start considering contingency exit plans and that some residents have already left the facility in search of more stability.

This follows concerns raised with Senator Pocock by other frontline service providers earlier in the week including Canberra Rape Crisis Centre and the Domestic Violence Crisis Service Centre, who do not have funding certainty beyond next year, while Vinnies has no funding certainly for Samaritan House, Roadhouse or Blue Door beyond September 2025.

Senator Pocock said that heading into winter these services and the people who rely on them deserve certainty more urgently than ever. 

“The Our Place Youth Foyer in Braddon is the only service currently in Canberra offering a safe place where as many as 25 young people who can’t return home can have stability for up to two years,” Senator Pocock said.

“I was shocked to hear that uncertainty is causing such upheaval for young people whose young lives have been challenged by so much disruption already.

“The difference Our Place is making is genuinely life changing. We need to see these kinds of facilities and the wraparound services they offer expanded and continued long term.

“It’s why I have also been pushing for a legislated 10-year National Housing and Homelessness Plan.”

Nationally, almost one in four people experiencing homelessness are children and young people aged between 12 and 24. The ACT has the highest rate of persistent homelessness in the country.

Many of the residents at Our Place are victim-survivors of family and domestic violence and can not speak out publicly or be identified for safety reasons. They have however provided statements to Senator Pocock because they would like their story told, excerpts are included below and full copies are available on request.

Statement 1 - excerpts

“For many of the young people in the program, Our Place has been the first stable accommodation they’ve been able to access since facing homelessness. The first time they haven’t had to worry about where they’d sleep each night when they’d been couch surfing, the first time they didn’t have to pack up all their belongings every three months as they were shuffled between emergency accommodation.

“Living at Our Place has given me hope, for the first time, that maybe my past won’t have to define my future. 

“But this hope is at risk – I’m terrified that if I lose the support and stability I’ve found at Our Place, all my progress will unravel. Not knowing if you’ll have a place to live is scary for anyone, but for young people who have already experienced homelessness, the prospect of facing it again is terrifying. The systemic issues driving young people into homelessness aren’t going away anytime soon. We need funding so that we can interrupt the cycle of homelessness early, so that youth homelessness doesn’t turn into a lifetime of homelessness. 

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Statement 2 - excerpts

“Before moving into the Our Place Youth Foyer, I felt like a ping pong ball. Bounced from service to service. Deemed too difficult or not doing enough with myself. Only having 3 months or less to try to find my footing and continue my education before having to pack my life up and move to the next service.

“Our Place has provided sense of community, its so much more than just a roof over my head. For many residents, this isn't our second family. This is our only family.

With the funding uncertainty looming over my head. I've not only had to manage the prospect of being an adult well before I turn 18.

“Since moving to Our Place, I have achieved more than what I thought possible with the cards I was dealt.

“We are just asking for a home. We are just asking for funding so that we have housing certainty, one less barrier restricting us from achieving our potential, and we will do the rest.

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Statement 3 - excerpts

“This is call for action for government and communities to really focus on the youth housing sector.

“The bottom line is young people who are still going through high school should not need to worry about if tomorrow they will have a roof over their head.

“Foyer gave me a second chance at life I wouldn’t be here today without the support of those along the way I believe services like this can help change lives.”

The ACT Budget is due to be handed down on 24 June, 6 days before funding for Our Place expires. Senator Pocock has raised these issues with both levels of government and will continue to engage constructively to seek an outcome.

Senator Pocock’s full suite of 2025 campaign housing policies is available here.