Inside Queensland’s Youth Foyers: The future of youth housing support

As the prevalence of youth homelessness continues to grow, innovative models like Youth Foyers are emerging as lifelines for young people, offering the tools, resources and opportunities they need to create a brighter future.

Youth homelessness is one of the most pressing social issues in Australia today. According to The Unfair Divide: Youth Survey Homelessness Report 2024 by Mission Australia, nearly one in 10 young Australians aged 15 to 19 experienced homelessness in the past year. Compounding this, we’re facing a severe housing shortage, with zero rentals available for those on Youth Allowance. For young Queenslanders, this makes securing stable housing almost impossible.

One innovative solution to this problem has been the rise of Youth Foyers – a model that offers a safe haven for young people, while equipping them with the tools and support they need to break the cycle of homelessness.

Twelve months ago, the conversation at The Lady Musgrave Trust’s 15th Annual Forum on Women and Homelessness centred around just two Youth Foyers in Queensland, located in Logan and the Gold Coast. Fast forward to today, and thanks to relentless advocacy, significant progress has been made.

At this year’s 16th Annual Forum, a panel featuring Jan Owen AM, co-convenor of FoyerInvest; Wesley Mission Queensland’s Rachael Robinson, coordinator at Logan Youth Foyer; and Caitlyn, a current resident of the Logan Youth Foyer, shared the remarkable progress made in the last year – including the opening of a new Foyer in Townsville, and the announcement of an additional eight Foyers to be established across Queensland.

But what exactly are Youth Foyers, and why are they so effective in addressing youth homelessness?

The Foyer model

The concept of a ‘Foyer’ comes from the French word for ‘hearth’, symbolising warmth and safety. These purpose-built facilities combine secure accommodation with comprehensive support services aimed at education, employment and life skills development. Typically, young people aged 16 to 24 can stay for up to two years, giving them time and resources to focus on their future.

“Foyer is a model that does three key things,” Jan explained. “It provides stable and secure accommodation with wrap-around support, which gives young people the chance to return to school and complete their education, even if it’s been interrupted many times. It also creates a clear pathway into employment.”

This holistic approach is what sets Foyer apart from other housing solutions. While housing offers immediate relief, Foyers aim to address the root causes of youth homelessness by empowering young people to become independent.

In Australia, Youth Foyers have been growing steadily since the early 2000s, with several now operating across Australia – and the results have been impressive.

“We’re proud to say that 80 per cent of Foyer residents go on to safe and stable housing, and 65 per cent gain secure and decent work,” Jan said. “This kind of trajectory is about more than just providing a roof over their heads – it’s about offering the full range of support that Foyers provides. It enables young people to genuinely change their life path.”

The success of Youth Foyers is the result of years of strategic advocacy, particularly through the Foyer Foundation and its flagship initiative, FoyerInvest. This national consortium, consisting of not-for-profits, impact investors, and philanthropists, aims to establish 50 Accredited Youth Foyers across Australia by 2030. Their advocacy has already yielded extraordinary results, especially in Queensland, where the government recently committed to funding eight new Foyers.

Jan credited much of the progress to the collective advocacy of FoyerInvest. “This last year has been nothing short of phenomenal,” she shared. “Our efforts in bringing together a diverse group of advocates – including young people themselves – was critical in securing this commitment from the Queensland government.”

She recounted a pivotal moment in their advocacy campaign. “We took ourselves en masse to Canberra, 30 of us knocking on politicians’ doors. And when you’ve got young people as part of that, there’s no way they can say no.”

This grassroots advocacy was bolstered by strategic lobbying, media campaigns, and independent research. “We showed that for every dollar the government spends on Foyers, there’s a sixfold return. Beyond the financial savings, the model has the potential to drastically reduce long-term costs to health and education systems by addressing the root causes of homelessness.”

The Logan Youth Foyer: A story of transformation

Rachael Robinson, coordinator of the Logan Youth Foyer, has been working with young people for the past decade, and during that time, she’s witnessed the transformative impact the Foyer model has on their lives.

“At Foyer, we work across all aspects of a young person’s life,” Rachael explained. “We look at their assets, skills and talents, and focus on how we can help them grow in these areas. This strengths-based approach moves them away from service dependency, giving them the tools they need to thrive independently.”

This approach, Rachael says, is about breaking the cycle of homelessness by helping young people build a foundation for a stable future. “The key to this is not just supporting them while they’re at the Foyer, but also preparing them for life beyond it.”

One of the standout features of the Foyer model is its emphasis on connection. Young people are encouraged to build relationships and networks within the wider community while they are still at the Foyer. This focus on integration helps ensure that when residents transition out of the program, they have a robust support system in place to help them sustain their independence.

“We call it building an address book,” she shared. “We want young people to be connected to the community so they can sustain themselves independently once they leave. That’s a vital part of their journey – ensuring they have the relationships and resources to thrive outside the Foyer.

Whether it's education, employment, or life skills development, the Foyer aims to set them up for long-term success.

“We’ve seen it over and over again,” Rachael said. “Young people who come to Foyer may arrive in survival mode, but by the time they leave, they’ve built confidence and resilience. They’ve learned how to navigate the systems that they’ll encounter in life – whether that’s finding a job, securing housing, or building friendships.”

Real lives, real impact

Caitlyn, a current resident of the Logan Youth Foyer, shared her own powerful story of how the Foyer model has transformed her life. She described her journey from homelessness, addiction and instability to finding stability and a sense of self-worth through the Foyer program.

“After suffering DV, I struggled with homelessness and addiction” Caitlyn shared. Following two months on the streets, she found help through Brisbane Youth Service and was eventually accepted into the Logan Youth Foyer. “The Foyer changed my life forever. If you saw me a year ago, you wouldn’t recognise me now.”

Caitlyn reflected on the unique support the Foyer provided – not just a safe place to live, but the time and space to process her trauma and rebuild her life.

“Coming off the streets, you can’t just get on with your life. There’s trauma to process. But at the Foyer, they gave me the opportunity to take my time and work on myself,” she explained.

The sense of community and belonging that the Foyer fosters has been instrumental in Caitlyn’s recovery. “It feels like a real neighbourhood, not a service,” she said. “The workers have become like parental figures to me. They’re always there to support us, but at our own pace.”

Foyers of the Future

The panel concluded by discussing the ambitious goal of establishing 50 Foyers across Australia by 2030. With the Queensland Government already committed to funding eight new Foyers, the foundation has been laid for this next phase of expansion.

Jan shared her optimism about the impact these new Foyers will have. "We want to get at least 20,000 young people into safe accommodation through 50 Foyers by 2030," she said.

Rachel agreed, adding that collaboration across the Foyer network has been key. "People know what Foyers are now," she said. "We’ve reached a point where young people’s voices are truly being heard. That’s been one of the most rewarding outcomes."

She also pointed out the economic and social impact these Foyers can have, referencing the importance of data and advocacy in driving change. “By joining together and saying, ‘Hey, here’s the evidence, here’s the impact data’, we’ve been able to show the government the difference it makes. Not only do we see the outcomes in the lives of young people, but we can show the economic benefits,” she explained.

For Caitlyn, who is both a current Foyer resident and an advocate for youth homelessness, this movement has been transformative. She shared how becoming an advocate has played a crucial role in her personal healing. "Advocacy has been part of my own healing journey," she explained. "I feel seen, heard, and appreciated. And if sharing my story can help someone else, that makes it all worth it."

Caitlyn’s story, in particular, is a powerful reminder of why listening to those directly impacted by homelessness is so important.

As the Foyer movement grows, the combined efforts of the FoyerInvest consortium, the Queensland Government, and other partners offer real hope for a future where fewer young Australians are at risk of falling through the cracks.