Youth Accommodation
and Support
How we work
The facility provides eight supported accommodation beds, offering young people a stable place to call home for up to three months. Each placement includes a comprehensive review at the two-month mark to assess progress and determine ongoing support needs, ensuring that every young person receives individualised attention throughout their stay.
At the heart of our approach is the residential mentor model. Live-in mentors share the same space as the young people, creating an authentic family-like atmosphere that provides consistent stability and support. This isn’t institutional care – it’s genuine community living where meaningful relationships develop naturally through shared meals, daily conversations, and life’s ordinary moments.
Our diverse team of community volunteers enriches this environment by contributing their unique skills, experiences, and specialised programs. These dedicated individuals bring a range of professional expertise and creative talents, offering young people exposure to new possibilities and pathways for personal growth. This community-centred approach ensures that each young person is surrounded by multiple caring adults who are invested in their growth and future success.
Community and purpose
Fusion’s approach is built on a fundamental belief that every person needs two essential elements to thrive: genuine community connection and a sense of meaningful purpose. These aren’t luxuries – they’re basic human requirements that shape how we see ourselves and our place in the world.
Our work focuses on helping residents build authentic relationships within the broader community while also supporting them in rediscovering their own story and potential. We believe that healing happens when young people and young families develop both external connections – finding their place within supportive networks – and internal understanding – reconnecting with their own worth, dreams, and capabilities.
Through this dual approach, residents don’t just find temporary shelter; they discover lasting belonging and develop the confidence that comes from knowing they have something valuable to contribute to the world around them.
Casework support
Every young person entering our program is matched with a dedicated caseworker who becomes their primary advocate and guide. Together, they develop a personalised plan that reflects the young person’s unique aspirations, challenges, and goals. This isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach – each plan is as individual as the person it serves.
Our casework team acts as a bridge to the broader support network, connecting young people with essential external services that address their specific needs. This comprehensive support includes securing stable long-term housing, accessing education and training opportunities, finding meaningful employment pathways, and connecting with health and mental health professionals. We also facilitate access to alcohol and drug support services when needed, help young people obtain their driver’s license through the L2P program, and provide connections to legal assistance.
This coordinated approach ensures that young people don’t have to navigate complex service systems alone. Instead, they have experienced advocates who understand how to access the right support at the right time, creating a pathway from crisis to stability and independence.
The community
Our residential community brings together young people seeking support and experienced adult lead tenants who share the same living space. These adults serve as positive role models, demonstrating healthy relationships, responsibility, and resilience through their daily interactions. This isn’t about supervision – it’s about creating an authentic family-like environment where growth happens naturally through shared experiences.
Each resident works closely with a dedicated caseworker to develop a personalised pathway toward their individual goals. This collaborative relationship ensures that every young person has both practical support and someone invested in their long-term success.
Practical life skills form the foundation of our program, with residents actively participating in all aspects of community living. Everyone takes turns with dinner preparation and kitchen cleanup, joins the weekly community cleaning night, and contributes to monthly outdoor working bees that maintain our shared spaces. Beyond these communal responsibilities, residents develop essential personal skills, including financial budgeting, laundry management, and, when needed, fundamental literacy skills.
This hands-on approach ensures that when young people transition to independent living, they carry with them not just theoretical knowledge, but real experience in managing the practical aspects of daily life alongside the confidence that comes from being a valued contributor to a caring community.
How we do it
With the exception of partial funding for our Case Support Program, Fusion operates entirely through community generosity and volunteer commitment. This independence from government funding streams allows us to respond quickly to emerging needs and maintain the flexibility that makes our programs effective. Our services exist because of dedicated volunteers who contribute their time, skills, and hearts, alongside local community members who believe in investing in young people’s futures.
This community-centred approach isn’t just about financial sustainability – it’s integral to the authentic relationships and genuine care that define our work. When services are powered by people who choose to be involved rather than those who are paid to be there, something fundamentally different happens in the quality of connections and support provided.
Our focus on early intervention reflects a commitment to addressing the root causes of homelessness before crisis points are reached. By identifying and responding to the warning signs and underlying triggers that put young people and young families at risk, we can provide targeted support that creates lasting change. This preventative approach doesn’t just help individual young people and young families – it transforms the trajectory of entire lives, breaking cycles that might otherwise continue for generations.
Outreach and support
Fusion Mornington Peninsula also provides outreach support to young people and young families who are at risk of becoming homeless. This includes:
- Providing support for young people in THM (transitional) properties, including the 2-bedroom unit offered by our program.
- Outreach support to young people who are at risk of becoming homeless. This includes helping people maintain private rental, shared accommodation or supporting young people to stay or return home with parents.
- Interim response to young people who are on prioritisation lists and waiting on other housing options in the homelessness sector.
- Access to HEF to assist in maintaining a tenancy.
