The atmosphere at RACV Cape Schanck Resort on Saturday evening was vibrant with hope, goodwill, and generosity, as around 100 community leaders, philanthropists, and supporters gathered for the Fusion Gala Dinner, united by a powerful vision: to create a Village that will provide safety, stability, and genuine community for young people and families experiencing homelessness and family violence on the Mornington Peninsula. The sold-out event, themed “Build a Village,” celebrated community in its truest sense – a room full of people committed to responsible citizenship and acting as neighbours of hope. Together, this community raised an impressive $100,000 to support our young ones.
The evening, chaired by Ben Smith, CEO of the Mornington Community Support Centre, showcased powerful stories that brought the mission of Fusion Mornington Peninsula to life, raising essential funds for the ongoing work of providing support and housing for young people and families. The team also revealed the ambitious development of the Village Project – six therapeutic homes designed to offer more than just shelter.
“Kindness Was Irrepressible”
In one of the evening’s most moving moments, young person Luke shared his deeply personal story of homelessness with Fusion Housing Coordinator Kristy Begbie. Luke described his “crippling” experience of homelessness in Portsea and his journey to discovering Fusion.
“Early in my life, kindness had been so unknown to me,” he told the rapt audience. “But at Fusion, kindness was irrepressible.”
Luke spoke openly about his struggle to accept help, revealing a vulnerability that touched everyone in the room. “I’m a very hopeful person, but there comes a time when you don’t have steam to run on and you need a community that carries that hope for you,” he said. “Recognising that we can’t do it alone is a game-changer.”
His words highlighted a key truth about Fusion’s work. “Fusion is not just about housing young people,” he explained. “It’s also about giving people a chance at life.”
More Than Bricks and Mortar
Gemma Hughes, Fusion’s Team Leader, who leads what attendees described as an incredible, dedicated, and courageous team, highlighted that the Village Project represents a fundamental shift in how the community addresses youth homelessness and family violence.
“Together our community has everything we need to house and support people experiencing homelessness and family violence,” Hughes told the gathered crowd in her keynote address. “It is like a puzzle – we just need to put the pieces together. What piece are you?”
Hughes celebrated the resilience of young people. “We want to celebrate the gift that is our young ones – for their resilience, incredible potential, and their precious lives,” she said. “What we create is HOME – not simply bricks and mortar, but the kind of home where people know they are truly known, valued, loved, special.”
The urgency of this work was powerfully illustrated through the story of Serena (not her real name), an 18-year-old pregnant mother desperately seeking to escape a violent partner and needing a safe place to give birth and raise her baby.
Serena’s journey through crisis refuges, family violence, and the child protection system highlighted the devastating gap in support services for young families. She found herself living in a car while pregnant, experiencing violence “in almost every way” from her partner. After a harrowing birth where her premature baby had to remain hospitalised, she was discharged back to a rooming house with appalling conditions. When her sick newborn cried continuously for 12 hours and her partner assaulted her while the baby screamed, neighbours called 000, alerting Child Protection Services.
“In the sector of homelessness, children, young people, and folks escaping family violence are categorised as complex,” Hughes explained. “Their needs are far more complex than someone who has been priced out of the market. Serena’s story highlights the complex intersection of family violence, homelessness, isolation, and the child protection system.”
After Child Protection took her baby, Serena moved into Fusion’s house in Mt Martha. Over ten months, she was supported through gruelling court hearings, frequent child protection worker changes, and numerous assessments. During this time, she built “beautiful relationships of trust” within the home, became “the absolute boss of the kitchen,” and gradually rebuilt her relationship with her son through supervised daytime contact facilitated by the Fusion team.
“She is a brilliant mum – she cooks all his food, plays cute little games with him to assist his development, and is so attentive,” Hughes said. Eventually, Jac, Fusion’s Families Coordinator, negotiated reunification, and Serena’s baby returned to her care.
“It underscores not only the importance of secure housing but the need for a community of support – a village,” Hughes emphasised.
The Village: A New Model of Care
The Village Project represents a groundbreaking approach to supporting young people and families at risk. The six therapeutic homes will provide not just safe accommodation, but a comprehensive community of support where families can heal, grow, and thrive together. Unlike traditional housing models that isolate vulnerable individuals, the Village will create a physical community where residents have access to expert casework, peer support, and practical assistance – all within a nurturing environment. This is work designed to outlast us, creating lasting change by ensuring young families like Serena’s can remain connected to their support network rather than being displaced to independent living before they’re ready. The Village allows residents to build genuine relationships of trust and develop parenting skills in a supported setting, with the goal of breaking cycles of trauma and homelessness for the next generation.
Project Gains Momentum
The Village Project is now progressing swiftly through its final planning phases. Engineering drawings for both the buildings and landscaping are complete, with plans to present them to the Council before the end of the year and seek final approval in early 2026.
Merv Stewart, Program Manager for the Village Project, has played a key role in securing commitments from suppliers. Several prominent manufacturers have already pledged in writing to supply essential building materials and landscaping services, including all roofing, guttering, windows, door handles, and other major components.
“We have a full list of materials required for all units and the village centre,” Stewart confirmed. A small team will approach additional suppliers in the coming months to secure commitments for remaining materials.
David Thomas, Director and Lead Designer at ACASÂ, has designed the project to ensure the Village offers both therapeutic support and practical functionality for families rebuilding their lives. He is accompanied by young person Josh, who is assisting with the design through a traineeship partnership between Fusion and ACASÂ.
The project will proceed through a fair market procurement process for primary domestic and commercial builders, with all local builders invited to apply. Illumin8 Accountants will oversee the process to ensure complete probity and compliance.
Importantly, any builders signing contracts will do so with full funding secured for stage payment assurance before works commence and will commit to using materials supplied through manufacturer partnerships.
A Movement for Sustainable Change
With intensive expert casework and a community of support, young mothers like Serena are now finding hope. “Very soon this will include additional buildings, so those like Serena can be within our physical Village, and only when they are prepared for independent living do they move on,” Hughes said.
“We believe that by coming together as a community, we can build a brighter future for everyone,” Hughes continued. “The Fusion Gala Dinner is not just an event; it’s a movement towards creating sustainable change.”
The event received major sponsorship from G. J. Gardner Mornington, with additional support from Sam Danckert, Tom Putt Gallery, the Lachlan McLaren Foundation, Dromana Estate, Ford Mornington Frankston, Mt Martha Community Bank, the Cleghorn and Savvides families, Bay Print Design, and Peir Marketing, reflecting strong business community support for the initiative.
With every dollar raised going directly towards the life-changing work on the ground rather than to overheads or administrative costs, supporters can be confident their donations will have a tangible impact on the lives of young people and families.
Hughes concluded her address with a powerful reminder: “You cannot be your full potential while others suffer – village is a gift to you too. The gift you can be to this Village through tax-deductible donations means the highly complex needs of young people and young families have a fighting chance of a future, with genuine HOME, where these babies do not grow up in a system but within a Village.”
Those interested in supporting the Village Project can make tax-deductible donations here or contact Fusion Mornington Peninsula at 03 5974 1442 or morningtonpeninsula@fusion.org.au