Foyer Foundation

27/05/2026

Of the 40,000 young people facing homelessness in Australia, one third are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people despite First Nations people being just 5% of the population.

This won't change until policies and systems are designed with First Nations communities, and we all commit to leaning in and being part of the change we want to see.

As Reconciliation Week kicks off for 2026, we finalised our next strategy that will guide the Foyer movement of 70+ organisations to 2030 and beyond. One of our three connected priorities is backing First Nations self-determination so that First Nations young people have culturally safe pathways out of homelessness towards independent, thriving futures.

That means embedding cultural authority and First Nations leadership in the way we make decisions, building deep partnerships with young people, Elders and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Controlled Organisations, co-designing new First Nations-led Youth Foyers, and lifting the cultural safety and capability across every Foyer in Australia and the Foyer Foundation itself.

The Foyer movement is a small part of the change that needs to happen, but we are ALL IN. Today and every day.

21/05/2026

At the heart of the Youth Foyer approach is a fundamental belief - that young people facing homelessness should not be defined or limited by that experience. These artworks speak to that truth more powerfully than words ever could 🖼️ 🎨 📸

The latest issue of Parity magazine is filled with artwork by past and present Youth Foyer residents - works first exhibited at the Foyer Foundation's inaugural DISRUPT exhibition in 2025.

On the cover: “Human Rights”, by Ash Foyer Foundation lived experience board member. Inside: Ella from Gold Coast Youth Foyer, Savannah from Warrnambool Foyer and Eva from Foyer Oxford share their powerful works “More than Case Number”; “Scopophobia II”; and a series of photos titled "To Build a Home" respectively.

🎨 Pick up the latest issue of Parity to see their work in full: https://lnkd.in/djvd53AA

19/05/2026

Meet our newest Foyer Ambassadors. 🎉

Avie, KD and Sienna are current and former Youth Foyer residents from Foyer Oxford, Central and Port Adelaide respectively - and now they're helping shape the future of Youth Foyers across Australia.

In their own words, here's why they wanted to become Foyer Ambassadors 🎤

As Ambassadors, they'll drive projects, lead advocacy, and make sure young people's voices drive everything we do.

We're behind them every step of the way - with employment, training, and support to build their skills and connections for lasting change.

Join us in welcoming Avie, KD and Sienna to the team ✨🪇⚡

15/05/2026

🎉 44 young people have each just received a grant of up to $1000 under the latest round of the Foyer Independence Fund, thanks to People First Bank.

These grants help young people living in Accredited Foyers move a step closer to independence, funding things like:
📚 Education: laptops, tuition fees, school supplies
👔 Work: work clothing, tools and certificaiton fees
💪 Health: cooking classes, gym memberships
💸 Financial capability: budgeting workshops or online courses to get confident with money
🤝 Connection: conferences, networking events, community projects
🏠 Housing: furniture and appliances for their own homes
🚗 Independence: driving lessons, public speaking, leadership courses

Over 100 young people applied this time. With over 650 young people now living in Youth Foyers, applications will continue to rise.

The more $ we raise, the more young people we can say yes to. Help us fund more applications in the next round - donate directly to young people through the Independence Fund 🔗 https://foyer-independence-fund.raiselysite.com/

📸 Kellie, Youth Development Coach at Brophy Foyer (Warnambool) supports Round 11 Independence Fund recipient, Alex to review and submit his application.

30/04/2026

Since opening in 2012, 210 young people have transitioned through the Karrung Youth Foyer in Ballarat. One of first Youth Foyers in Victoria, Karrung is operated by Uniting Vic.Tas with Team Leader, Rob Hackett at the helm.

Rob started at Karrung just one year after it opened, and literally worked every gig from night worker and reception to now managing the team of five who support up to 20 residents at any given time, including mums with bubs.

The word Karrung itself means ‘Home’ in Wadawurrung language, the traditional land owners of where Karrung sits. It's the team at Karrung who take the Youth Foyer from a building to a home.

“We’ve got young people who achieve incredible things, and people who come back to visit all the time - even from the first cohort in 2012.

I think that’s how we know that we’ve created a safe space, that they felt comfortable, welcome - that it was a good place for them to spend time to help move them to the next stage of their lives.”

Want to know more about the 18 Accredited Youth Foyers across the country? Click here 🔗https://foyer.org.au/foyers-in-australia/

16/04/2026

The locations keep coming 🏡📍🎉

Maroochydore on the Sunshine Coast is the latest confirmed location as Queensland's 8 new Youth Foyers continue to take shape.

Behind every location announcement is hundreds of young people over the coming years who'll have a safe place to sleep, study, and build a future.

The Crisafulli Government is showing us that youth homelessness really does matter in QLD. ⚡ We hope this momentum inspires similar ambition nationwide.

Good morning from the Sunny Coast 👋

We’re here to announce Queensland’s next Youth Foyer will be in Maroochydore.

At 50 units, this is going to be the biggest Foyer in Queensland.

The 16-25 year old residents will have to be earning or learning to live here and it’ll have 24/7 support built in.

Youth Foyers change lives for young Queenslanders experiencing or at risk of homelessness so we’re proud to be delivering 8 across our state.

Thanks for having me ABC Sunshine Coast 🎙️

15/04/2026

Every young person deserves a future that they can shape and own - and that starts with a safe, secure place to call home ✨

There are more than 40,000 young people facing homelessness across the country - the highest rate of homelessness of any age group in Australia.

This demands urgent action, and radical collaboration.

Here's 3 ways you can take action today:

📤 Share this post to help others understand that youth homelessness is widespread. Awareness creates pressure, and pressure creates change.
💝 Support young people living at Youth Foyers across the country, and back the Foyer Foundation so more young people have access to pathways out of homelessness.
✊ Spend two minutes joining the HomeTime campaign (hometime.org.au) to call on the Federal Government to fix youth housing.

14/04/2026

Brisbane and Ipswich - you're getting a Youth Foyer ⚡🙌

In the lead up to Youth Homelessness Matters Day, the Crisafulli and Albanese Governments have joined forces to give more young Queenslanders facing homelessness a real home AND a real future.

Youth Foyers give 16–24 year olds a safe home AND real support to build their future.
After two years at a Youth Foyer:
→ 80% move into stable housing
→ 87% feel they can reach their goals
→ 4 in 5 go onto study, work, or both

This is a smart investment in young Queenslanders that shows youth homelessness really does matter. 💛

Read more 🔗 https://foyer.org.au/queensland-targets-high-need-regions-with-two-new-youth-foyers/

09/04/2026

Mission Australia's Youth Survey is open 🧐

Every year (for the past 25 years 👏), tens of thousands of young Australians share what matters most to them: their hopes, their worries, the issues they want leaders to act on.

That research shapes policy. It shifts funding. It changes priorities.
If you're 15–19, take a few mins to complete the survey and make sure your experience is part of the picture 👇

07/04/2026

We’re gearing up to welcome our next cohort of Foyer Ambassadors⚡

Ambassadors make sure young people’s voices drive everything we do - shaping our advocacy, projects, and the future of Youth Foyers across Australia.

Ambassadors are current or former Youth Foyer residents and students who work alongside the Foyer Foundation team to:
💬 Advise and deliver on projects or working groups including facilitation, strategy, leading reviews and providing feedback.
🎤 Contribute to public advocacy and storytelling campaigns based on personal lived experience.

We back them with employment, training and support to build their skills, connections and capacity to lasting change.

The legacy of the Ambassadors has been built by many folks connected with the Foyer Foundation over the past 4 years, including Ash, Alex, Brea, Caitlyn, Kim, Honorata, Tarik, Tyrah, Sakshi and Sam. Here’s just a few memories of Ambassadors’ advocacy work with Foyer Foundation ✊

01/04/2026

Changing the system to work with and for young people takes collective effort. That’s why we’re building a shared strategy - not just an organisational one - to guide the Foyer movement in Australia to 2030 and beyond.

For the past few months we’ve been in the field - going out to Foyer residents, coaches and service providers across the country. Listening deeply. Sitting with the uncomfortable parts.

A few weeks ago, 50 young people with lived experience of homelessness, Youth Foyer managers, operators, and members of the broader Foyer movement gathered in Melbourne to take it further. Together we asked the questions that are easy to avoid:
Who’s been left out? What are we getting wrong? What must we be bold enough to change?

We came out the other side with:
⚡An honest account of the way Youth Foyers fit within community ecosystems
⚡Strategic priorities shaped by the people closest to the work, with First Nations self-determination as a critical foundation
⚡A movement rooted in trust and a strong culture of collaboration
⚡Real momentum - with an action plan to guide what comes next

To everyone who showed up, challenged our thinking, and invested in our collective strategy - thank you. The road to 2030 starts here - stay tuned for what’s next. 🚀

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