We’re proud that this year will be our 39th year providing a place to stay and play on the Mornington Peninsula. However, as the Peninsula has gained popularity as a holiday destination, some of the most vulnerable residents have been left without a roof over their head. As of 2023 it’s estimated that over 1,000 people are homeless on the Peninsula every night.
But what can we do about homelessness?
For almost 15 years now we’ve had a connection to the Lighthouse Foundation and their Springvale home. They provide a young person with a place to stay while they support them with therapeutic care designed to address some of the underlying issues that drive people onto the streets. But we really want to see an impact on the Mornington Peninsula .
To understand how we could make a start we reached out to them last year to get some ideas. Our plan was to start locally in Rosebud and surrounding suburbs, and see what impact we could have. And we certainly went to the right place.
The Lighthouse foundation were looking to pilot an outreach program, operating in the community but not requiring a physical location, and we were looking for a version of the Lighthouse foundation’s model without having a physical house.
So, the Community Connect program on the Mornington Peninsula was born!
We’re really looking forward to seeing what impact we can have on Australia’s most important resource, our young people.
Let’s end youth homelessness on the Mornington Peninsula, together!