This story was originally published in Anchor’s 2024/25 Annual Report.

The first step for any young person experiencing homelessness is to receive a safe and stable place to live.

Liss, from Anchor’s Lilydale Youth Foyer, says that having the accommodation and support has given her everything she needs to create a bright future.

Life was full of chaos before I came to the Lilydale Youth Foyer.

I had been in foster care for most of my childhood. When I moved back home as a teenager, I was surrounded by a lot of alcohol and drug use. Police were constantly at our place because of domestic violence between my mum and dad. I have a brother and a sister, and the house was too small for all of us. It was just a really tense and traumatic environment.

I basically packed a bag and left. My life became lots of couch surfing and moving around. I had hopes of doing study, but the mental toll and unpredictability of my life was too much.

At first when I came to Foyer, I was really shy. It took about six months for me to start leaving my room. Everyone was really friendly, but I needed space to just get used to being here. I had a feeling of being homesick for a home that didn’t exist for me.

The workers made a really big impression on me though. They focused on building my relationships and my confidence and happiness. That really helped me to start getting things back on track.

It’s nearly time for me to move out of the Foyer. I’ll be sad to go because it has been amazing here, but I’m in a really good place. I feel full of energy and confidence. I am nearly finished my Community Services degree, and I’m doing my placement in disability support. I’m starting to look for private rentals and my relationship with my family is a lot better.

Before, something like a career or regular housing just felt impossible. But now I feel like I can definitely have those things, not only because I can get them, but also because I feel like I am deserving of them. It took a lot of work to get to that point.

I think of how far I have come in two years with the help of the Foyer. I’m really excited to see where I get to in another two years, or two years after that!