Help unlock a new Anchor MyLife Hub in Melbourne’s South East
A Preventable Pattern
Youth homelessness following care is not accidental. It is systemic.
Young people who have experienced multiple placements, instability and trauma are expected to step directly into adulthood at 18 — often without:
A rental history
Financial Literacy
A Safety Net
Consistent adult
relationships
Practical life skills
Government funding supports care and case management.
It does not fund property.
It does not create transitional infrastructure. It does not fund the systems that make this model sustainable.
This is the gap.
Without stable, supported housing in those final formative years, young people can find themselves cycling through crisis services, unstable rentals, couch surfing, and sometimes far worse.
The downstream social and
economic cost is significant.
MyLife:
Structured Independence
Anchor’s MyLife program was created to interrupt this trajectory.
MyLife is a two-year, strengths-based transitional living model for young people aged 16–18.
It is not crisis accommodation.
It is not institutional care.
It is structured independence.
A preventative program that disrupts cycles of intergenerational disadvantage and drives lasting systemic change.
Young people live in self-contained units within a MyLife Hub, supported daily by skilled Youth Workers and Key Workers who:
When Mia first arrived at MyLife, she rarely left her unit.
One morning, she sent a message to an Anchor worker:
“How do I turn the oven on?”
A small question.
Yet it marked the beginning of something larger – learning to rely on herself, with someone still quietly standing beside her.
The model is grounded in Advantaged Thinking, recognising young people as capable, resourceful and worthy of investment.
Relationships are
the intervention.
Housing is the
foundation.
the intervention.
foundation.
The Immediate
Opportunity:
The Woodards Foundation purchased a property in Melbourne’s South East with a
clear purpose: to support young people at risk of homelessness. Recognising
Anchor’s expertise in supporting young people transitioning from residential
care, they identified Anchor as the ideal partner to deliver the MyLife program.
However, the property requires upgrades to make it suitable for this purpose.
Once completed, the site will become Anchor’s fourth MyLife Hub – delivering 6–8 self-contained units for young people transitioning from residential care.
Provide stable,
semiindependent living
Operate under a
minimum 10-year
lease arrangement
A safe, purposedesigned
environment
The refurbishment cost is $900,000.
Significant funding has already been pledged by the Woodards Foundation and the Property Industry Foundation, with the three organisations agreeing to share the cost of refurbishment.
A philanthropic contribution of $350,000 is now needed to close the remaining gap and bring the hub to life.
This is a one-off capital investment that does far more thanrefurbish a building. It enables the creation of a stable housingsolution for young people at a critical transition point in their lives. By strengthening the infrastructure, staffing stability and systems that underpin the MyLife model, this investment will generate lasting impact, supporting young people to build independence, stability and brighter futures for years to come.
Without timely support,
the opportunity may be lost.
Capital with Purpose
Property investors understand the power of place.
Location shapes opportunity.
Stability shapes outcomes.
Infrastructure shapes systems.
The refurbishment cost is $900,000.
Operational funding is secured through government contracts.
Anchor provides tenancy management, youth support and ongoing oversight.
The capital contribution sought is philanthropic – tax deductible – and directly linked to tangible, enduring impact.
Beyond the new Hub in Melbourne’s South East, there is significant opportunity for longer-term partnership, there is significant opportunity for longer-term partnership to expand the MyLife Hub model into areas of highest need. Anchor has a vision to grow to eight MyLife Hubs across Victoria over the next three years, creating a scalable, sustainable response for young people transitioning from residential care.
But today, the focus is clear.
How you can help
For more information on this initiative please contact:
Georgina Van Stekelenburg
Executive Manager Business Development
e: georgina.vs@anchor.org.au
m: 0412 559 051
