Far too many young people in Victoria are facing homelessness. Many of them are fleeing family violence, aging out of foster care, or simply falling through the cracks of a system that wasn’t built to catch them.
Anchor Community Care is working to change that.
In a recent interview on Yarra Valley FM’s Community Connections, Anchor’s Deputy CEO Fiona Nicholls and Care Services Manager Kelsi joined host Alan Collier to talk about the realities of youth homelessness and Anchor’s MyLife Project.
“Anyone is three steps away from homelessness,” Fiona told listeners. “Anyone with a job could lose their job because of health reasons — and that is those three steps.”
The MyLife Project provides supported transitional housing hubs for young people leaving residential care, typically between the ages of 15 and 18. Over two years, Anchor workers help residents build life skills, secure rental histories, connect with education and employment, and — perhaps most importantly — experience what it feels like to be truly heard.
“It’s the first time someone has actually listened to them in terms of what their goals and aspirations are,” said Kelsi.
The results speak for themselves: of the 70-plus young people who have completed the program, not one has entered homelessness within three years of leaving.
Now Anchor is seeking to raise $350,000 to open a fourth MyLife hub — enough to change the trajectories of 30 more young people over the next few years.
“Every human is a beautiful human, and why not try to break the cycle if it’s coming out of a generational trauma experience?” said Fiona.
“But give these young people an absolute red hot go so that they can do what they need to do and be the best version of themselves.”
You can make a tax-deductible donation — large or small — via our campaign page: anchor.org.au/eofy-appeal-2026/
Donate today and help build something special.
Listen to the full radio interview here: https://podcasts.yarravalleyfm.org.au/ep/1098
