On the morning of 1 October 2024 at NAB Place, Melbourne, senior business and community leaders came together to explore the critical role Australian businesses need to play in addressing skyrocketing youth homelessness rates in the country.
Panelists at the Anchor Youth Homelessness Summit held on Tuesday 1st October held at NAB Place, Melbourne, discussed the depth and complexities of challenges facing by homeless youth today, which demands that different corporate sectors come together and work hand-in-hand with not-for-profit organisations and government, to find common resolutions through a whole-of-society approach.
The exclusive panel event featured high-profile business executives, representatives from homelessness and youth services, and leaders from across the community sharing insights, experiences, and solutions to tackle one of Australia’s greatest and most pressing issues.
Shirley Chowdhary, an internationally experienced executive leader with diverse credentials across law, financial services, gender equality, the NFP sector and journalism, facilitated the lively panel discussion after an insightful opening by Jacinta Brouwer, Anchor board member and senior financial services leader with more than two decades of experience across three major banks. They were joined by a prestigious panel line up featuring Bernard Salt AM (Australia’s leading demographer), Caroline Gurney (CEO, Future Generation), Danny O’Kelly (Deputy Secretary, Department of Families, Fairness & Housing), Corrie Nicholson (Senior Executive, BP), Dom Ennis (Acting CEO, Youth Support & Advocacy Services), Stuart Penklis (CEO Development, Mirvac), and Anchor CEO Heidi Tucker.
MULTI SECTOR, WHOLE-OF-SOCIETY APPROACH TO TACKLE YOUTH HOMELESSNESS
During the dialogue, panelists acknowledged that while more and more governments are struggling to come to grips with the scale and severity of the issue of youth homelessness, there is a new concerted approach to look to the private sector as responsible, change-making corporate citizens, and come up with fresh, innovative solutions together.
Addressing real concerns from young people currently in care, including questions such as “The average person in Australia can’t afford $200 for a psychology appointment, so why are kids that have just left care expected to be able to?” and “Why isn’t there enough action to support young people experiencing homelessness?”, the panelists tackled the various complexities associated with youth homelessness that need additional support, such as mental health well-being, psychological trauma and social stigma, while calling for increased involvement from different sectors of our community to educate, understand and advocate supporting different pathways for young people leaving care.
LAUNCH OF ANCHOR MYLIFE PROJECT
The Summit saw the launch of a new name for Anchor’s MyLife Project, a targeted pathway focusing on identifying, developing and investing in the skills, capabilities and assets of young people aged 16-18 years with residential care experience to help them establish healthy and fulfilling lives. The program enables young people who have been in residential care to transition into fully independent, sustainable lives by providing stable housing, education support, relationship reconciliation, connections to employment and recreation opportunities.
