That’s why the City of Melbourne is working with specialist service providers to pilot a support hub program. This pilot program will build on existing services to provide support to some of our community’s most vulnerable people, including those who are at risk of or experiencing homelessness.
Through the program, we’ll deliver new and expanded services, tailored to the needs of people at each location – from food, showers and lockers, to health, outreach and housing support services.
We know that the homelessness crisis is complex and multifaceted, which is why we are trialling multiple service provision options that are easy to access and use, to create new pathways out of homelessness.
The renewed City East Hub will pilot the provision of a night time café and hybrid outreach model at the Salvation Army Project 614 site. Expanded services at this existing location will be rolled out progressively. They include:
- Delivery of a twilight sit down meals and support service, seven days per week
- After hours outreach five nights per week
- Housing and homelessness advice
- Showers, lockers and information.
The City South Hub will pilot the delivery of locker services at Youth Projects, Living Room in Hosier Lane, to ensure people who use this service have a safe and secure way to store their belongings.
The support hub pilot program is part of Homes Melbourne’s commitment to reduce homelessness in the city and builds on the important work we’re doing to help people sleeping rough through our Make Room project, which will provide up to 50 apartments and wrap-around support services in the CBD.
The program will be reviewed at the completion of the pilot to ensure the service models best suit the needs of the community, and the agencies that provide support.