CFMP Youth Homelessness Forum

Join Committee for Frankston & Mornington Peninsula members, Lighthouse Foundation, Fusion Mornington Peninsula, and Mornington Peninsula Shire for a discussion around youth homelessness and youth support on the Mornington Peninsula.

You'll hear from the Committee, local government, Lighthouse Foundation, and Fusion Mornington Peninsula on the latest stats, challenges and work in youth homelessness on the Mornington Peninsula.

Housing and homelessness have consistently emerged as one of the most pressing concerns facing our members and our broader community. While the Mornington Peninsula is often celebrated for its beaches, tourism, wineries and lifestyle, there is another reality that exists alongside that image, and it’s one that decision-makers do not see.

The challenges facing our region are complex and growing. They affect young people seeking crisis accommodation, workers unable to find affordable housing close to their jobs, families facing rental stress, older residents experiencing housing insecurity, and the community organisations working tirelessly to support them. The housing crisis touches every part of our local economy and community.

What makes the Mornington Peninsula unique is that many of our challenges closely resemble those experienced in regional Victoria rather than those of inner metropolitan Melbourne. We have dispersed communities, limited public transport, significant distances between services, and areas where residents can become isolated from the support they need.

Yet too often, these regional characteristics are not reflected in the way government policies, funding models and housing programs are designed. We face regional housing challenges, but we are frequently expected to compete for funding and support using metropolitan frameworks that do not adequately recognise our geography, our service gaps, or the nature of housing demand on the Peninsula.

The result is that local organisations are being asked to do more with less. Community support providers, charities and frontline services continue to respond to growing demand, often relying on extraordinary goodwill and commitment from local leaders and volunteers. However, goodwill alone cannot sustainably address the peninsula’s homelessness crisis.

This forum is is an opportunity to hear directly from those working on the frontline, to better understand the experiences of young people facing homelessness in our community, and to discuss what a more effective, locally informed response might look like.

The Mornington Peninsula requires housing and homelessness responses that are designed for the Peninsula; responses that recognise our unique circumstances, acknowledge the challenges of delivering services across a geographically dispersed community, and ensure that investment is aligned with local need.

Government, community organisations, business and service providers all have a role to play. There is no single organisation that can solve these issues alone, but together we can build a stronger case for action and ensure that the voices of our community are heard.