The project, known as Moorumbina Mongurnallin which translates to ‘You are Loved’ in the local Bunurong language, will be home to six young First Nations people aged 18-21, and two live-in mentors.
Created by youth homelessness prevention charity Kids Under Cover in partnership with Victorian Aboriginal Child and Community Agency (VACCA), the project is a response to the over-representation of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people within Australia’s out-of-home care and homeless populations.
Home care is alternative care, an “emergency and temporary” situation where no suitable foster carer, family member, or other care environment can be arranged.
CEO of VACCA and Yorta Yorta and Dja Dja Wurrung Woman, Aunty Muriel Bamblett says the program aims to address the gap in support for young people who are leaving care, and that youth may be returning to homes that are still not safe for them.
“Many of our young people end up couch surfing or end up on the streets exposed to exploitation, drug and alcohol, mental health, suicide,” she told NITV.
“It’s really important that we create environments where children that leave care can actually move into accommodation, be supported in that accommodation, and to make sure that they can live independently and be able to still have support to put around them.”
The concept is designed to ensure a positive transition from care to independence, enabling the young residents every opportunity to fulfil their potential.
“There’s a view that Aboriginal children are all being, particularly adolescents are being living with family comfortably and safely, and they’re, you know, being cared for by community.
“But many of our children aren’t because of complex needs, because of trauma, having been through huge amounts of violence, grief and loss.”
“Many of these children need therapeutic care,” said Aunty Muriel.
Being part of community
Moorumbina Mongurnallin will allow Aboriginal young people who have been in out of home care to strengthen their relationships with community and build their connection to culture.
Aunty Muriel laid out the experience of dislocation from Community and self that a lot of youth in care go through.
“Imagine if you’ve been raised up away from your community, and nobody knows who you are, if you’ve been raised away from your family and community, you’re not known and accepted.”
“So for us, it’s really important that we give children all the resources, all the supports that we connect them back to their culture, and they become culturally resilient as well.”
The program also involves teaching youth life skills for living independently like finding and keeping up with a job, and managing finances.
“I believe this program will change trajectories,” says Aunty Muriel.
By Jonah Johnson of NITV