This Youth Homelessness Matters Day, HoMie is launching a 10-week program to help young people build a brighter future.
According to Melbourne City Mission, young people aged 19 to 24 experience the highest rate of homelessness of any age group in Australia.
As housing prices increase across the country and youth employment rates plummet, it is getting harder than ever for young people to break out of the cycle of homelessness.
This Youth Homelessness Matters Day, Melbourne-based streetwear label and social enterprise, HoMie, is launching a new program to help break the cycle.
Retail Ready is a 10-week employment program for young people affected by homelessness or hardship, equipping them with the skills they need for work readiness and setting them up for a brighter future.
Young people employed through the program will be given two to three shifts per week on HoMie’s Fitzroy shop floor, and they’ll receive intensive support from store staff, along with youth support.
All young people are paid for their time in line with the General Retail Award and onboarded as employees of HoMie on a casual contract. Hourly rates will be determined by age, in line with the retail award wage.
HoMie will be employing 24 young people this year in their Fitzroy store, and double their impact to 48 in 2026. These employees will be trained in customer service, visual merchandising, point of sale, stock management, work readiness skills and individual employment goals.
This program is different spin on The HoMie Pathway Alliance, HoMie’s certified education and employment program for young people affected by homelessness or hardship. Over the course of eight months, the Pathway Alliance provides intensive wraparound support for the participants, lowering barriers to employment and education, and creating long-term, life-changing, impact.
Retail Ready is a shorter, more accessible option catering to young people with a different set of needs.
“With the changing crisis that young people are facing on a daily basis, we knew we had to respond to this increasing community need,” comments HoMie CEO Stephanie Say.
“At HoMie, we know what we’ve been doing works – providing young people with access to paid, supported employment opportunities builds confidence and work-readiness.
“We’ve seen for the last decade that employment, time and time again, has the potential to break the cycle of homelessness and set these young people up for a brighter future.”
Find out more here.
