Lower Hunter Youth Homelessness Support Service

This service operating as Samaritans Youth Specialist Homeless Service - Lower Hunter, supports young people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness in the Maitland, Dungog and Cessnock areas. It provides client-centred homelessness support services including prevention and early intervention, rapid rehousing, crisis and transition responses, and intensive responses for young people with complex needs. It also supports those leaving care or institutions.

The service will identify young people at imminent risk of homelessness and support them to remain safely in their existing housing or, where appropriate, assist them to secure and sustain safe and stable housing. It will ensure young people aged 16 to 24 years receive outreach support. Young people aged 12 to 15 years will be supported through the Hunter New England Homeless Youth Assistance Program.

A key focus of this service is to ensure young people are supported to access, maintain or re-enter education, training and/or employment.

The service has a strong focus on responses for Aboriginal young people and is accessible to young people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.