Melbourne City Mission

Jim Stynes Foundation Recovery Coaching Program

Through the partnership with MFC and Jim Stynes Foundation and your generous contribution, MCM proposes the funding will be used to employ Recovery Coaches, who will work with young people within our crisis accommodation who have been identified as having mental ill-health.

As an experienced provider of Recovery Coaches supporting NDIS funded participants (for psychosocial disability) and delivering positive results, MCM is keen to extend the program to young people experiencing homelessness with the use of your funding.

Young people are often not ready or have barriers to engaging with the mental health system. Recovery coaches combine the principles of recovery-orientated practice with coaching principles.

They will work with the young people to develop and implement a recovery plan and connect them to a range of mental health services. They will also support the young person navigate and apply for NDIS funding if they meet the criteria of psychosocial disability.

The Gap - Background

Mental ill-health is a huge issue for young people experiencing homelessness. The relationship between homelessness and mental health is reciprocal. Many young people with mental health concerns are unable to remain at home and have problems accessing housing and maintaining tenancies. Likewise, homelessness is considered to be a contributor to some mental illnesses and can exacerbate existing conditions. Homelessness funding does not provide for any mental health services, resulting in an unmet need for young people already facing significant uncertainty in their life.

Sadly, as I mentioned at our meeting, a recent data snapshot (March 2023) of all young people in our crisis accommodation services identified the severity of the mental ill-health young people have as they enter the youth refuge system:

· 42.3% attended an ED for mental health concerns;

· 40.7% had a mental health episode in MCM accommodation and;

· 25.9% self-injured in MCM accommodation.

MCM is determined to address this need and the funding provided by MFC and Jim Stynes Foundation can make available mental health supports to our youth refuges.