A young man was referred to our rental program, Mobilise Kickstarter, after experiencing prolonged periods of homelessness. While studying, he had access to student accommodation, but once he completed his studies and with the recent birth of his child, he and his partner were forced to leave. With no other options, they returned to couch surf at a family member’s home, which was overcrowded and unsafe. The environment involved suspected gang activity, including a violent knife attack, and posed a serious risk to their wellbeing. His partner, a survivor of childhood abuse in that same home, was retraumatised by the situation, making it an extremely distressing and harmful place to stay.
Despite the challenges of trying to find housing while relying solely on Centrelink and facing discrimination as a young couple, he managed to secure a private rental through his determination and perseverance. However, he was urgently in need of financial support to establish stability and cover initial costs. Without assistance from Kickstarter, he was at serious risk of falling back into homelessness, with no safe alternatives for himself or his newborn baby.
