Meet Our Collaborators

Supporting young people impacted by homelessness takes more than one person or even one team — a whole army is needed! Youth services are multifaceted, and guidance for our young residents takes a holistic approach to meet all areas of their lives and futures. The unique set of skills that the team from Upton Road Youth Services brings to the Bridge It table means that every one of the Cocoon residents has continual care and guidance — whenever they might need it. Because all young people deserve this in their formative years for a brighter future.

“Many of the Bridge It team, me included, have worked at Upton Rd over the years. They share our values and believe in the capacity of our residents to thrive. Most of our young residents have transitioned from Upton Rd, and it is so great that the case management provided there follows them to the Cocoon. Consistency in support is critical.”
— Carla Raynes, Founder/CEO, Bridge It

Upton Road Youth Service is a part of The Salvation Army, and Carly, a Client Services Coordinator, is well-versed and experienced within the youth homelessness sector. Carly works tirelessly with her team of Case Managers to provide a vital range of services to Bridge It.

“Case Managers work on moving [the young residents] out of a refuge and into supported living for longer-term support [at the Cocoon]. They work on their goals — holistic goals — but one of those goals needs to be housing.”

It’s a job that looks not just at one aspect of the women’s lives, but at their entire future.

“We can link with other services — mental health support, counselling, explore education and career. It’s all about the journey to independence.”

Cocoon provides the space for young women and gender diverse people to safely think about their future in a beautiful, secure home where they can stay for up to 18 months. This means security and peace of mind, consistency, and community support — all of which are important at this pivotal time in their lives. Upton Road also provides 24-hour support with its phone hotline, a vital service for residents, as well as a dinner program once a week for those who want to join.

“At Bridge It, we believe in radical collaboration. To us, that means working closely with other organisations as if we are one. This is the only way we will ever end youth homelessness in Australia. Our partnership with Upton Rd is an example of this at its best!”
— Carla Raynes

Carly and the team work with Bridge It to create strong futures for the residents they support. She has been in the team for nine years and feels passionate about the diversity of housing needs for youth.

“There needs to be a range of supported living and crisis accommodation. Medium-term accommodation is so important while they’re still developing. This is when most young people are living with families — developing skills in a stable environment.”

From learning how to shop for groceries and having a meal prepared for them, to setting career goals and receiving short-term health assistance, the residents who live at Cocoon are building their independence. With such a monumental task at hand, Carly recognises that while there’s much work to be done, the job is incredibly rewarding.

“You learn to celebrate the small things. We’re lucky to see the changes [that come from] the team’s support. Seeing this makes it all worthwhile.”

“I spent many years working in crisis accommodations and believe that they are a totally critical part of the response needed to address homelessness. The biggest challenge is where do people go when they reach the end of their short stay. We believe that every youth refuge in the country should have a Cocoon for residents to transition into if they need further supportive housing.”
— Carla Raynes