Let’s talk about love…
By Katya Andreyeva, Analyst, SVA Consulting
It was early November of 2011 when, I interviewed Amalia*, a 17 year old girl. This was part of a client engagement for SVA Consulting that involved conducting a Social Return on Investment (SROI) analysis to measure and value the social impact of a program supporting homeless youth. I organised to meet her at her home, so she could share her story from her past. When I met Amalia, we exchanged pleasantries and small talk and I asked if she still wanted to share her story with me. Immediately, the mood changed and with the conviction of someone beyond her tender years, she said: “I have to! I want more kids like me to experience being surrounded by people who really give a sh*t about you. No kid should be abandoned!”
So there we were sitting on two little stools basking in the first rays of Melbourne sunshine. Amalia was smoking a cigarette in fast, nervous drags, whilst intently examining me and analysing my every move with her big ice-blue eyes. The vulnerability that you would expect from a girl her age was nowhere to be seen; in its place was a steely determination. My heart was beating faster and faster; just observing this girl I could tell that she was carrying the burden of a troubled past, and I was starting to doubt whether I was ready to actually hear about it.
Without taking her eyes off me or showing any signs of emotion, Amalia started telling me about her upbringing. I learnt that she was raised by her mother, an alcoholic who suffered from mental health problems. As a small child, she grew up surrounded by adults who would spend days drinking and taking drugs at home. She started smoking marijuana with her mother at the age of 10, other drugs followed soon after. Her mum would beat her when she was under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or if she was in a psychotic episode, or sometimes, a combination of the above. Sick of abuse and angry with the world, at 10 years of age Amalia ran away from home staying on friends’ couches or wherever else she could find, and fended for herself. In no time, Amalia became involved with gangs and started selling drugs and weapons on the street. “I had no choice. It was about survival. If I had to steal food from a shop because I was hungry, I would do it. I didn’t care if I got arrested. I only had myself to rely on, and sometimes I just had to do what I had to do to get a roof over my head and food in my belly…” She was finally picked up by the system but because she had a drug problem she was admitted to a rehabilitation facility.
After rehab, Amalia was determined to do something to turn her life around. “I wasn’t hoping for anything but I now knew the consequences of the life that I was leading and I was scared that if I went back, I would die.” That is when her case manager told her about the Lighthouse Foundation, and she decided to give it a go. When I met Amalia, it had only been a month since she had moved into a Lighthouse home, but I could tell that she never expected the respect and care that she was provided with. “I could tell from the first moment that this place is different. People are genuinely friendly and they care for you. I don’t generally trust people but they [carers] have made me feel very comfortable here. And they even helped me to organise some work experience… I hope I will be here for a while as it would be nice if one day I could let my guard down…”
Amalia’s story is not unique. She is just one amongst more than 45,000 children and young people under 25 years of age who are homeless every night in Australia (ABS Census, 2006). These children and young people do not have safe, secure or adequate housing available to them, nor do they have the therapeutic support to help them manage their complex problems. They live with their friends or relatives, are placed in supported accommodation or foster care, or in many cases sleep rough on the streets. The situation for those over 18 is worse. There are few services available that can provide a long-term solution to their housing situation or offer therapeutic support. Furthermore, once these kids become homeless it is more difficult for them to access support, connect with community or participate in education, training or employment. As a result, many turn to illegal substances and alcohol, experience problems with the law, and develop severe physical and mental health problems.
The Lighthouse Foundation fills the void left by government funded crisis support services, by providing safe and secure homes for homeless young people like Amalia. Through its unique therapeutic support model, the Lighthouse Foundation assists these young people to develop the confidence and skills to take control and responsibility for their own lives. I had the privilege to support the Lighthouse Foundation in 2011 by conducting a Social Return on Investment (SROI) analysis on their program.
The Lighthouse Foundation is guided by a very simple concept – every child should know what a parent’s absolute and unconditional love feels like. And that’s what happens at the Lighthouse. These children are not just taken off the streets and provided with safe places to stay, they are raised to become healthy adults by a loving family-like unit. They are hugged and spoiled with love; they are encouraged to reach for new heights; and they are supported through tough times. They are taught life skills and given tools to build character strength; and most importantly, they are given a place where they are always welcome to come back to, in times of happiness or sorrow.
It is not an easy road. Many of the young people who come to the Lighthouse are like Amalia, with a history of severe abuse and neglect, in poor physical and mental health and behind in their intellectual and emotional development. The solution requires an intensive model of support and care. At the Lighthouse, carers live at the home with the young people and provide them with 24 hour support. The work of carers is supported by a team of experienced psychologists who guide young people through the healing and rehabilitation process. And the results are astounding! Eight out of ten who leave the Lighthouse move successfully into independent living, become contributing members of society and never experience homelessness again. Pure and simple, their lives have been saved!
The time I spent working with the Lighthouse Foundation was brief but every time I walked through the doors of their head office, I felt a part of the Lighthouse family. Lighthouse is a big but close family, tenderly nurtured by the founder Susan Barton who, for over 30 years, has dedicated her life to pursuing a vision of ending youth homelessness. Susan and her team work patiently and tirelessly to achieve this goal. As I reflect on my journey over the past three months working with the Lighthouse Foundation, I take comfort in knowing that that these young people are in good hands.
The changes experienced by young people under the Lighthouse model are profound and as a result of these changes the organisation is now preparing to share its model of care with other organisations across Australia. Watch out for new beacons of light guiding more homeless young people to safe harbours.
If you would like to find out more about Lighthouse Foundation, please follow the link to their website: Lighthouse Foundation
*Name and identifying details of the story have been changed to protect the girl’s privacy
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