Breaking the cycle of homelessness
A Bold Ten‑Year Commitment
Safe Homes is Mission Australia’s most ambitious undertaking, with a bold commitment to ensuring that everyone has access to a safe and secure place to call home, coupled with the right support services, at the right time, to help people and families remain living in their homes.
The Safe Homes Campaign is our ten‑year flagship initiative and a cornerstone enabler of Strategy 2030, designed to break the cycles of homelessness in Australia and provide the evidence to create lasting change.
Homelessness is Australia’s most pressing crises
Every night across Australia, there are 122,000 people who find themselves without a safe place to call home. Devastatingly, this issue continues to grow each day.
Homelessness isn't inevitable. It stems from Australia’s housing emergency, poverty, family violence and other systemic challenges. But with courage, compassion, commitment and collective action, it’s something we can end.
Whilst the Australian Government has taken welcome steps towards addressing the housing emergency and homelessness, including the $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund that will fund social and affordable rental housing, these measures alone are not enough to meet the scale of the crisis.
Our homelessness system sees too much time and resources spent on supporting people in crisis rather than on preventing them from reaching that point in their lives.
By intervening early to prevent homelessness, we’re both supporting people to stay living in their homes and reducing the cost to governments.
Proven solution to our nation’s homelessness crisis
For 165 years, Mission Australia has been working with people in need. As one of the country’s largest for-purpose community service and housing providers we deliver homelessness support, social and affordable housing, family and youth services, mental health assistance, disability support, employment pathways, alcohol and other drug support and more.
We have built an evidence base to show that our programs work.
98% of those who are referred to, or who approach Mission Australia Tenancy Support Services are successfully assisted to remain living in their home and avoid homelessness.
Discover our Campaign priorities
Our bold, 10-year commitment to break the cycle of homelessness in Australia and provide the evidence to create lasting change.
Pillar 1: Staying Housed
Aims to reduce the number of people becoming homeless in the first place.
Pillar 2: Supported to Thrive
Recognises that for some people, there is a need for specialist types of accommodation.
Pillar 3: Evidence and Systems Change
Allows us to test, prove and then scale models - so governments can adopt what works.
Under this pillar we aim to provide people with the support they need to deal directly with the challenges, we know put people at risk of homelessness.
While most social housing tenancies are stable, around one in ten each year face serious risk of breakdown — overwhelmingly among people with complex, overlapping needs.
Evidence shows that early tenancy support dramatically reduces the likelihood of someone losing their home and being pushed into homelessness.
This pillar will fund a dedicated multidisciplinary team of around eight staff — including our Safe Home workers), community chaplains and community development workers — alongside practical supports proven to prevent housing loss.
We are committed to delivering five new supported housing programs or facilities, focused on two priority groups:
- Young people facing homelessness, and
- People requiring long‑term supportive or specialist housing.
What connects pillar one and two is the same philosophy: housing and support are delivered together, not as separate systems.
Importantly, Safe Homes allows us to test, prove and then scale models — so governments can adopt what works, and we can collectively move from crisis response to prevention.
This is where philanthropy is truly catalytic. This program allows us to step in early, fund what doesn’t yet fit neatly into government models, and demonstrate outcomes that can later be scaled for far greater impact.
Developing a bespoke Impact Framework to measure and evaluate progress, ensures investment is focused on the most effective support. We will also use evidence-based advocacy to influence policy at local, state, and federal levels, aiming for systemic change.
Together, we can help end homelessness
An initiative of this magnitude – to break the cycle of homelessness in Australia – requires significant investment, generosity and trust from our incredible supporters. To those who have contributed to the success of Safe Homes to date, we wholeheartedly thank you.
The Safe Homes Initiative uses philanthropy to prevent homelessness today, build housing for tomorrow, and change the system for the long term.
If you would like to discuss your potential involvement in Safe Homes, please contact Wendy for a confidential discussion.
Wendy Wilson, Campaign Director
0436 911 279
[email protected]
If people and families across Australia are properly supported to avoid homelessness altogether, imagine the positive ripple effects this will have on our communities.
We want to live in a country where everyone has a safe, secure home and the support they seek to lead their best life. Let’s work together to make this a reality.