Contents

Information for students

Leaving home doesn’t have to mean leaving school.

Fusion Student Household Service ‘live-in’ option is available for secondary schools students who want to keep going to school but cannot live at home because of family conflict or other problems.


Key features are:

  • Unlimited length of stay.
  • For 15-17 year old.
  • You live with a household of three young adults and one other high school student.
  • You work out with the rest of the household what are the household job and rules etc.
  • The adults who live in the household do not change around like in a youth refuge, they live in the house and call it their home.
  • Low cost weekly rental payment and bond assistance scheme.
  • When you arrive you work out some goals you want to reach while you live in the house.
  • Assistance with learning how to wash, cook etc.
  • Assistance with schoolwork.
  • Recreational opportunities.
  • Chance to have someone be the in-between person between you and your family to help work out if there are ways to improve things between you and your family.


If the Fusion Student Household Service sounds like it could help you out, contact the Housing Coordinator.

Back to Top

Information for guidance officers, chaplains etc

Providing long term accommodation options for homeless young people who want to continue secondary schooling

A Supportive Environment.
Fusion has established the Fusion Student Household Service to provide homeless young people with the opportunity to continue their schooling in a supportive live-in household environment.

The service aims to, firstly, give a young person the chance to be able to avoid long-term unemployment due to a lack of education and to limit the young persons risk of juvenile offending because of boredom and a lack of resources.

Secondly, the service also encourages the students and their families to maintain contact with each other and to be involved in family counselling with the aim of family reconciliation occurring wherever possible.

A Shared Experience
Each house accommodates two students and functions with the help of three adult residents with external support from Fusion staff.

Student residents share in the daily running of the house. This includes contributing to the household costs, participating in recreational activities, and experience in living with other household members.

Accommodation is long term so residents do not have to leave after a set period of time.

Opportunities for family members to have contact with the young person and to participating in family counselling are encouraged.

Where possible young people return to the family home or move onto an independent living environment once skilled enough. A weekly rental fee is charged. It includes food, household bills, and a returnable bond savings scheme.

Student Eligibility
The service is available for homeless secondary school students who are 15 – 17 years of age approximately. The students need to be committed to continuing their schooling, living with others, developing independent living skills and personal responsibility.

Referring a Young Person
Initial contact
To access the Fusion Student Household Service the following information will be required:
Referral source, age, sex, last living situation, school attended, source of income, general nature of the problem at home, contact persons details.

Interview
A follow up call is made by the caseworker to arrange an interview for the young person and anyone else that may want to attend. It provides an opportunity for the student to find out more about Fusion and for staff to better understand their current situation.

Processing The Referral
  • Three referees (Family, school and community) are contacted.
  • The referral is discussed with the adult residents.
  • A meeting is arranged, usually over a meal, for the young people and workers to meet each other.

Moving in
The process may take over one to four weeks to complete. Assistance to find alternative accommodation can be provided if necessary.

Ongoing support in the house is provided for students by role modelling from adult residents and external support from the caseworker.

If you would like further information or to discuss making a referral, contact:
The Housing Coordinator
Fusion Student Household Service

Back to Top

Where are our houses

  • Booragoon
  • Bentley
  • St James

We also have connections with services in Kalamunda, Cannington and Willetton.

Back to Top

History of the Service

The Fusion Student Household Service was established in February 1990 and came out of Fusion’s youth work experience in Perth high schools. Through that time we became aware of many young people that were moving out of home and very quickly dropping out of school. The service was developed to provide supported accommodation that would assist these young people to continue their schooling. In October 1990 Fusion was given funding through the Burdekin Youth Homeless Initiatives program. This funding allowed the expansion of the service and continues to assist in the provision of this service.

Back to Top

Please click here for our contact details.

Last revised: 28/09/2001       Fusion Australia (WA)      ABN 26 001 273 105