Kids Under Cover gives support to vulnerable young people who are aged between 12 and 25 years who already are either at risk of homelessness or are already homeless. Kids Under Cover believes education, mentors and shelter assist young people to remain connected to their own family, with their community and to education. With such support, young people will be in positions of building brighter futures.
Since it was initiated in 1989, Kids Under Cover has offered support to in excess of 2,800 young people who are at risk being of homelessness with a home that is secure through the Studio Program. The ability of Kids Under Cover to further assist young people were enlarged when they launched in 2004 the Scholarship Program to assist with training and educational pursuits, as well as the Mentoring Program it began 2012 towards helping young people to remain connected with their own communities.
The solution of Kids Under Cover is to:
- Build 1 or 2-bedroom studios having bathrooms in the homes backyards to keep the young people linked to their family and create a healthy home atmosphere.
- Providing scholarships to make sure ongoing young people’s engagement with their education.
- Offering positive role models through linking the young people to suitable mentors.
The Approach
The approach taken by Kids Under Cover is an early-intervention one for preventing the growth of youth homelessness. Kids Under Cover is the only Australian organization providing the unique blend of mentors, housing and scholarships for those at risk and homeless young people.
Studio Program
The Studio Program presents young people with the security and space they require to develop into full adulthood. It’s a chance of being able to grow skills for independent living and to remain connected with their own families. More significantly, it stops the young people from ever getting to be homeless.
Scholarship Program
The Scholarship Program assists the young people to remain engaged with their education. Through taking care of some education costs, young people are getting facilitated to continue with their studies or their on-job training. The chances presented could promote more positive employment openings, making sure that the young person gets a productive and has a functioning place within their own community.
The Mentoring Program from Kids Under Cover provide positive role models connecting with young people and provide support, guidance and much needed encouragement. As the young person’s self-esteem, confidence and social skills improve, they are now better placed to make decisions that are positively life-changing and propel them to their full life potential.
The Kids Under Cover Work
Studio Program
The Studio Program remains at the very core of the work towards the prevention of youth homelessness. Started in 1993, it is as a novel extension of the Kids Under Cover Housing Program and has housed in excess of 2800 young people, with 353 Studios currently on the ground.
Kids Under Cover Studio Program offers 1 and 2 bedroom, entirely relocatable Studios (having a bathroom) built on the family or carer’s grounds. This special accommodation permits families to remain connected, according them extra room for living and providing the concerned young person with a secure, safe and stable environment to develop into healthy and full adulthood.
Additionally, there are some 13 houses managed by several Community Service organizations (CSOs) in regional and metropolitan Victoria housing the young people. Kids Under Cover is maintaining a very close connection with these CSO's that are managing these housing services.
Scholarship Programs
Through helping young people with their educational costs like textbooks, equipment and travel costs they are empowered to continue with their studies or even undertake training for employment. Good education has a considerable positive influence on self-esteem, confidence, and prospects for employment.
The Scholarship Program run by Kids Under Cover aids young people having the motivation and passion to continue their education, but who are lacking the needed resources. The program has been designed for encouraging young people to stay engaged with their education and job training and towards enabling those wishing to continue with their studies.
Kids Under Cover, in partnership with the Australian Department of Human Services, is also administering the Student Scholarship Program supported by DHS.
The Mentoring Program
The Program was launched in 2012 and currently is only delivered in Victoria, supported by a number of charitable partners. Mentoring is a trusting and structured relationship established between a caring personnel individual who provides support, guidance and encouragement and a young person.
Getting Involved
Getting involved helps in changing the lives of many who are at-risk and the homeless young people. Kids Under Cover supporters form the lifeblood of activities carried out.
There are lots of getting involved and helping the at-risk young and their families:
- Making a donation
- Donating your car
- Workplace giving
- Volunteering your time
- Corporate volunteering
- Holding your event
- Attending an event
- Giving gifts
- Leaving a gift in your Will
- Holding special events, clubs and associations
