For a young person moving between couches, overcrowded houses or temporary accommodation, having somewhere safe to unpack their belongings can mean everything.
Now, 30 new apartments in Beenleigh are offering that chance, along with something just as important — someone to turn to, day or night.
Anglicare Southern Queensland officially opened its $15 million Manila House facility on Friday 30 October, providing accommodation and round-the-clock support for young people aged 16 to 25 who are homeless or at significant risk of losing their housing.
And behind the new building lies years of fundraising, planning and community generosity.
From church cake stalls and community functions to major individual donations and Anglicare’s own investment, the project was brought to life through contributions from across the community.
Archbishop Jeremy Greaves said the fundraising effort had been a remarkable achievement.
“From the beginning of this project, we’ve used the language of ‘hope starts here’,” he said.
“Because it’s not just about accommodation, it is about giving them the security of a home, a place where they can be where they can be supported and where they can really look forward to a different future.”
For the young people who will live there, Archbishop Greaves offered a particularly heartfelt message.
“If hope is a verb with its sleeves rolled up, here is that in bricks and mortar and in the love and care that young people will feel in this place,” he said.
“You matter. You’re loved.”
And that spirit of care was put into action just a week before the opening, when 90 corporate volunteers rolled up their own sleeves to assemble furniture and help prepare the apartments for their first residents.
Anglicare chief executive Sue Cooke said the effort demonstrated the importance of community partnerships in tackling homelessness.
“You can’t do it alone,” she said.
The Manila Street development includes 24 studio apartments for individuals and six one-bedroom apartments for young couples and parents, including those with babies or small children.
But Ms Cooke said the project was about much more than putting a roof over someone’s head.
“This is about giving young people somewhere they can feel safe, unpack their belongings and know they do not have to keep moving from place to place,” Ms Cooke said.
“We are not here to give young people a future because that future is already theirs. Our role is to work alongside them to help remove the barriers that may be standing in their way.”
Cr Jon Raven said the development was particularly important in a city where about 40 per cent of residents were aged under 25.
“The only possible response to homelessness is more housing, and Anglicare have delivered exactly that,” Cr Raven said.
“Logan is the youngest city in Queensland. And that means that 40% of our population is under the age of 25, but they are 100% of our future.”
Housing Minister Sam O’Connor said the combination of accommodation and ongoing assistance was essential, particularly for young people and families who had previously relied on temporary accommodation.
“For too long, there’s been just basically hotels and motels, which are a really inappropriate place particularly for young families,” Mr O’Connor said.
“This is the way to get people out of homelessness: accommodation with services built in.”
He also had a message for young people struggling to find stable housing.
“You matter, and there is help available, and there are people who are willing to work through whatever you’ve gone through to make sure that you can get on that pathway to achieve whatever you want to achieve,” he said.
At Manila House, staff will be available 24 hours a day, helping residents access mental health support, reconnect with family where appropriate, develop everyday living and financial skills, and work towards education, employment and permanent housing.
Ms Cooke said understanding each young person’s circumstances and ambitions would be central to that support.
“It’s really important for us to understand that young person: where they’ve come from, but particularly where they want to go,” she told reporters.
The development was funded through Anglicare’s own resources and community donations, with the Queensland Government committing more than $2.8 million annually towards its support services.
And while Manila House marks the culmination of years of work, Ms Cooke said it was also intended to be the beginning of something better for the young people who would live there.
“When you do come to a place like Manila House, you are supported, there is care, and there is hope for the future that is ahead of you,” she said.
