We are delighted to announce the official opening of Yaakiny, Indigo Junction’s new Housing First for Youth (HF4Y) supported accommodation facility.
Yaakiny was officially opened on Tuesday with a formal ceremony and ribbon cutting attended by Hon Matthew Swinbourn MLC, Minister for Homelessness, representing the Hon Roger Cook MLA, Premier of Western Australia; Hon John Carey MLA, Minister for Planning and Lands; Housing and Works; Steve Catania MLA, Member for Midland; and City of Swan Mayor Tanya Richardson.
The three-storey, purpose-built crisis and transitional accommodation facility has been designed to provide young people experiencing homelessness or housing crisis with a safe place to live, alongside the support they need to build stability and independence.
Yaakiny was co-designed with young people, including past and current clients of Indigo Junction’s Youth Service, as well as members of Indigo Junction’s Cultural Committee. Their input helped shape a space where young people entering the service can feel safe, welcome and supported as they begin to rebuild their lives.
The name Yaakiny (pronounced Yaar-kin), a Noongar word meaning “stand tall,” was chosen by Indigo Junction’s Cultural Committee to reflect the strength and resilience this space will nurture for the young people who will live there.
As Western Australia’s first dedicated Housing First for Youth (HF4Y) accommodation facility, Yaakiny provides young people experiencing homelessness or housing crisis with immediate access to safe, stable housing alongside flexible, person-centred support.
Housing First for Youth is based on the principle that young people do not need to demonstrate “readiness” before accessing housing. Instead, housing provides a foundation from which young people can work towards their own goals with the support they choose.
At Yaakiny, experienced support workers provide 24/7 support tailored to each young person’s needs, helping them access services and opportunities including counselling, legal assistance, alcohol and other drug support, education and employment pathways, financial assistance and longer-term housing.
The service will support young people to build independence and life skills, strengthen connections to culture and community, and develop pathways towards education, employment and long-term housing stability.
The project delivers 30 new accommodation units alongside six refurbished units at Indigo Junction’s existing Youth Service site. The new facility includes accommodation for young people requiring higher levels of supervision, as well as units for those requiring low-to-moderate supervision. Alongside eight existing community-based beds, this expands Indigo Junction’s Youth Service accommodation capacity to 44 dwellings.
Yaakiny also includes shared living and activity spaces, amenities and dedicated areas for staff to provide support. Accessible design features have been incorporated in line with Liveable Housing Design Standards, helping ensure the facility can support young people with a range of needs.
Indigo Junction has a long history of supporting people experiencing crisis and hardship in Midland and surrounding communities. The organisation began in 1979 as Swan Emergency Accommodation, a single shelter responding to local homelessness. As demand grew, Indigo Junction expanded its properties and services to meet the changing needs of the community.
Today, Indigo Junction receives around 600 calls each year from young people seeking support when they have nowhere else to go. Limited accommodation capacity and the shortage of affordable housing mean that many young people cannot be accommodated.
Yaakiny represents a significant step forward in Indigo Junction’s ability to respond to this need.
The project has been made possible through the support of government, philanthropic and corporate partners, alongside the commitment and expertise of Indigo Junction’s staff and project partners.
“The real celebration is being able to accommodate 36 young people recovering from crisis and trauma,” Indigo Junction Director Ron Mell said.
“The longer a young person goes without support, the more likely episodic homelessness becomes chronic, carrying them into adult homelessness and intergenerational disadvantage. But early intervention can interrupt this trajectory.”
“Here, in these beautiful surrounds, young people can have hope.”
While we celebrate the opening of Yaakiny, the need for safe and supported housing remains significant. Indigo Junction will continue working to expand housing and support options for people experiencing homelessness and crisis, including women and children escaping family and domestic violence and families experiencing hardship.
Yaakiny has been made possible thanks to funding and support from the Western Australian Government through the Department of Communities, the Department of Housing and Works, the Department of Lands, Planning and Heritage and Lotterywest, as well as Indigo Junction, Beyond Bank, the McCusker Charitable Foundation and Swan Rotary.