Victoria
39% of young people leaving care become homeless in the first year after they turn 18. Village 21 is designed to interrupt this cycle by providing young people with stable accommodation and support for up to three years. This pilot project located in Preston was delivered through a partnership between Kids Under Cover and Anglicare Victoria.
The architectural solution is modular and highly replicable, designed so it can be easily delivered to suit the diverse needs of a range of priority groups, such as young Aboriginal people. The site is arranged as a series of Mono pitched houses orientated to resemble a village with communal spaces at the centre.
Solid timber details highlight the openings and provide amenity through seating, canopies and privacy screening. These elements add warmth, and human scale, balancing privacy, daylight penetration, and possibilities for social interactions, whilst outlining the thresholds between the public and private spaces.
In partnership with Anglicare Victoria, Village21 provides a transformative opportunity for young people to develop life skills in preparation for the transition from residential care to independent living. Since entering the village, two thirds of the occupants have found employment, a third have transitioned to independent living and all have shown a significant increase in self-confidence and social independence.
By offering support through live in mentors, access to services, social activities and employment, education or training opportunities, the Village21 model helps ensure young people head out into the world full of ambition, better equipped for the next phase of their journey.
The Australian Institute of Architects acknowledges First Nations peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the lands, waters, and skies of the continent now called Australia.
We express our gratitude to their Elders and Knowledge Holders whose wisdom, actions and knowledge have kept culture alive.
We recognise First Nations peoples as the first architects and builders. We appreciate their continuing work on Country from pre-invasion times to contemporary First Nations architects, and respect their rights to continue to care for Country.
