It Started with a Few People Who Cared
Forty years ago, Youth Futures Perth began the way most great community movements do — with a few people who saw a need and refused to look away.
In the mid-1980s, youth homelessness in Perth’s northern suburbs was rising. Local community members, volunteers, and church groups saw young people sleeping rough, couch surfing, or living in unsafe homes, and they decided to act.
They didn’t have much money or infrastructure, but they had compassion, determination, and a shared belief that every young person deserves safety and a chance to thrive. Together, they worked tirelessly to open a small crisis centre in Joondalup — a place where young people could find not just a bed, but belonging.
That place became TINOCA (Teenagers in Need of Crisis Accommodation) — Youth Futures’ very first service — and opened in 1988.
From Crisis Accommodation to Community Impact
From those humble beginnings, the organisation grew, powered by volunteers, advocates, and community members who gave their time, skills, and hearts to help young people build better futures.
Over the decades, those same values have guided every step forward: empathy, collaboration, and the courage to keep evolving. Youth Futures has become one of Western Australia’s leading youth support services, helping thousands of young people each year access safe housing, education, wellbeing programs, and training opportunities.
Supporting Young People Across Western Australia
Today, Youth Futures supports thousands of young West Australians through housing, education, wellbeing, and training programs designed to empower young people to reach their full potential.
But our roots remain the same — ordinary people coming together to make an extraordinary difference.
Because that’s how change begins: with a few people who care enough to do something.