Cafs can help
Cafs specialises in the prevention of homelessness. We deliver a range of housing and tenancy support programs for people in our community, including specialised services for young people and Indigenous Australians.
Homelessness can happen to anyone. The best way to beat homelessness is to prevent it before it takes hold. There are always options. Let us help you find a path that’s right for you.
We care
Talk to us so we can help you find a solution for your immediate problem. Maybe you’re running short of funds this month and can’t afford food plus rent. We can help you out with a food voucher, so the rent gets paid.
Perhaps you need help pulling a rental bond together. We can put you in touch with the right organisation to assist you. Or maybe you need emergency housing. Whatever it might be, we’ll find a way to support you.
Our programs
Our support is not just about solving your housing problem. When we connect with you, we look for ways we can support you in the long term.
Our programs are personalised for your individual needs. We aim to help people and families through tough times.
Tenancy Support
When you’re renting, a notice to vacate the premises can seem like the worst-case scenario. But it doesn’t have to be. There are always options available to you. Our Tenancy Support program provides advocacy and advice for people in private residential tenancy agreements.
Our team has extensive training with the Tenants Union Victoria. They can help you understand your rights and responsibilities as a tenant. We will act as your advocate in disputes with real estate agents and landlords.
Tenancy Plus
Our Tenancy Plus program supports people in public or community housing. An eviction notice doesn’t mean you have no options.
If your tenancy is at risk, we will work with you to develop a support plan. We will act as your advocate and make every effort to keep you in your home.
CAFS stories
Cafs Thread Together is leading the change in the local community
The new Cafs Thread Together clothing hub in Ballarat is a life changing moment for those who walk through its doors. However, it isn’t just the “shoppers” who are discovering its power but also the volunteers.
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How Step Up helped a young boy overcome violent behaviour toward his mum
Dylan was the last child anyone expected to be violent or aggressive. He’s the quiet one in the family. When Dylan was nine, he started lashing out at home.
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How June and Robert found the right time to become Cafs foster carers
Becoming foster carers can be a life affirming experience. June and Robert always knew that fostering would be in their future; it was just a question of timing.
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How Cafs financial counselling helped
a dad battling with cancer
When you’re a self-employed dad, being sick comes with more concerns than your own health. With no money coming in, Tony was stressed about his family.
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Housing Support: How Cafs ATAR team helped a father avoid eviction
Bruce was admitted to hospital for three months, and while he was in there, he asked his adult sons to take care of the home he'd been renting for the past eleven years.
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How Cafs helped Chloe and her family find hope
Chloe was 16, and her young life was falling apart. She’d dropped out of school and had started drinking and taking drugs. She also started stealing and self-harming.
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How Cafs day stay helped one young family establish a healthy bedtime routine
For Bianca and Josh, the excitement of becoming new parents was giving way to exhaustion. They were desperate for more sleep.
Read moreCafs acknowledges our past. In the spirit of reconciliation, we give deepest respect to Australia's First Nations Peoples. Their histories, their stories, their resilience. Their connection to culture and land. The wisdom of their Elders past, present and emerging.
