Virtual Tour: Village 21 Bairnsdale
Take a 3D walkthrough of Village 21 Bairnsdale, thanks to our partners at Macutex.
Village 21 Bairnsdale
Village 21 Bairnsdale is a supported housing program developed by Kids Under Cover in partnership with GEGAC, extending the Village 21 model to East Gippsland.
Opening in 2026, it provides secure, supported accommodation for six First Nations young people aged 18-21 who are leaving out-of-home care and need support to successfully transition to independent living.
The village accommodates two live-in mentors and is underpinned by a dedicated Key Practitioner who works alongside each young person to build confidence, develop life skills and foster independence. By taking the time to understand what motivates and inspires each young person, their interests, aspirations and strengths they provide personalised support, helping young people explore education, training, employment and other opportunities that align with their goals and enable them to thrive.
Occupants enjoy their own privacy within their studio, while a communal area encourages shared cooking, conversation and social interaction.
Village 21 Bairnsdale builds on the foundation laid by Village 21 Preston and Moorumbina Mongurnallin, as Kids Under Cover establishes further sites across regional Victoria.
Why do we need Village 21?
We know that First Nations young people are disproportionately impacted by homelessness and are significantly overrepresented in out-of-home care. That’s why culturally safe, community-led responses like Village 21 are so important and provide not just a place to live, but the support, connection and opportunities young people need to build independent futures.
- More than 45,800 Australian children and young people (aged 0 – 24) are homeless.
- Over 11,700 young people in Victoria are homeless.
- More than one in three young people leaving statutory care experience homelessnes.
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people are significantly over-represented in youth homelessness.
- Kids Under Cover currently provides safe accommodation to more than 1,000 young people every night – but can meet only around 5% of demand.
The Village setting
Village 21 Bairnsdale is set in a private, contemporary communal living environment. Six young people live in their own studios, supported by two live-in mentors.
How long can occupants stay?
Young people can live at Village 21 Bairnsdale until the end of their 21st year. Throughout their stay, the Key Practitioner works alongside each young person to help them prepare for independent living and secure long-term housing prior to their exit.
What is the role of the mentors?
Live-in Mentors are volunteers who live at the property. At least one mentor is expected to be present at Village 21 Bairnsdale each night. They are available to assist with building the independent living skills of young people, and model independent living behaviours such as attending work or study, cleaning, cooking, washing, etc.
Key Supporters
Village 21 Bairnsdale could not exisit without the incredible support and collaboration with government, corporate and community partners including Homes Victoria, GEGAC, NH Architecture, Todd Devine Homes, IKEA, BB & A Miller, and many more organisations who have all been significant in their contribution to the project.
