Living at youth foyer brings Caitlyn full circle

Published: 

12 January 2026 2:57PM

As a 16-year-old, Caitlyn came to the Logan Youth Foyer facing homelessness, addiction and domestic violence. After two years, she now has a full-time job as a youth worker and plans to move into her own rental home.

“I had a lot of family issues growing up, and I was just in a bit of a lost position,” she says. “I started facing homelessness which led me to meeting older men and getting into domestic violence relationships, which started a downward spiral.”

A chance encounter with Brisbane Youth Service led her to living in crisis accommodation where she found out about youth foyers.

She says her experience at the foyer has been “absolutely amazing.”

“I don’t think I’ve felt safer in my life.”

Youth foyers

Youth foyers support young people to gain essential, practical life skills to help them transition into independent living. Residents must be in employment, education or training while living in the youth foyer.

Onsite support workers helped Caitlyn find a study course and get a full-time job.

“The foyer has supported me every single step of the way. Even on days when I needed help with my homework, the foyer was there to help me with that.

“They show you how you should be spending your money living alone, especially having to create budgets, having things like fuel, food, everything that you need, that you need to budget for.”

Caitlyn says living where you don’t have to travel to individual services makes getting help much more accessible.

“I wake up, I walk out my door and down to the office and there’s my help and support.”

Caitlyn now works as a youth worker with the Y School and is a youth ambassador for the Foyer Foundation. She says that being a youth worker is her full circle moment and has given her life purpose.

“I’m now the biggest advocate that people can change because I have changed as a person.”

“I thought that youth workers were people who had come from really good lives that could kind of show their good lives and put that onto broken people. But in reality, it’s the broken people that are growing up to be youth workers who are becoming the best youth workers and helping us more. Learning that I can use my bad for good has been life changing.”

Having been at the foyer for just over 2 years, Caitlyn is starting her transition into more independent living. She credits her journey and growth to living at the youth foyer.

“They have uplifted me to achieve anything that I’ve wanted to achieve.”

“I feel like I’m out of the struggle for once. All these things I thought were out of sight have suddenly just glued together.”

If you or someone you know needs housing help

Call 13 QGOV (13 74 68) or contact your local Housing Service Centre.

If you are experiencing or are at risk of homelessness, contact the Homeless Hotline for free on 1800 474 753 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week).