Wayss
Wayss is a Victorian non-profit (founded 1997) delivering free crisis accommodation, housing, and family violence support services to individuals, families, and youth across Melbourne's southeast, funded primarily by Australian and Victorian government contracts.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1997
- HeadquartersDandenong, Australia
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Wayss does
Wayss (legal entity WAYSS LTD) is a non-profit community services organisation headquartered in Dandenong, Victoria, Australia, founded in 1997 and registered with the ACNC (ABN 38 080 191 108). The organisation delivers personalised crisis support, emergency accommodation, transitional housing, social housing property management, and wraparound casework to individuals, families, and young people at risk of or experiencing family violence, housing insecurity, or homelessness across Melbourne's southeast — specifically Dandenong, Casey, Cardinia, Frankston, and parts of the Mornington Peninsula. Its service catalogue is segmented across use-cases (individuals, youth, Indigenous peoples, families) and personas (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with disability, LGBTIQ+ individuals), with a Rainbow Tick certification underpinning its inclusion commitments. All services are delivered free of charge to clients.
The underlying operating model is human-led service delivery rather than technology: there is no proprietary platform, API, or digital product, and the technology footprint is limited to a WordPress website and a SharePoint staff hub. Distribution runs through physical service sites, after-hours phone crisis lines (including 1800 627 727 and 1800 015 188 via Safe Steps), online contact forms, and inbound referrals from Orange Door and other government and community agencies. The business is funded primarily by Australian Government and Victorian Government contracts, supplemented by donations from individuals and corporate partners (notably Mirvac Residential and Alapont Developments), and is governed by a board of directors and led by CEO Simon Ruth.
Wayss firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Wayss
- Legal name
- WAYSS LTD
- Website
- https://wayss.org.au
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1997
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Wayss is a Victorian non-profit (founded 1997) delivering free crisis accommodation, housing, and family violence support services to individuals, families, and youth across Melbourne's southeast, funded primarily by Australian and Victorian government contracts.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Wayss industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Social and Community Services (Homelessness and Family Violence Support)
- NAICS
- Individual and Family Services (6241), Community Housing Services (62422)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Protection Services (GBV, Child Protection, Legal Aid) (BPADADAH)
Keywords
Where Wayss is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dandenong
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices2 records
Markets served
Wayss business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Government Funding: As an ACNC Registered Charity ABN 38 080 191 108, Wayss receives government funding (Australian Government and Victorian Government) to deliver family violence, homelessness, and housing support services.
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: Wayss accepts donations from individuals and organizations to supplement government funding and directly support individuals experiencing family violence and homelessness.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Other | Free support services for people at risk of or experiencing family violence, housing insecurity, or homelessness |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels3 records
Wayss product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Wayss provides personalised support, emergency accommodation, and places to stay for people at risk of or experiencing family violence, housing insecurity, or homelessness across Melbourne's southeast region (Dandenong, Casey, Cardinia, Frankston, and parts of the Mornington Peninsula). Services span family violence crisis response, housing and homelessness programs tailored to individuals, youth, Indigenous peoples and families, management of social housing properties for renters, and after-hours emergency support, all delivered free of charge to clients.
Product overview
Wayss is a community services organization offering a coordinated suite of support services for people experiencing family violence, housing insecurity, or homelessness in Melbourne's southeast region. The organization operates as a single integrated service model combining emergency accommodation, transitional housing, property management for social housing, and wraparound support programs. Key service streams include Family Violence Support, Housing & Homelessness Services (covering individuals, youth, Indigenous peoples, and families), emergency after-hours crisis support, and social housing property management. Wayss partners with government agencies, developers, and other organizations to deliver these services and increase housing availability in the region.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Family Violence Support Services Personalised support services for people at risk of or experiencing family violence, providing safety, assessment, and referral services in Dandenong, Casey, Cardinia, Frankston and parts of the Mornington Peninsula. Free of charge to clients.
- Housing & Homelessness Support Services Comprehensive housing assistance including emergency accommodation, transitional housing, and support programs for individuals, youth, Indigenous peoples, and families experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity in the southeast region.
- Youth Homelessness Services Emergency youth accommodation and tailored support services for young people experiencing homelessness, including life skills development and pathways to independent living.
- Indigenous Housing Support Specialized support services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples experiencing family violence or homelessness, acknowledging their overrepresentation in homelessness statistics.
- Social Housing Property Management Oversight and management of social housing properties for those facing homelessness, ensuring properties are maintained and accessible, working closely with support agencies for long-term housing solutions.
- Emergency After-Hours Support Crisis support services available after hours, connecting people experiencing family violence or homelessness with immediate assistance including emergency accommodation referrals via the main 03 9791 6111 line, Homelessness Support Services (1800 627 727) and Family Violence Support Services (1800 015 188 through Safe Steps).
Companies that use Wayss
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Wayss technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Wayss partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Windana Drug and Alcohol RecoverycoreWindana's SECADA team (providing person-centred services for alcohol and other drug issues) is now co-located at Wayss' Dandenong site, enabling integrated service delivery for clients with complex needs. This collaboration combines strengths to provide more effective services.
- Mirvac ResidentialminorMirvac Residential donated essential household items (beds, bedding, dinnerware, kettles, toasters) to families supported by Wayss, enabling them to establish a sense of comfort, dignity and belonging when moving to stable housing.
- Alapont DevelopmentscoreAlapont Developments donated a brand-new home in Pakenham to Wayss, giving a family in need a place to live. The donation was covered in local media, highlighting the urgent need for safe housing in Greater Dandenong where homelessness rose 21% in winter and the region has the highest homelessness rate in Victoria.
- Orange DoorcoreOrange Door is a government referral pathway that directs individuals and families experiencing family violence to Wayss' Emergency Youth Accommodation and other services.
- City of CaseycoreWayss partnered with City of Casey to make a home for Danielle, a mother with six children experiencing homelessness, demonstrating a collaborative approach to providing housing solutions.
- Australian GovernmentcoreThe Australian Government is listed as a partner/funder of Wayss, providing funding that supports the delivery of family violence and homelessness services in Victoria.
- Victorian GovernmentcoreThe Victorian Government is listed as a partner/funder of Wayss, supporting the organization's operations in delivering social housing and family violence support in the southeast Melbourne region.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Wayss competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Melbourne City Mission: Large Melbourne-based community services organization offering housing, homelessness, family, and youth services. Direct peer with overlapping service portfolio and shared government funder relationships across the Southern Metropolitan Region.
- Launch Housing: Major Victorian not-for-profit providing housing and homelessness services across Melbourne including crisis, transitional, and social housing. Direct peer — overlaps with Wayss on emergency accommodation, housing support, and government funding model in the same Victorian ecosystem.
- Safe Steps Family Violence Response Centre: Victorian state-wide family violence crisis service that operates the family violence phone line Wayss refers clients into. Direct peer in family violence service delivery and closely linked as both referrer and referree within Victoria's family violence response system.
- Wintringham Housing: Specialist Victorian provider of supported housing for older people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Direct peer in the social housing property management space, serving related vulnerable cohorts under similar government funding.
- Sacred Heart Mission: St Kilda-based community organization providing meals, accommodation, and support for people experiencing homelessness and disadvantage. Direct peer offering comparable crisis and housing services in Melbourne, funded through similar government grant mechanisms.
- VincentCare Victoria: Victorian homelessness services provider delivering emergency accommodation, housing support, and aged care. Direct peer due to shared service categories and overlapping government funding pools for family violence and homelessness in Victoria.
Broad incumbents
- The Salvation Army Australia: Nationwide social services organization operating crisis accommodation, family violence support, and emergency relief. Broad incumbent with overlapping service categories but a much larger national footprint than Wayss.
- Anglicare Victoria: Large faith-based social services organization delivering a broad portfolio across housing, family violence, foster care, and youth services across Victoria. Broader incumbent — overlaps with Wayss on family violence and homelessness but operates as a multi-service statewide agency rather than a regional specialist.
- Berry Street Victoria: Victorian not-for-profit providing family services, child protection, homelessness, and youth support across multiple regions. Broad incumbent with shared family violence and youth homelessness service categories in the same state.
- St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria: Major Victorian not-for-profit providing emergency relief, housing support, and material aid across the state. Broader incumbent with overlapping crisis support and homelessness services delivered through a wider regional footprint.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Wayss social profiles
Digital presenceWayss financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Wayss leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Wayss funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Wayss M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Wayss
What does Wayss do?
Wayss provides personalised support, emergency accommodation, and places to stay for people at risk of or experiencing family violence, housing insecurity, or homelessness across Melbourne's southeast region (Dandenong, Casey, Cardinia, Frankston, and parts of the Mornington Peninsula). Services span family violence crisis response, housing and homelessness programs tailored to individuals, youth, Indigenous peoples and families, management of social housing properties for renters, and after-hours emergency support, all delivered free of charge to clients.
Is Wayss a public or private company?
Wayss is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Wayss founded?
Wayss was founded in 1997. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Wayss based?
Wayss is headquartered in Dandenong, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Wayss make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Government Funding is the primary driver. The others are donations and Charitable Contributions.
Who are Wayss's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Melbourne City Mission, Launch Housing, Safe Steps Family Violence Response Centre, Wintringham Housing, Sacred Heart Mission and VincentCare Victoria. Broad incumbents are The Salvation Army Australia, Anglicare Victoria, Berry Street Victoria and St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria.
Does Wayss have an API?
No public API is recorded for Wayss.
What industry is Wayss in?
Wayss's product category is Social and Community Services (Homelessness and Family Violence Support). Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAEAB, Housing Assistance & Homeless Services, with a secondary code of BPADADAH, Protection Services (GBV, Child Protection, Legal Aid). Its NAICS code is 6241 and its SIC code is 8300.