Youth Projects Limited

What Youth Projects Limited does

Youth Projects Limited is a Melbourne-based not-for-profit organization founded in 1984 that delivers wraparound social services to young people aged 15-24 experiencing disadvantage across 13 local government areas in Greater Melbourne. Its service portfolio is organized around five pillars: primary health and homelessness services (The Living Room drop-in centre at 7-9 Hosier Lane, Night Nurses Outreach, Women's Only Lounge); employment and training programs (Transition to Work, Disability Employment Services, Care Start, Pathways to Clean Energy); social enterprise (The Little Social cafés at Victorian Pride Centre, The Alfred, Footscray Hospital, and Paula Fox Melanoma Cancer Centre, plus the Here4Hospitality pre-employment program and Chop4Change); youth outreach including the Queer Psychosocial Outreach Program (QPOP) for LGBTQIA+ young people; and the Youth Advisory Group that co-designs programs. In FY24/25 the organization supported 5,682 people, recorded 14,600+ visits to The Living Room, achieved 838 employment placements, and generated an estimated $54.5 million in annual financial benefits to society with program-level ROIs of 4.75:1, 3.08:1, and 3.3:1.

The business model blends government grants (from DFFH, Department of Health Victoria, Department of Education, DSS, DEWR, and local councils), tax-deductible donations through campaigns such as Break the Cycle, and commercial revenue from The Little Social cafés and Catering Co. Services to young people are provided free of charge; donations fund frontline operations and are structured around impact tiers ($25 meals, $50 meal + hygiene, $100 mental health check-ins, $250 outreach counselling, $1,000 Hepatitis C treatment pathways). The organization is governed by a Board chaired by Melanie Raymond OAM, with Trent Miller as CEO and Mary Jankulovski as COO; 86% of staff identify with lived or living experience of disadvantage. Certifications include ISO 9001, ISO 27001, AGPAL, ASQA, Social Traders, ACNC, and WGEA Employer of Choice.

Youth Projects is not a technology company and has no proprietary software, AI, or API products. Distribution is community-led, operating through physical drop-in centres, Youth Hubs in Sunshine, Werribee, Glenroy and Melton, mobile street outreach, and social enterprise venues, supported by a network of 80+ employer partners (AHS Hospitality, TSA Group, Toll, Threesixty Personnel) and training partners (Kangan Institute, Victoria University).

Name

Youth Projects Limited

Legal name

Youth Projects Ltd

Website

https://youthprojects.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Melbourne-based not-for-profit founded in 1984 delivering wraparound health, homelessness, employment, and social enterprise services to young people aged 15-24 experiencing disadvantage across 13 local government areas in Greater Melbourne.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Social Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Community Housing Services (62422), Other Community Housing Services (624229)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGADAO

Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Education & Youth Development Nonprofits

SECONDARYBPAIANAC

Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Housing, Urban Planning & Community Development

SECONDARYEDAAAOAD

Youth & Young Adult Workforce Programs (Out-of-School Youth)

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Workforce Development Initiatives

SECONDARYEDAJAEAG

Homeless, Foster Care & Highly Mobile Youth Education Services

Education/K–12 / Primary & Secondary Education/Alternative & At-Risk K–12 Education (Continuation, Recovery, Juvenile)

SECONDARYEDAAAFAN

Youth-to-Adult Transition & Life Skills (Independent Living, Soft Skills)

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Community & Public Education Programs (Libraries, Community Centers)

Keywords

• Youth homelessness services
• Employment training programs
• Primary health care
• Social enterprise cafes
• Mental health outreach

Headquarters

HQ city

Glenroy

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Government Funding & Grants: Core operational funding from federal and state government departments including DFFH, Department of Health Victoria, Department of Education, DSS, DEWR, and local government councils for delivering employment, health, and social support programs.
2. Donations & Philanthropy: Tax-deductible donations from individuals, corporate partners, and philanthropic foundations. The Break the Cycle campaign and general donations provide flexible funding for frontline services.
3. Social Enterprise Revenue: Revenue from The Little Social cafes and catering operations. Young people gain employment experience while generating commercial income. Catering Co surpassed 1,000 orders since launch with 28% year-on-year revenue growth.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Youth Projects Limited is a Melbourne-based not-for-profit (established 1984) delivering wraparound social services for young people aged 15-24 experiencing homelessness, unemployment, mental health challenges and other forms of disadvantage. Core offerings include free primary health care (The Living Room, Night Nurses Outreach, Women's Only Lounge), employment and training programs (Transition to Work, Disability Employment Services, Here4Hospitality, Care Start, Pathways to Clean Energy), social enterprise cafes (The Little Social, Chop4Change), specialised outreach (QPOP for LGBTQIA+ youth), and place-based Youth Hubs across Melbourne.

Product overview

Youth Projects Limited is a Melbourne-based not-for-profit organization (established 1984) providing wraparound social services rather than a technology product company. The organization operates a portfolio of interconnected community programs organized around five service pillars: (1) Primary Health & Homelessness Services through The Living Room, Night Nurses Outreach, and Women's Only Lounge; (2) Employment & Training through Transition to Work, Disability Employment Services, Care Start, and Pathways to Clean Energy; (3) Social Enterprise through The Little Social cafes, Here4Hospitality, and Chop4Change; (4) Youth Outreach including the Queer Psychosocial Outreach Program (QPOP); and (5) Youth Engagement through the Youth Advisory Group. The organization also operates Youth Hubs across multiple Melbourne locations serving as integrated service sites.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Little Social: Social enterprise café operating at Footscray Hospital and other locations, providing employment opportunities for young people facing disadvantage.
• Here4Hospitality
• The Living Room
• QPOP (Queer Psychosocial Outreach Program)
• Chop4Change

Products and services

• The Living Room
• Transition to Work

Quantifiable outcome

• 838 young people gained employment in FY24/25, with 1,256 total placements including 418 into education
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• We Are MobilisecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership delivering $170,000+ in direct support, 80+ months of housing, and changed 59 lives through programs like Mobilise Matched and Kickstarter. New pilots with Toll and Threesixty Personnel opening job pathways for young people with lived experience of homelessness.
• Larita Academy / LK GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual four-day immersive experience bringing together 11 youth partner organisations, industry leaders, creatives and entrepreneurs. 23 young people from Youth Projects participated in 2026 Larita Academy. The Little Social Catering Co. chosen to fuel the Academy, investing $14,000 back into social enterprise.
• Melbourne City MissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration across leadership, housing, education and employment programs empowering hundreds of young people to learn, connect and thrive.
• Kangan InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership delivering Certificate III in Health Services Assistance at Wyndham preparing participants for roles at the new Footscray Hospital.
• Victoria UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through Victoria University's DICE program delivering Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care with 16 participants.
• The Alfred HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Little Social café operating at The Alfred, one of three social enterprise cafes generating employment pathways for young people.
• Victorian Pride CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Little Social café operating at the Victorian Pride Centre, providing inclusive employment space for LGBTQIA+ young people.
• Toll GroupminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNew pilot program with We Are Mobilise opening job pathways for young people with lived experience of homelessness in logistics and transport sectors.
• Threesixty PersonnelminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNew pilot program with We Are Mobilise opening job pathways for young people with lived experience of homelessness in recruitment and staffing sectors.
• AHS HospitalitycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEmployer partner providing hospitality employment opportunities for young people completing Youth Projects training programs.
• TSA GroupcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEmployer partner providing contact centre and customer service employment for Youth Projects participants.
• UpparelminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDonation partner providing clothing and essentials for young people experiencing disadvantage.
• FoodbankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFood donation partner supporting meal provision at The Living Room and other services.
• Ngwala WillumbongcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAboriginal health organization partnership providing culturally safe alcohol and other drugs support.
• OrygencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth mental health organization partnership supporting mental health care and interventions.
• Berry StreetcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFamily and child services organization partnership for holistic youth support.
• Reverence Concept RoastingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoffee roasting partner supplying The Little Social cafes with quality coffee beans.
• La MarzoccominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommercial espresso machine partner supplying equipment for The Little Social cafes.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Orygen: Melbourne-based youth mental health organisation focused on research, clinical care, and training for young people with mental ill-health. Directly comparable youth mental health mission; existing partner of Youth Projects.
• Berry Street: Victoria-wide family and child services organisation providing homelessness support, family services, and youth programs. Directly comparable wraparound service model; existing strategic partner of Youth Projects.
• Launch Housing: Melbourne-focused specialist homelessness organisation providing crisis, transitional, and longer-term housing alongside outreach. Closely aligned with The Living Room and Youth Outreach service lines.
• headspace: National youth mental health foundation providing early-intervention mental health services for 12–25 year olds. Comparable on the youth mental health and LGBTQIA+ affirming care dimensions.
• Jesuit Social Services: Victoria-based social services organisation delivering employment, education, mental health, and justice programs for disadvantaged young people. Comparable employment/training and mental health programming.
• Melbourne City Mission: Large Melbourne-based community services organisation delivering housing, education, employment, and youth support across Victoria. Direct peer in scope and geography, and an existing partner of Youth Projects across leadership, housing, education and employment programs.

Broad incumbents

• Mission Australia: National community services organisation delivering housing, homelessness, employment, and youth programs across Australia. Comparable service mix and target populations at greater scale and broader geographic reach.
• YMCA Victoria: Major Victorian youth and community services organisation delivering recreation, youth programs, housing, and training. Overlaps on youth engagement, vocational training, and social enterprise.
• Anglicare Victoria: Major Victorian welfare provider offering foster care, family services, housing, and youth programs. Comparable service breadth and state-wide scale.
• The Salvation Army Australia (Salvos): Large national welfare provider operating homelessness shelters, youth programs (Frontyard), employment services, and social enterprises. Comparable breadth across the same service categories.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Youth_Projects
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/YouthProjectsMelbourne
• Facebookfacebook.com/YouthProjects
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/youth-projects-ltd
• Instagraminstagram.com/youthprojects
• TikToktiktok.com/@youthprojects

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Youth Projects Limited