Haven House Bonbeach, Victoria

Project Overview

One of the first homeless young people that lived at Bonbeach was a 17-year old refuge, Asan*.

Asan was surprisingly casual about choosing his room when he arrived. “This one will be just fine,” he said, quickly shutting the door behind him.

As a child, Asan fled his war-torn country, witnessing the deaths of some close family members. After surviving in horrendous refugee camp conditions, with little education, he found himself alone in Australia.

Due to his trauma and his limited English, it was difficult for him to settle into foster care and to concentrate on his education. He soon found himself homeless in Melbourne, sleeping in squats and running with the wrong crowd.

In Asan’s first week in the PIF House Bonbeach home, his carers complimented him on the impeccable way he made his bed each day, carefully placing the cushions in their original positions, without a wrinkle in the bedding. The truth eventually came out: he had been sleeping on the floor, not in the bed. He explained that he was keeping the bed in good condition for someone else who might need it.

“All I need is this floor, this warm carpet and this room with a door I can close,” he said. “This is the best I’ve ever known. You can put another person in that bed.”

It took many hours of therapeutic counselling to help Asan understand that he was truly worthy of sleeping in the bed, and worthy of making the best of his true potential.

*Name changed to protect privacy.