Gold Coast charity empowers at-risk youth through home building
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On the Gold Coast in Australia, the charity Everything Suarve (Esuarve) is helping young people aged 16 to 24 avoid the youth justice system by teaching them construction skills.
Esuarve works with individuals disengaged from education or employment and provides a ten-week program combining mental wellbeing support with practical building experience. Participants learn to construct tiny homes, completing tasks like installing flooring, cabinetry, and plumbing. To date, the program has produced 14 tiny homes.
Eight of these homes now provide housing for people recovering from eating disorders at a recovery village on the Sunshine Coast. Esuarve’s founder, Joseph Te Puni-Fromont, stated the program aims to both address youth crime and contribute to solutions for housing shortages. Ninety percent of the young people who complete the program find employment, and over 360 have participated so far. Research from Bond University supports the effectiveness of vocational training in reducing youth reoffending.
The Queensland Government spends approximately $738,000 annually to detain one young person, whereas community programs like Esuarve offer a more cost-effective alternative. Esuarve is now seeking a partnership with the state government to build tiny homes for social and emergency housing.
