GlobeWest's Partnership with Lighthouse Foundation
GlobeWest is proud to partner with the Australian charity Lighthouse Foundation to support their vision to end youth homelessness.
Recently, members of our team came together to support the children living in a Lighthouse home, volunteering their time to build a cubby house, play kitchen and trampoline. Alongside this, we hosted a beautiful morning tea, where we had the privilege of hearing firsthand from Susan, Carlos and Jo about their meaningful involvement with the Lighthouse Foundation.
We sat down with Susan to gain a deeper understanding of how the organisation is working to help end youth homelessness.
What Lighthouse Does and Why It Matters
Lighthouse supports young people who would otherwise face homelessness, using what’s known as a trauma-informed therapeutic model of care. But in practice, Susan Barton explains, it’s much simpler, and much more human than it sounds. It means becoming the best possible carer and support for each young person. It means creating stability where there has been chaos. It means offering long-term care, not quick fixes. Most importantly, it means giving young people the time, consistency, and connection they need not just to survive, but to thrive.
Rather than focusing only on crisis intervention, Lighthouse is committed to early, meaningful support, ensuring that when a young person leaves their care, they are equipped to build a fulfilling and independent future.
Creating a Safe Space
For a young person entering a new home, anxiety is inevitable, but for those who have experienced trauma, that feeling is often magnified many times over. That’s why the physical environment at Lighthouse matters so deeply.
A safe space isn’t just about shelter, it’s about how a place feels. It’s calm and predictable. It’s warm, welcoming and thoughtfully designed.
When everything in a home feels settled and intentional, something remarkable happens. Susan describes seeing young people physically relax as they walk into the space, their posture softening, their breathing slowing. In that moment, they begin to feel safe enough to listen, to connect and eventually, to heal.
Redefining Care
At Lighthouse, “care” goes beyond support, it’s about forming genuine, lasting relationships. Many young people arrive with what’s known as disorganised attachment, having never experienced consistent or reliable care. Rebuilding that trust takes time. It requires, consistency, predictability, patience and unwavering presence.
Carers show up day after day, year after year, even when young people test boundaries or push them away. “That’s when the magic happens,” Susan says.
When carers remain steady through those challenges, young people begin to understand what healthy relationships look like. They learn that connection doesn’t have to break and that trust can be rebuilt.
What Makes a House a Home?
A Lighthouse home is designed to contribute to a sense of safety, belonging, connection and love. But perhaps the most powerful element is something many take for granted: permanence.
While many vulnerable children experience dozens of placements throughout their lives, Lighthouse offers something different - a place where they can stay as long as they need. A place to put down roots, a place that feels like home. Importantly, a place where they can begin to reconnect with the broader community - learning, in a safe and supported way, that community itself can be a source of care, not harm.
The Small Things That Have the Biggest Impact
While the Lighthouse model is built on deep expertise and long-term care, Susan is quick to point out that it’s often small things that make the biggest impact. It’s the everyday environment, a comfortable couch, a welcoming dining table, a peaceful corner for reflection. It’s the people who surround each young person, the skilled, compassionate carers and a wider network of supporters. It's the shared moments that happen within those spaces. Even in moments of chaos, that simple act of gathering around a table, creates a sense of stability and belonging. It’s where connection is rebuilt, one conversation at a time.
Susan shares a powerful example: a young person who, overwhelmed by anger and trauma, would throw a glass of orange juice off the table each morning, but the carers kept placing it there. Every day. No matter what. Months later, that same young person came to the table and asked, “Where’s my orange juice?”
That moment signified something profound: trust had begun to form.
How You Can Make a Difference
Supporting Lighthouse doesn’t require extraordinary action, it’s about consistent, collective effort. One of the most impactful ways to contribute is through regular giving, these small contributions allow Lighthouse to put meals on the table. Beyond financial contributions, there are many ways to get involved:
- Volunteering in community committees
- Sharing professional skills
- Supporting fundraising efforts
- Contributing to the creation of safe, nurturing homes
As Susan puts it, it’s about becoming part of the community that surrounds these young people, helping them experience connection, care and possibility.
Explore the Kip Collection
5% of proceeds from the Kip purchases will be donated directly to Lighthouse Foundation, supporting their vision to end Youth Homelessness.
Want To Learn More about Lighthouse Foundation?
Lighthouse Foundation's mission is to create pathways to end youth homelessness. Providing kids experiencing homelessness or trauma, the support they need to heal, grow, and achieve a lifelong sense of belonging.
