Catchment Youth Services is a community-based service that exists to provide programs and opportunities aimed at empowering homeless young people across the state of Victoria.

Catchment Youth Services operates within a social justice framework that is anti-violence, anti-racist and non-sexist. Catchment does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, class, sexuality, religion, or HIV status. Catchment endeavours to provide a service that is culturally sensitive, in a safe and nurturing environment.

Catchment Youth Services operates from a holistic approach to youth homelessness in the recognition that youth homelessness encompasses a wide range of issues that extend beyond accommodation such as health, family breakdown, violence and life trauma. Catchment Youth Services seeks to provide young people with choices beyond the crisis point through their extensive and evolving programs. The service aims to provide service to the most disadvantaged and vulnerable target groups, including young people from ethnic minorities, same sex attracted youth, young women and lower age age groups that groups that require a higher level of support and are at a higher risk of becoming long term homeless.

Catchment Youth Services operates from the principle that the services users have the right to participate in the management of the service and contribute to the decisions that affect their lives. For this reason the service operates within a community-based structure that is based on collective working processes, with a commitment to non-institutional approach of keeping the decisions in the hands of the people that are affected by them. This non-hierarchical structure allows for continual reflection and flexibility that enables the service to be open to change; Catchment Youth Services has the opportunity to respond to the changing and challenging needs of young homeless people.

Catchment Youth Services has a strong commitment to community education and raising the social awareness of issues pertaining to youth homelessness. Networking and liasing with other services within the community is seen as essential to maintain this commitment. As enshrined in the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, Article 25, paragraph 1:
Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well being of themselves and of their family including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond their control.

Catchment Youth Services main objectives are to:

1. Provide young people with a range of appropriate housing options through information and referral.
2. Act and negotiate for and with young people in relation to their rights and needs in such matters as housing, income, health and legal issues.
3. Assist in the development of shared and independent living skills, ensuring young people learn and retain maximum independence.
4. Assist residents in gaining skills to find and maintain employment.
5. Be available for young people whilst at the refuge to communicate their needs and concerns and refer them to appropriate services.
6. Ensure that, whilst staying at the refuge, young people are well cared for in terms of their security, confidentiality, and general well being.
7. Establish and maintain channels to negotiate and liase with those government and non-government agencies, which have direct relevance to the service.
8. Participate in the ongoing development of services available to young people via forums and working parties targeting issues related to homeless young people.

Current activities of Catchment Youth Services include all of the above functions in addition to seeking assistance with financial donations, household goods of any kind, clothing, shoes, bedding, towels, gift certificates, or just about anything that you can offer, including outdated and seconds stock.