about moss

For more than three decades, MOSS has supported people across Melbourne’s north with practical help, local connection and pathways toward greater safety and stability. We are a community-based organisation working alongside individuals, families, children, young people and older people experiencing homelessness, housing vulnerability and complex disadvantage.

MOSS describes itself as a not-for-profit housing support service, with roots dating back to 1988 and a vision centred on ending homelessness, sustaining housing and strengthening communities.

Community-based since 1988

MOSS began in 1988, when local Darebin community members recognised the need to act on homelessness in their area. Since then, the organisation has grown to support people across the Melbourne metropolitan region.

A broad range of support programs

MOSS delivers services across housing support, crisis response, children and family support, youth refuge, outreach, and social connection for older people and vulnerable community members.

People-first in practice

MOSS frames its work around people feeling welcomed, connected, involved, secure and supported, with consumers at the heart of how services are delivered.

Accredited and accountable

The current MOSS website references certification against AS/NZS ISO 9001:2015 and Department of Human Services Standards, reinforcing a commitment to quality and accountability.

the moss story

The MOSS story began with a local response to a local need. In 1988, Darebin community members saw the growing impact of homelessness and took action.

Following a successful submission to DHS, the first MOSS office opened in High Street, Northcote. Since then, MOSS has expanded its reach, its programs and its locations, supporting people across Melbourne with services designed to respond to crisis, sustain housing and strengthen community connection.

Today, MOSS continues that work with a clear focus. To provide practical, person-centred support that helps people move toward greater stability, safety and wellbeing.

Across every program, the goal is the same: to meet people with dignity, respond with care, and help create a stronger path forward.

our foundation

These statements speak to both the scale of MOSS’s ambition and the way it works day to day. They reflect a commitment to safe housing, practical support, strong relationships and meaningful community outcomes.

Vision

Striving to end homelessness, sustaining housing, strengthening communities.

Mission

MOSS treats all people equally by ensuring they feel welcomed, connected, involved, secure and supported.

our partners

No organisation creates lasting change alone. MOSS works alongside corporate partners, businesses, funders and community organisations who share a commitment to reducing homelessness and its causes. The current site positions these partnerships as essential to the impact MOSS is able to make in the community. These relationships help extend the reach of MOSS programs, strengthen service delivery and support more connected responses for the people and communities who need them most.

The Team

Behind every MOSS program is a team committed to practical support, human dignity and stronger community outcomes. From leadership and governance through to frontline program delivery, the people behind MOSS help shape the direction, culture and impact of the organisation every day. The current MOSS About page presents three team groupings: Program Managers, Executive Team, and Board of Directors.

Executive Team

Board of Directors

Program Managers

Executive Team

The Executive Team leads MOSS with a shared commitment to safe housing, strong services and sustainable impact. Their role is to guide strategy, strengthen operations and ensure the organisation continues to evolve in ways that support both the community and the people delivering the work every day.

Mark Goodie

Chief Executive Officer

Hardeep Saini

General Manager

Nannette Wilkinson

Manager of Quality and Compliance

Lorraine Walker

Finance & Business Manager

Shayda Alizadeh

Partnerships & Growth Manager

Board of Directors

The Board of Directors provides governance, oversight and strategic guidance for MOSS. Together, the Board brings broad experience across community services, health, people and culture, governance and social justice, helping ensure MOSS remains focused, accountable and responsive to the needs of the community.

Stephen Gagen

Chairperson

Heather Yasamee

Secretary

Daniel Jade JP

Treasurer

Phillip Bain

Director

Lisa Calderone

Director

Prameend Singh

Director

Oscar Ramos

Director

Gurhan Araci

Director

Simon Errington

Director

program managers

MOSS Program Managers help bring the organisation’s purpose to life through direct service leadership. Across housing, outreach, children’s services and social support, they guide teams that respond to complex needs with experience, compassion and a strong understanding of local communities.

Katrina

Program Manager, Social Support Groups

Sene

Transitional Outreach Support Team incorporating Banyule
Housing Support

Talia

Program Manager, Bright Futures

Halime

Program Manager, North West Regional Children’s Resource
Program

Vicki

Program Manager, Hume Transitional Outreach Program

news

Stay up to date with the latest from MOSS, including organisational updates, sector commentary, community advocacy and program developments. The current site’s blog includes news-led content such as reporting on tent cities growing in Melbourne’s north, alongside broader sector and community updates.

News

16 Sep 2022

Vale Uncle Jack Charles

It is a very sad time at MOSS. Our beloved MOSS Ambassador Uncle Jack Charles has died aged 79.

5 min read

News

13 Apr 2021

“Decrease the Digital Divide” with the M Digital Mentor Program

Merri Outreach Support Service, in partnership with Moreland Libraries and Moreland City Council invites members of the local community to become Digital Mentors for senior residents.

5 min read

News

15 Feb 2021

Building a mental health literacy model and verbal scale for children

The results of a Delphi study originally published on ScienceDirect by Justine Bale, Christine Grové, Shane Costello

5 min read

News

12 Jan 2021

Evolution, Disruption & Growth

Organisations are continually evolving from one year to the next, but the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has triggered an evolution no one could have anticipated.

5 min read

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stories

Behind every service is a person, a family or a community navigating change. The current MOSS site features story-led content including Maya’s story and a tribute to MOSS Ambassador Uncle Jack Charles, showing both lived experience and the people who have shaped the organisation’s wider community.

Stories

29 Jul 2026

Protecting Two Lives: The Crisis in Emergency Housing for Pregnant Women

Pregnancy usually brings a mix of excitement and planning. For many, it is a time of nesting, choosing baby clothes, and preparing a safe corner of the world for a new arrival.

5 min read

Stories

15 Jul 2026

Council Seizure Laws and Human Dignity: The Cost of Enforcement in Port Phillip

In the quiet hours of a Melbourne winter, a sleeping bag represents the difference between a night of rest and a night of physical peril.

5 min read

Stories

01 Jul 2026

The Ripple Effect: How Safe Housing Helps Break the Cycle of Family Violence and Homelessness

When someone leaves violence, they are often leaving more than a relationship.

5 min read

Stories

17 Jun 2026

Employment and Housing: The Catch-22 for Vulnerable Youth

Young Australians face a compounding crisis when they lose their housing.

5 min read

Stories

31 Jan 2024

Homelessness service says tent cities growing in Melbourne’s north

More than 30,000 Victorians are homeless, an increase of 17 per cent over the past five years.

5 min read

Stories

29 Apr 2022

Maya's Story

“I had no one to rely on, no family, no friends, not a single soul.” – Maya* (name changed to maintain privacy).

5 min read

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events

Events create opportunities to connect, learn, raise awareness and bring more people into the shared work of strengthening communities. While the current site focuses more heavily on stories and updates than event listings, this section can play an important role in building visibility, participation and support.

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join Our Team

Working at MOSS means contributing to meaningful, community-based work that supports people facing homelessness, housing vulnerability and complex disadvantage.

The current careers page highlights both employment and volunteering opportunities, and positions MOSS as a supportive, inclusive workplace offering flexible arrangements, salary packaging and professional development.

If you are driven by social justice, community impact and practical support, MOSS offers the chance to do work that matters. Explore current opportunities and help shape the next chapter of support across Melbourne’s north

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