By Emily-Rose Toohey
Not-for-profit organisation Youth Off The Streets is calling for greater investment in tackling Australia’s youth homelessness crisis in a nation-wide awareness day on 20 April.
According to a Youth Off The Streets spokesperson, Youth Homelessness Matters Day aims to shine a light on the problem, which is often hidden.
“Young people are more likely to couch surf or seek out other forms of temporary accommodation than sleep rough on the streets,” the spokesperson said.
“Last year, 41,700 young people aged 15 to 24 asked for help from homelessness services, but it is widely accepted across the sector that the actual number of young people experiencing or at risk of homelessness is much higher.
“Because the problem is hidden, they are often largely overlooked, hence the need for urgent solutions.”
To raise awareness of the issue, the spokesperson said that Youth Off The Streets has launched an awareness campaign called the Great Couch Sleepout.
“The campaign encourages the general public to swap their bed for the couch on Youth Homelessness Matters and share the experience on their social media,” the spokesperson said.
Youth Off The Streets CEO Lex Nadine Lutherborrow said that while every young person’s story is different, domestic and family violence continues to be the main driver of youth homelessness in Australia.
“Overcrowding at home, mental health issues, family conflict and trauma are often in the background as well,” Lex said.
“It’s a complex issue, but with greater investment in prevention and early intervention programs, we can do a much better job of tackling it.
“A safe and stable home is a basic human right, but it’s one that far too many young people are being denied.”
The spokesperson said that 54 per cent of youth homelessness last year was young women, and this stops them from going to school or getting a job.
“Young people between 15 and 24 are too old to access children’s services and don’t fit the adult approach, which is why they’re falling through the gaps and we need to do so much better,” the spokesperson said.
“If we don’t do better at addressing the issue, there’s a chance they become trapped in a cycle of homelessness.”
Youth Off The Streets was founded in 1991 and work with young people, their families and communities to create safety, offer support and provide pathways to a positive future.
