The Journey To End Youth Homelessness
For many people under the age of 25, instability in their homes, which includes abuse, neglect, domestic violence, parental substance use, or family conflict, forces them out onto the streets before they are adults, resulting in youth homelessness. Additionally for rainbow young people, their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression can result in them being kicked out of their homes or being forced to leave because it’s too dangerous to stay.
In Australia, on Census night, 2021, over 28,000 Australians aged 12 to 24 years were estimated to be homeless.
There are similar problems across the Tasman. Overall, it’s estimated that half of New Zealand’s 41,000 homeless are under the age of 25 (New Zealand also has one of the highest levels of homelessness in the OECD).
Bianca Johanson, CEO of Manaaki Rangatahi, the only youth homelessness collective in New Zealand, says that youth homelessness is hidden in plain sight, because it involves a fluid experience of homelessness within which young people couch surf, sleep rough on the streets or in a shelter, so it’s not that obvious, yet it’s not their fault and they didn’t choose to be homeless.
A new report from the Growing Up in New Zealand project states how homelessness and its patterns were found to be related to public housing tenures and involuntary home moves.
Johanson adds that from a systems perspective federal and local government need to work together to create solutions whereby youth don’t fall through the legislative gaps and into homelessness. “Further, welfare policies and affordable housing needs to ensure that no children are born into homelessness, because they risk remaining there their whole lives,” she says.
“On a grassroots level when we talk about housing, we need to increase the amount of supported and culturally appropriate youth housing, by talking to our local MPs, because when it comes to emergency housing for youth, it’s very limited and during times of crisis they can find themselves in shelters alongside adults which is unsafe.
“Overall, there needs to be a zero tolerance for youth homelessness because it’s a human rights violation.”
Further solutions include increases in street outreach programs; enhanced child welfare, community programs and public-facing youth-serving systems that quickly identify and offer information to at-risk youth; but mostly early intervention to reduce the length of time youth are impacted by homelessness.
TO FIND SUPPORT
lighthousefoundation.org.au youthoffthestreets.com.au lgbtihomeless.org.au