Pictured: StreetSmart community partner, Good Cycles
Breaking the Cycle of Youth Homelessness
Young people face an uphill battle when it comes to finding and keeping a safe affordable home in Australia. Many don’t have the bank of mum and dad to rely on, and face a cycle of complex factors like financial instability, poor mental health, violent homes, and discrimination. Safety nets are failing to provide security for vulnerable young people, creating traumatic cycles of homelessness, violence, and poverty. Young people have ambition, resilience and a desire to create a future of their choosing, but are struggling to catch a break in a system stacked against them.
For those facing homelessness, financial security and independence is a key protective factor yet education, training and employment opportunities are often difficult for young people to find and engage in. So in March and April, we’re raising funds and awareness to disrupt this cycle in the lead up to Youth Homelessness Matters Day.
”If you don't have safe and stable housing, it's hard to finish school. If you don't finish school, it's hard to get and keep a good job. If you don't have a good job … it's hard to afford safe and stable housing.
Corin MoffattFoyer Foundation Chief Executive
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Safety nets are failing young people
Not enough to live on, the rate of Youth Allowance sits at well below the rate of a minimum weekly wage. This prevents young people from even securing a room in a sub-standard shared house, let alone leasing their own apartment with a partner or friend. A 16-17 year old sharing a property in Perth is now forking out 76% of their income on rent, and in Sydney, 94%. Students are being left with just $13 a day to cover essentials like food, transport, and medication. It’s no wonder that 75% of young people in this cohort remain in rental stress.
Dedicated and affordable youth housing is another, failing, safety net. The recent rental and housing affordability crisis is hurting young people. One 2024 study found that across the whole country, zero properties were affordable for a young person on Youth Allowance.
Featured: Video by StreetSmart community partner, Gold Coast Youth Service
Where young people may once have been able to secure a home through dedicated social and public housing, chronic underinvestment and poor government policy have failed to safeguard this (as just 4% of national stock is youth-specific). Dedicated youth tenancies are not built into our housing system and there is no mandate for youth tenancies in new housing investments and programs.
Without a home and nowhere to go
It’s not a surprise then, that rates of youth homelessness are on the rise. People aged under 25 make up a quarter of the homeless population in Australia. Many present to services alone (38,600 young people sought help from SHS alone last year) and already in immediate crisis (56% were already experiencing homelessness).
Our community network is overwhelmed by the number of young people and young families accessing their services, with very few accommodation options beyond an overstretched youth crisis accommodation system. This results in many young people having to opt for unsafe environments, just because they have absolutely nowhere to go. Recent data shows that even after assistance from homelessness services, 44% of young people remained homeless.
”You have young people living in their cars and living on the street, living in crisis accommodation, trying so hard to get out of it, but there's just genuinely nothing available for that young person to go to.
Youth Worker
Breaking the cycle with education and employment
Employment is a key protective factor, but young people are struggling to find, access and engage in these opportunities. Youth unemployment currently sits at 9%, a way above the general population level of 4%. We know that business sectors like hospitality and retail, where young people have traditionally found entry level and flexible employment, have been hit the hardest in recent years, as people reduce discretionary spending. Proportions of 15-24 year old who are fully engaged in education, training or work have fallen in the past year.
Young people experiencing disadvantages like poverty or homelessness are more likely to experience repeated and long-term periods of unemployment. This impacts their life course, negatively affecting health, wellbeing and financial outcomes later in life. We know that for young people who are not engaged in any education, training or paid employment by the age of 24, their risk experiencing future long-term unemployment is significantly increased.
Some young people are more likely to be disengaged from education, training, or work including those from lower socio economic backgrounds, those living in remote areas, and Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander youth.
Pictured: StreetSmart community partner For Change Co
Collective Giving and Action
Join us in creating opportunities for young people to disrupt cycles of homelessness and disadvantage through engaging in training, education and employment. As always, our focus will be on seeking out and supporting smaller, grassroots organisations to better respond to the needs of their communities. Get involved and help us empower young people by sharing this article or donating below.
We work collaboratively, and encourage corporates,businesses,and people to join together for collective action and impact.Please reach out at partners@streetsmartaustralia.org if this sounds like you.
Breaking the cycle. Breaking the cycle. Breaking the cycle
