Homelessness affecting youth
Mission Australia’s The Unfair Divide youth homelessness report reveals that nearly one in 10 NSW young people aged 15 to 19, who responded to Mission Australia’s Youth Survey 2023, experienced homelessness in the previous 12 months.
These young people were homeless either with or without their families, and recently spent time without a fixed address, living in a refuge or transitional accommodation, or spent time away from home because they felt they couldn’t return.
The report reveals the troubling reality for young people who have faced homelessness. They were more likely than their peers who hadn’t experienced homelessness to suffer from a mental health condition, face financial hardship, struggle with loneliness and fitting in socially, and have strained or poor family relationships.
Half (50%) of NSW young people who had been homeless were lonely all or most of the time compared with 19% of their stably housed peers. They were also more likely to find it difficult to socialise and fit in (46% compared with 26%), and around five times more likely to have strained or poor family relationships (32% compared with 6%).
Additionally, more than two in five (45%) NSW young people who were recently homeless said they had a mental health condition, compared with 14% of young people with stable homes.
Ben Carblis, Executive Mission Australia, said the report’s findings highlighted the profound impact that homelessness can have on a young person’s wellbeing, and the need for early intervention to prevent young people from becoming homeless in the first place.
“We know the impacts of homelessness on young people can be traumatic and long-lasting — not having a stable and secure home can deny them the ability to plan for their futures and pursue education and employment opportunities.
“When young people who are at risk of homelessness seek help, they can often be supported by Mission Australia and other service providers to remain safely housed. But the lack of social and affordable housing nationwide means that young people who are already homeless when they seek support can remain stuck without a roof over their heads.
Mr Carblis continued: “Ending youth homelessness is possible. It requires a comprehensive approach, including the concrete solutions outlined in this report such as investing in housing supply, ensuring adequate rental subsidies, implementing prevention measures and expanding youth housing options like Youth Foyers.
“Recent funding boosts for homelessness services and housing from the Federal and NSW governments are welcome, but with youth homelessness remaining persistently high, we call on governments to double down on their efforts and continue working with the sector to invest in effective solutions.
“Mission Australia is focused on ending homelessness and we are committed to working across the sector and with all levels of government to ensure that every young person has a safe, secure place to call home and the support they need to thrive.”
Homelessness affecting youth