1-in-10 teenagers surveyed had experienced homelessness in Australia in the past year, according to a 2023 youth survey by Mission Australia, a national Christian charity that revealed the stark figures for its ‘The Unfair Divide’ youth homelessness report published on August 1.
Of the youths aged 15 to 19 suffering homelessness, the experiences ranged from living with or without families, spending time without a fixed address, living in a refuge or temporary accommodation or simply isolating themselves because they felt unable to return to a home setting.
Sharon Callister, chief executive officer of Mission Australia, stated the profound effect of homelessness upon a youth’s health and future prospects.
“This report demonstrates the harrowing impact of homelessness on young lives,” said Callister. “Whether enduring the harsh realities of sleeping rough, seeking refuge in crisis or transitional accommodation, or couch surfing, our youth survey confirms the experience of homelessness for young people can be distressing and scarring.”
Findings from the report also showed recently homeless youths suffered greater challenges than their peers from stable homes. They were more likely to endure mental health illnesses (41% versus 13%), loneliness (47% versus 18%), problems fitting in with society (46% versus 26%), financial woes, and strained family relationships (34% versus 5%).
Mission Australia is calling on authorities and institutions to be more active and use more effective measures in supporting youths who have experienced homelessness as well as directly deal with systemic issues that lead to such adverse situations in the first place.
“It should be unacceptable for any young person on the cusp of adulthood to be forced to experience homelessness in Australia,” said Callister.
“Every young person deserves a safe, secure home as a launchpad into adulthood. Empowering young people to start their journey to adulthood on a solid footing can transform lives."
She said that frontline staff at Mission Australia and similar social action organizations were helping to provide “wrap-around support” to the young people and their families, such as finding safe housing.
Youths at risk of homelessness can be supported to remain safely housed when asking for help but it’s a different story for those already homeless, she added.
“Australia’s housing and homelessness emergency means that most of those young people can’t find housing and so continue to experience homelessness.”
However, Callister believes that ending youth homelessness in Australia is an attainable goal, if a comprehensive approach is taken with “concrete solutions” such as “investing in housing supply, ensuring adequate rental subsidies, implementing prevention measures and expanding youth housing options like Youth Foyers.”
Callister also called on schools and community services to be better resourced to support the welfare of these teenagers and their families.
She lauded recent investments by federal, state and territory authorities but “with youth homelessness remaining persistently high, we must keep working together to invest in effective solutions.”
“We want to see an Australia where homelessness is rare, brief and non-recurring. But currently, for too many young people, it is neither,” said Callister.
“Together, we must create a future where every young person has a safe, secure place to call home and the support and care they need to thrive.”
