The shocking effect that homelessness has on the lives of young people has come under the spotlight in a new report.

Key Points:

• Mission Australia CEO Sharon Callister said the report showed the “harrowing impact” of homelessness on young lives.
• 41% of young people homeless suffered from mental health issues (compared with 13% of young people who lived in stable homes).
• “Empowering young people to start their journey to adulthood on a solid footing can transform lives.”
• For more information and to support the work of Mission Australia visit missionaustralia.com.au

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Mission Australia’s The Unfair Divide youth homelessness report has revealed that young people who had recently been homeless, also struggled in other areas of their lives.

The report, which was released on Thursday morning, found that young people were more likely (than those young people who hadn’t experienced homelessness) to “suffer from a mental health condition, experience loneliness, struggle to fit in socially, face financial hardship and have strained or poor family relationships.”

Mission Australia CEO Sharon Callister said the report showed the “harrowing impact” of homelessness on young lives.

More suffering

A Mission Australia spokesperson told Hope 103.2 that the new report contains exclusive data that was amassed during Mission Australia’s Youth Survey 2023 collection period last year.

“It compares the experiences of people aged 15 to 19 who had been homeless in the previous 12 months, with those aged 15 to 19, who had stable housing,” said the spokesperson.

The findings were that almost half (47%) of young people who had been homeless were lonely “all or most of the time” compared with 18% of young people who were not homeless.

Further, 41% said they suffered from mental health issues (compared with 13% of young people who lived in stable homes).

The report also found that young people who had been homeless in the last 12 months were nearly twice more likely than their housed counterparts to find it difficult to socialise and fit in – and seven times more likely to “experience strained or poor family relationships”.

“Empowering young people”

Mission Australia is now pushing for more to be done to improve the lives of young people who have experienced homelessness.

“It should be unacceptable for any young person on the cusp of adulthood to be forced to experience homelessness in Australia,” Ms Callister said.

“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.”

Struggling at school

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has previously highlighted the effects of homelessness on children.

In a 2022 report the AIHW stated that preschool and school-aged children experiencing homelessness “are more likely to experience mental health problems than housed children.”

The report found that homelessness can also affect children’s education with “decreased engagement” and “poor academic achievement”.

Solutions

But according to Mission Australia, there is a fix.

“Ending youth homelessness in Australia is possible,” Ms Callister said.

“It requires … investing in housing supply, ensuring adequate rental subsidies, implementing prevention measures and expanding youth housing options like Youth Foyers.”

Youth Foyers, like Mission Australia’s Townsville Youth Foyer, are an “integrated learning and accommodation model” that support young people aged 16-25 who are experiencing homelessness. They help build life skills in young people and help them work toward their goals.

“We want to see an Australia where homelessness is rare, brief and non-recurring,” Ms Callister said.

“But currently, for too many young people, it is neither.”

Homelessness in Australia

Homelessness Australia reports that on any given night in Australia (based on Australian Bureau of Statistics Census data) –

• 122,494 people are experiencing homelessness;
• One in seven people experiencing homelessness are children under 12;
• One in four people experiencing homelessness are children and young people between 12 and 24;
• One in five people experiencing homelessness are Aboriginal and/orTorres Strait Islander people.

The majority of homelessness in Australia is hidden – people in crisis accommodation, couch surfing, and so on. Only 6.2 per cent of homeless people are sleeping rough.

“Together, we must create a future where every young person has a safe, secure place to call home,” Ms Callister said.

“And the support and care they need to thrive.”

If you need support, call:
Lifeline 13 11 14 (lifeline.org.au)
Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636
Link2Home 1800 152 152
NSW Domestic Violence Line 1800 656 463

For more information visit Mission Australia.

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Article supplied with thanks to Michael Crooks. Michael is a senior journalist and former news editor of Who magazine. His work has appeared in People, Marie Claire, The Daily Telegraph, Herald Sun, news.com.au, Qantas magazine, QantasLink Spirit, Who and The New Daily. 

Feature image by CanvaPro