Youth Homelessness Matters
On National Youth Homelessness Matters Day all Australians should appreciate that youth homelessness is not always about sleeping rough, but is often seen in young people couch surfing between family and friends and bouncing between refuges.
Young people who are at risk of homelessness because they cannot safely stay at home or who need help to sort out family conflict can get support from Reconnect, a program funded by the Commonwealth Government and provided by community organisations like ANGLICARE Sydney.
“Offering young people and their families help early on to work through conflict and complex issues like addictions and mental health, rather than waiting for a serious crisis is an effective way to help families stay together safely”, said Peter Kell, CEO ANGLICARE Sydney.
“Reconnect is successful because it targets complex needs that place young people at risk of homelessness –counselling and family support can help families stay together, but we can also locate young people safely in alternative accommodation”.
The latest census data from 2006 estimated that over 30,000 young people in Australia under the age of 24 were homeless, a staggering statistic that helped motivate the Australian Government to commit to halving homelessness by 2020.
“More can be done to prevent youth homelessness; young people who can’t live with their families need easier access to stable public housing and there should be more accommodation options for young people seeking to free themselves from addictions”, said Mr Kell.
ANGLICARE Sydney also wants young people to know that they can ask for help.
“Help is at hand – young people who are having problems at home just need to tell their school that they need help. They can also get in contact with ANGLICARE directly”, said Mr Kell.
For Reconnect services contact ANGLICARE Sydney on (02) 9895 8000 or visit www.fahcsia.gov.au
