Every year, on the third Wednesday of April, Youth Homelessness Matters Day is observed.
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The national day was started in 1990 to shed stigma, educate the public and put the realities of children and young people without stable housing high on the public agenda.
Last year alone, more than 38,000 Australians aged between 15 and 24 sought help from homelessness services, only to be turned away because shelters were already at full capacity.
A 2023 report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reveals a concerning situation: while 47 per cent of these young people require long-term housing, a mere 4.3 per cent successfully secure it.
According to Beyond Housing, Greater Shepparton is among the regions hardest hit, highlighting a crisis that demands immediate attention.
“The time for incremental changes has passed. What we need now is bold action,” Beyond Housing chief executive Celia Adams said.
However, we must look beyond the surface — the issue of youth homelessness extends beyond just not having a place to stay. Nearly half of young individuals seeking services are struggling with mental health illnesses, and over a third reported having experienced domestic and family violence, according to the AIHW data from 2023.
Indigenous Australians, women, migrants and LGBTQI+ individuals are especially vulnerable to homelessness.
Since a third of those seeking accommodation relief were couch-surfing before seeking help, the real number of young homeless might be higher than what is reported.
“Most of the young people accessing our services are couch-surfing,” The Bridge Youth Service program manager Renae Ford said.
“Moving from place to place, with no stability, can be quite detrimental to their wellbeing and exposes them to significant risks, leaving them vulnerable.”
Behind these statistics are real lives, each with its own tale of hardship and perseverance.
Jessica, a 21-year-old First Nations woman living in Shepparton, has faced a tumultuous journey since entering child protection at age 11.
Her life took a turn when she became pregnant at 17 and needed her own place. Being too young to sign a lease, she initially received support from Rumbalara, then joined the Better Futures program, which she heard about at her antenatal program.
Despite these efforts, Jessica spent 18 months on a waiting list before she could finally secure a stable home for herself and her child.
“I am lucky and grateful for what I have, but it was such a long and hard process to get there. I didn’t even know where to start,” Jessica said.
“When you live in uncertainty, your stress level is constantly through the roof.
“Finding a local service and having to fill out a lot of paperwork was overwhelming. Not having a licence was making attending inspections a challenge and the affordability was a huge problem too.
“Plus, I had no idea The Bridge Youth Service existed until I was referred.
“It would help if there were more resources or advertisement for the services available.”
Jessica’s experience inspired her to give back when she could.
“I am passionate about helping others who might be experiencing the same conditions,” she said.
As living costs soar, numerous organisations are sounding the alarm, calling on governments to increase funding and resources to support the community’s expanding needs.
“The Australian rental market fails to meet community needs, with Shepparton highlighted as one of the hardest-hit areas,” Berry Street Shepparton program manager Anita McCurdy said.
“There’s been a noticeable increase in young people seeking help over the past 18 months.
“We are seeing more and more young people with steady, full-time employment struggling to secure housing. They are forced to couch-surf because properties are simply unaffordable.”
And this surge in living costs is exacerbating the crisis.
“Half of my current caseload involves child protection,” The Bridge Youth Service youth and family support worker Hayley Rowan said.
“It’s not that parents are failing; they are forced to choose between living in a car, which is unsuitable for young children, or in someone else’s home, which can sometimes be unsafe.”
The situation may appear dire, perhaps even hopeless, but it also presents a chance to build community solidarity and involvement.
“If people own investment properties, have a spare room or can offer any support to young people, we encourage them to reach out to us, at The Bridge Youth Service,” Ms Ford said.
“We’re ready to answer any questions they may have.”
Berry Street Shepparton is appealing to anyone willing to expand their network to a young person.
“We would love to connect our young people with networks that can offer social capital, whether it’s through business and employment opportunities, training or even accommodation at Berry Street,” Ms McCurdy said.
Looking to make a difference? Contact Berry Street or The Bridge Youth Service in Shepparton and see how you can help.
This represents a chance to contribute to a solution and make a real difference in the lives of young individuals in the community.
Cadet Journalist