NEARLY one in 10 young people aged 15 to 19 endured the challenges of homelessness in the last 12 months and faced greater mental health challenges compared to those with a stable home, according to a new survey of nearly 20,000 youths, prompting calls for the establishment of a $500 million homelessness prevention transformation fund.
Mission Australia’s The Unfair Divide report showed 8.5% of the 19,501 respondents 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 also highlighted stark gaps in mental health between those with a stable home and those without.
Almost half (47%) of young people who had been homeless were lonely all or most of the time compared with 18% of their stably housed peers, while two in five (41%) of young people who were recently homeless said they had a mental health condition, compared with 13% of young people with stable homes.
Those who recently experienced homelessness said they were also more likely to find it difficult to socialise and fit in (46% compared with 26%), and seven times more likely to experience strained or poor family relationships (34% compared with 5%).
“This report demonstrates the harrowing impact of homelessness on young lives,” said Sharon Callister, CEO of Mission Australia.
“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.
“Many young people who are at risk of homelessness when seeking help are supported to remain safely housed. But it’s a different story for young people who are already homeless when asking for support. Australia’s housing and homelessness emergency means that most of those young people can’t find housing and so continue to experience homelessness.”
Headlining the key recommendations is the a $500 million homelessness prevention transformation fund, which would deliver targeted prevention programs and policy reform for groups of young people with elevated or immediate risk of homelessness.
Also recommended is the increase in youth housing options in social housing and private rental through the development and maintenance of a national pool of at least 15,000 dedicated social housing youth tenancies, and construction of 10 40-unit Youth Foyers over the next three years.
In addition to state government initiatives such as Homes for Queenslanders and Victoria’s Big Housing Build, national cabinet is aiming to deliver 40,000 social and affordable homes over the next five years as part of the Housing Australia Future Fund and National Housing Accord Facility.
Mission Australia said the Albanese government’s commitments in May’s federal budget “do not come close” to being able to deliver the number of social homes urgently needed across the country, and was one of a number of critics of the budget’s allocation for housing accessibility.
In response to its new report findings, Mission Australia also called for support for youth tenancies through early intervention tenancy support programs, and increase income support and improve rental subsidies, including the increase of JobSeeker and Youth Allowance to $80 per day and increasing the maximum threshold of Commonwealth Rent Assistance by 60%.
Callister ending youth homelessness in Australia is “possible” and “requires a comprehensive approach”.
“Schools and community services must also be well resourced and strengthened to help ensure the wellbeing and safety of young people and their families who are homeless or on the cusp of homelessness.
“Recent investment from the Federal and some State and Territory governments will make a useful contribution. However, with youth homelessness remaining persistently high, we must keep working together to invest in effective solutions.”
