1 in 10 Youth Survey respondents faced perils of homelessness in past year

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Mission Australia’s The Unfair Divide youth homelessness report reveals a stark reality: nearly one in 10 young people aged 15 to 19 who responded to Mission Australia’s Youth Survey 2023 endured the challenges of homelessness in the previous 12 months. These young people 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 new report shows that young people who had recently been homeless faced greater challenges compared with young people with stable homes. They were more likely than their peers 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.

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. 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.

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%).

Sharon Callister, CEO of Mission Australia, emphasised the profound toll of youth homelessness on a young person’s wellbeing and future prospects.

“This report demonstrates the harrowing impact of homelessness on young lives.

“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.”

In response to the findings, Mission Australia says more must be done to improve the wellbeing of young people who have experienced homelessness, and to address the systemic issues perpetuating youth homelessness.

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

“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.

“Skilled and caring frontline staff at Mission Australia and other organisations provide wrap-around support to young people and their families, helping them to find and keep safe housing and build brighter futures.

“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.”

Ms Callister continued: “Ending youth homelessness in Australia is possible. It requires a comprehensive approach, including the concrete solutions outlined in this report such as investing in housing supply, ensuring adequate rental subsidies, implementing prevention measures and expanding youth housing options like Youth Foyers.

“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.

“As one of Australia’s largest community services and housing providers, Mission Australia is working with our partners across all levels of government, our sector, communities, philanthropists, donors, schools and businesses to end youth homelessness in Australia. 

“We want to see an Australia where homelessness is rare, brief and non-recurring. But currently, for too many young people, it is neither. 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.”

Research notes

19,501 respondents to Youth Survey 2023 aged 15-19 years

Of this total sample, 1,508 respondents (8.6%) reported homelessness during the previous 12 months.

For the purposes of this report, the collection period extends from March 2023 to August 2023. 

Key recommendations

• Instigate a $500 million Homelessness Prevention Transformation Fund, delivering targeted prevention programs and policy reform for groups of young people with elevated or immediate risk of homelessness
• Increase youth housing options in social housing and private rental, including:
  Develop and maintain a national pool of at least 15,000 dedicated social housing youth tenancies
  Construct ten 40-unit Youth Foyers over the next three years
• Support youth tenancies through early intervention tenancy support programs
• Increase income support and improve rental subsidies, including:
  Increase JobSeeker and Youth Allowance to $80/day
  Increase the maximum threshold of Commonwealth Rent Assistance by 60% and review it together with other rental subsidies, including specific new measures to address the rental gap to remove disincentives for landlords to grow youth-specific housing
• Screen early for homelessness risk through schools
• Rebuild family relationships and households if safe, including by expanding the Reconnect program
• Implement more crisis support and accommodation responses for young people that are adequately-funded, person-centred and located according to demand
  
  

Read the report

The unfair divide: Disadvantage faced by young people who are homeless

The unfair divide: Disadvantage faced by young people who are homeless report | Summary booklet