Youth Beat helping end youth homelessness in Tasmania

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Thanks to your support, Youth Beat are combatting youth homelessness in Tasmania.

The iconic Youth Beat van is easily recognisable in the Clarence Plains area of Tasmania. Known for the bright white and pink livery on the van and the even brighter personalities of Youth Beat team members, they are a positive influence in the lives of teenagers experiencing disadvantage or at risk of homelessness. Over the past year, the Youth Beat team have regularly hosted barbeques, skate competitions and outdoor games for young people in the local community.

Youth Beat intervening early

One barbeque in the local skate park isn’t life-changing but the connection and genuine friendships created with young people leave a lasting impression. Many teens have informed us that while they initially join for the games, they choose to stay for the friendships they make with youth workers and their peers.

Through relationship building and trust, teenagers feel comfortable approaching Youth Beat workers for advice, assistance and support through difficult times. These moments of early intervention can make a world of difference in a young person’s life.

Youth Beat is a direct response to youth homelessness in Australia.

1 in 6 young people in Australia have experienced homelessness

Released in July 2020, our report ‘Staying home: a report on young people’s experience of homelessness addresses the serious impacts of homelessness’ found that young people living without a home faced greater stress, lower levels of happiness and increased barriers in adulthood.

It is disturbing to see that one in six (17.1%) young people aged 15 to 19 who responded to Mission Australia’s Youth Survey 2019 have been homeless.^ They experienced homelessness with or without their families, lived in a refuge or transitional accommodation and/or had spent time couch surfing.

The Youth Beat team are excited to continue their outreach in Tasmania, thanks to funding from our supporters.

*Names have been changed to protect the identity of the people we help.

^Mission Australia Youth Survey 2019