Overview
Mission Australia’s 2023 Youth Survey revealed that close to one in ten respondents experienced homelessness in the previous year. This report compares the experiences of young people aged 15–19 who faced homelessness with their peers in stable housing, uncovering an unfair divide. Young people who had been homeless were more likely to suffer from a mental health condition, experience loneliness, struggle to fit in socially and face financial hardship. They were also seven times as likely to have strained or poor family relationships. Although challenges are significant, many young people continue to show resilience by pursuing education, extracurricular activities and building connections.
Why this matters
Youth homelessness remains persistently high in Australia. In 2021, more than 28,000 young people were homeless on Census night, representing almost one in four people experiencing homelessness. Over 52,000 young people sought help from homelessness services in 2023, yet thousands were turned away because services were at capacity. Without urgent action, young people continue to face barriers to education, wellbeing and stability that can have long-lasting effects.
Key findings
- 1 in 10 Youth Survey respondents experienced homelessness in the past year.
- 47% of young people who were homeless experienced loneliness most of the time (compared to 18% with stable housing).
- 41% identified as having a mental health condition (compared to 13%).
- 42% sought financial help or could not afford essentials like food, school or transport (compared to 10%).
- 34% experienced strained or poor family relationships (seven times higher than peers with stable housing).
Recommendations
Our policy recommendations are made across six domains, encompassing the solutions needed to end youth homelessness:
- Put young people at the centre – recognise them as a priority cohort and engage lived experience in program design.
- Create more long-term housing plus support – including at least 15,000 social housing youth tenancies and 10 new Youth Foyers.
- Implement universal prevention – raise Youth Allowance and JobSeeker to $80 per day and increase Commonwealth Rent Assistance by 60%.
- Adopt prevention measures for elevated risk groups – including a $500m Homelessness Prevention Transformation Fund and targeted family support.
- Support those at immediate risk – rebuild family relationships if safe and expand tenancy support programs.
- Expand crisis responses – adequately fund person-centred, youth-specific accommodation where demand is highest.
Supporting content
This report draws on responses from nearly 19,000 young people in the 2023 Mission Australia Youth Survey. It highlights both the challenges and the determination of young people who have faced homelessness, alongside Mission Australia’s impact through frontline services. For example, 96% of young people at risk of homelessness remained housed after receiving support, though the national housing emergency limits outcomes for those already homeless.