On April 17, local community organisation Project Youth organised a community event at Cronulla mall for Youth Homelessness Matters Day.
The organisation, with over 32 years of service in the Sutherland Shire, Georges River, and Bayside areas, reported a critical need for increased funding and resources to address this crisis effectively.
Throughout the year, Project Youth anticipates that it will be unable to accommodate 958 young individuals seeking housing support, largely due to a lack of funding. These young people, aged between 12 and 24, find themselves without stable housing due to various reasons including family violence, breakdowns, abuse, and neglect.
Project Youth’s data reveals that less than 10% of these young individuals are without any shelter (“sleeping rough”), while the majority resort to temporary solutions like couch surfing or staying in overcrowded and unsafe accommodations. Project Youth stresses that youth homelessness is often a hidden crisis, manifesting in less visible forms within the community.
The organisation advocates for a comprehensive approach to solve this problem, emphasising the need for a stand-alone National Youth Homelessness Plan tailored to the unique needs of young people. They call for a community-wide response to prevent and quickly resolve instances of youth homelessness when they occur.
Project Youth offers 76 beds and provided 22,700 nights of accommodation in 2023, with 90% of the young people achieving positive transitional outcomes. However, they stress that without additional funding, the cycle of homelessness and disadvantage will continue to affect young people disproportionately, impacting their education, mental health, and future opportunities.
