Homelessness in Australia

Being homeless can happen to anyone.
 
On any given night, there are 105,000 homeless people in Australia and nearly half of these are under the age of 25 .

Research has identified that if young people are not properly supported when they first experience homelessness, they have a higher chance of becoming homeless in their adult lives. Around 40% of homeless adults were first homeless as young people.

What is homelessness?
Being homeless doesn’t just refer to people who sleep on the streets, in parks or under bridges.  It also includes people who ‘couch surf’ i.e. sleep on friends’ or relatives’ sofas, or those who sleep in homeless shelters without having a permanent place of their own.

Why do young people become homeless?
Young people often become homeless when family relationships break down.  This can be caused by a number of issues including mental illness, disability, domestic violence, neglect, overcrowding, drug and alcohol abuse and the housing affordability crisis.

What is the effect of homelessness on young people?
Without a home, maintaining a job, education and connection to family and friends is very difficult.  It puts people on the margins of society, where they encounter prejudice and find it difficult to access mainstream services such as the local GP.  Because of this, people who are homeless are more likely to experience poorer mental health, addictions or a combination of these.

What can be done to reduce the number of homeless people?
The key to reducing homelessness is through prevention and early intervention initiatives, as well as supporting the young person to maintain or re-engage with education or employment.

Homeless Young People by State per Night: