Homelessness - more than just not having a roof over
your head
The plight of young homeless people in Australia first came to
light in 1989 after the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Inquiry
released the Burdekin Report. However, twenty years on youth
homelessness is still a major problem in Australia.
The National
Youth Commission Inquiry undertaken in 2008 found that the
number of homeless teenagers doubled to 22,000 since 1989, and one
in two homeless youths are turned away from emergency shelters
every night because services are full. When young adults aged 18 to
25 are added to these figures, the number of homeless young people
rises to 36,000.
However, these numbers don't represent the true numbers.
Homelessness does not just include those without a roof over their
heads. Many more young people are in unstable housing due to family
breakdown or financial issues. Others are sleeping rough, in
makeshift shelters or in temporary accommodation.
"Couch surfing" is also common amongst young people who can't
live in their family home. These young people are moving between
the houses of friends and family, bunking down on couches or in
spare rooms.
To support awareness and understanding of the issues of youth
homelessness, the Reach
Out Teachers Network have partnered with Caledonia Foundation
to develop a teaching resource called Act Now: Youth
homelessness matters. This resource contains detailed learning
activities broken into three modules:
- Module 1: Understanding youth homelessness
- Module 2: Making change, taking action
- Module 3: Many voices, moving images.
The resource is currently in draft and we would love to get your
feedback. Download it
here.
Join the discussion
Australia is at the crossroads when it comes to the issue of
youth homelessness. Homelessness is everyone's responsibility. So…
lets kick start the conversation ....
What is the one big thing that you believe schools can
do to support a young person who is at risk of becoming
homeless?
How can schools work with their local communities to
support a young person who is at risk of becoming
homeless?