Youth Homelessness Matters Day | 20th April 2022

#YHMD

Wednesday 20 April 2022 is Youth Homelessness Matters Day.  On this day we aim to raise awareness about youth homelessness so that we can support the needs and dreams of homeless young people.

Like many, Illawarra Legal Centre believes that every young Australian deserves a safe place to call home.

In the 2016 Australian census, there were 28,000 homeless 12 to 24 year olds.  Last year, 41,700 young people asked for help from homelessness services and these numbers are only for those that asked for help, the true number of homeless young people is much higher.

Homelessness is not a choice for young people.  Not remaining at home is sometimes seen as the safest option for a young person. Since young people are more likely to couch surf than sleep rough, this issue is often hidden from sight, but a couch is not a home.   You do not have to be considered ‘disengaged or disadvantaged’ to be at risk of homelessness.  It can happen to anyone.

Let’s join together and call for a nation where every young person has a safe place – not just a couch – to call home.

Today raise your voices and ask the government to act now to build houses that young people can afford to rent.

#YHMD2022

#YouthHomelessnessMattersDay

#EverybodysHome