PRESS RELEASE: Ending Youth Homelessness: The Youth Homelessness Matters Day 2024 Takes Centre Stage
Ending Youth Homelessness: YHMD 2024 Takes Centre Stage
Location: Canberra, ACT
The Youth Homelessness Matters Day (YHMD) Collective are thrilled to announce the upcoming YHMD 2024 event, scheduled for 17 April 2024 in Braddon.
This year’s event has been coordinated by a collective of young people, including youth representative Marija Rathouski, in collaboration with Our Place Youth Foyer, an integrated learning and accommodation setting for young people aged 16 to 24 in Canberra.
“At our event, we encourage young people and service providers to join us for speeches, a community vision board, food and outdoors activities,” said Marija. “It will be a great opportunity to connect with people who have similar lived experiences.”
YHMD 2024 is a national initiative aimed at raising awareness and fostering public dialogue about the critical issue of child and youth homelessness. This day serves as a platform to engage young people, service providers, and the broader community in discussions surrounding sustainable solutions to support vulnerable young people.
“The purpose of YHMD is to bring attention to the homelessness experience of young people, which is so often underrepresented and misunderstood in our community. We come together to demand action from our government to address the issue Nationwide,” said Marija.
“For many young people, homelessness is not a choice, but the only option they have. It can be the outcome of systemic failure that then disadvantages the most vulnerable cohort. It is important to recognise, our needs are unique and support must be tailored accordingly so we have the best possible outcome of success.”
“Along with YFoundations, our event is advocating for the Australian Government to create a National Plan for Child and Youth Homelessness and Housing, which will require funding from both Australian and State Governments to put these solutions into action.”
YHMD 2024 in Canberra will take place on Wednesday 17 April 2024, from 5:00 to 7:00pm at Salthouse Community Centre, Henty St, Braddon. More information and registration are available via the Humanitix page.
For Media Enquiries, Please Contact:
Primary Contact: Marija Rathouski (please see her media profile below)
Youth Homelessness Representative
0455 552 336 or [email protected]
Secondary Contact: Nicole Molyneux
Youth and Community Development Officer, Barnados Australia
0482 163 878 or [email protected]
MORE INFORMATION AND RESOURCES
Youth Homelessness Matters Day (YHMD) is a national day that aims to raise awareness and public discussion about child and youth homelessness. It’s a day to start conversations about sustainable and innovative solutions to support the needs of young people experiencing homelessness.
YHMD was conceived in 1990 by a group of social advocates because too many young people were leaving home with nowhere to go and with little social support. Over the years, YHMD has grown into a national celebration of young people’s resilience and an important day of advocacy. It’s celebrated online and in communities around Australia.
This YHMD, we’re continuing our call on the Australian Government to develop a standalone National Child and Youth Homelessness and Housing Plan.
Statistics on Youth Homelessness (Source: YFoundations Campaign Kit 2024)
38,300 children and young people (15–24 years old) presented alone needing support from a specialist homelessness service (SHS) – 13,706 were not able to get the support they needed.
17,248 children and young people presented alone needing a crisis bed – but only 1 in 2 got it. This resulted in 8,450 being turned away from getting a crisis bed throughout the year. We have no idea where these children and young people slept those nights.
17,856 young people needed long-term housing – but a mere 4.3% (786) actually got it.
The data does not accurately reflect the serious problem of domestic and family violence (DFV) for children and young people. Frontline services tell us that DFV is overwhelmingly the most common reason why children and young people need a bed and help.
