Nationwide, more than 43,000 children and young people under 25 presented to a homelessness service in 2023–24.

Mallee Accommodation and Support Program (MASP) acknowledges tomorrow’s World Youth Homelessness Matters Day as a day to shine a light on the resilience of young people affected by or at risk of homelessness.

Youth Homelessness Matters Day falls on the third Wednesday of April each year and was conceived in 1990 to raise awareness and public discussion about child and youth homelessness.

MASP CEO Charmaine Calis said the day aligns closely with MASP’s work in the Mallee community as a leading homelessness service provider for young people.

“Our staff work closely with young people facing homelessness each and every day,” she said.

“Our Housing Access Workers see around 150 young people a year who are either without a roof over their head or facing that situation. 

“These are young people who are perhaps couch surfing with friends and relatives, looking to escape potentially violent homes, living in their cars or transitioning from place to place without somewhere to call home.”

Nationwide, more than 43,000 children and young people under the age of 25 presented alone to a homelessness service in 2023–24.

Of these young people, almost half experienced mental ill-health and over one third experienced domestic and family violence. The majority of these young people were in need of short or long-term accommodation and most were turned away due to a lack of capacity.

Youth homelessness peak body Yfoundations has released a petition this year calling on state and federal governments to make ending youth homelessness a national priority by developing a targeted plan and funding the services needed to achieve this objective.

“I call on the people of the Mallee and Far West NSW to sign this petition to make it known to Governments that the community wants real action to help solve our Youth Homelessness crisis,” Mrs Calis said.

The petition can be signed at https://www.yfoundations.org.au/yhmd-petition/