Children and young people have raised the issue of youth homelessness across a range of ACYP consultations; including those conducted for the Strategic Plan for Children and Young People; consultations with children and young people in regional areas; as well as with children and young people in juvenile detention and with socially excluded children and young people.
In addition, ACYP held targeted face-to-face consultations with 60 children and young people aged 13-24 years who were experiencing or at risk of homelessness. The consultations took place in the Central Coast, Illawarra-Shoalhaven, North Coast and Greater Sydney regions. Their feedback informed the development of a report ‘What children and young people experiencing homelessness have to say’.
The findings from the consultations are organised under the following themes in the report: Support Workers; life skills; food; activities; housing; transport; gaps in the service system; mental health; awareness of services available; financial support; staying connected; learning to drive; education; and employment. Some of the recommendations made by the children and young people include: more youth specific, violence related services; increasing awareness of services by promoting them through social media, outdoor advertising, commercial radio and TV; improving access to services after hours and on weekends and offering more opportunities for homeless young people to learn how to drive.
Click on the link below to find out more and to download the consultation report on children and young people experiencing homelessness.
Browse through the report below:
A further 38 children and young were involved in consultations that led to the creation of a homeless play ‘Follow Me Home’ by ATYP. This consultation involved 8 children and young people from the Greater Sydney region. Find out more about the play by clicking on the link below.
Click here to learn more about the play.