According to the latest census data, there are 45,850 young people under the age of 25 experiencing homelessness in Australia.
Estimating Homelessness: Census 2021, ABSMore than just rough sleeping
When discussing homelessness, the most common image conjured up is of people rough sleeping, such as on the streets, in tents, or in improvised dwellings. While this form of homelessness is the most visible, it is just the tip of the iceberg.
In the latest census, only 2% of young people experiencing homelessness were sleeping rough.
51%
are living in severely crowded dwellings
23%
are living in short-term refuges and accommodation
13%
are living in boarding houses
9%
are couch surfing, or staying temporarily with others
These young people have often left home because it was no longer a safe place to live. 1 in 3 seek help due to family and domestic violence, and 48% experience mental health issues.
AIHW, SHS annual report 2022–23Our Impact
At Stepping Stone House, we provide young people with the support they need to give them the best possible chance of healing from past trauma and build their resilience and skills to overcome homelessness, step by step.
Find out more about Stepping Stone House
Advocating for change
As part of the Home Stretch campaign, Stepping Stone House CEO, Jason Juretic, led the charge to petition the NSW government to extend the age of out-of-home care support from 18 to 21. This was achieved in November 2022, and marked an enormous change in the support for these young people, and ultimately reducing their likelihood of experiencing homelessness. While this was a huge step forward, the mission is not over yet.
A vision to end youth homelesness
Australia has a youth homelessness crisis, with facts and statistics that paint a grim picture, and numbers that just keep rising.
At Stepping Stone House, we have a vision to end youth homelessness in Australia.
We’re committed to this vision on the grand scale, amplifying the voices of young people, advocating for change, and fighting for government intervention.
More than that, we are committed to this vision through the individual lives of the young people we support.
