All Victorians with a passion for social justice should demand action on Youth Homelessness Matters Day, said Minister for Housing, Disability & Ageing, Martin Foley.
Held on 15 April, in the middle of National Youth Week, Youth Homelessness Matters Day aims to raise awareness and support for young people across Australia who are either homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
Young people account for about 36 per cent of people accessing homelessness services, with more than 9,700 Victorians under 25 years of age without a home at any one time, according to the 2011 Census.
The Andrews Labor Government is supporting ways to tackle youth homelessness across the state, including youth foyers in metropolitan and regional locations.
The foyers offer young people who are experiencing or are at risk of homelessness a safe, secure and affordable place to live while they are training or studying.
The Labor Government has committed funding to extend the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness (NPAH) in full for another three years.
But the Abbott Government has so far failed to match the commitment, limiting its funding to two years and cutting funding for services that support homeless people. The Abbott Government says young people experiencing homelessness will be a priority for services funded under the NPAH, but they have failed to offer specific funding to make this happen.
Youth Homelessness Matters Day is supported by the National Youth Coalition for Housing, which was formed to end youth homelessness and create youth housing solutions.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Housing, Disability and Ageing, Martin Foley
“Access to safe, affordable housing and services can break the cycle of disadvantage and provide a good foundation for young people to build a happy and prosperous life.”
“We’ve committed our share for the next three years of the National Agreement, to ensure that youth homelessness programs continue to be funded.”
“The Abbott Government must reverse its cuts, and fully fund the NPAH. We’ll continue fighting for this – for vulnerable Victorians, including the young people we’re thinking of today.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020