Reducing homelessness in young people

How we are working to end homelessness in young people and the progress we've made.

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Too many of Australia’s homeless are young people under 25 years.

41^%

of people helped by homelessness services were under 24 years old

in 2023-24

19%

of people helped by homelessness services were between 15 and 24 years old

in 2023-24

17,062

Young people between 15 and 24 years old

were helped by specialist homelessness services in 2023-24.

13,217

Young people presented alone

to a specialist homelessness service in 2023-24

Summary of statistics

In 2023-24 up to 41% of people in Australia helped by homelessness services were under 24 years old. Up to 19% were between 15 and 24 years old.

In 2023-24, specialist homelessness services helped 17,062 young people between 15 and 24 years old in NSW.

Of these, 13,217 presented alone to a specialist homelessness service.

Our goal is to increase the percentage of young people who successfully move from specialist homelessness services to long-term accommodation.

Why this is important

Homelessness is very complex. It is more than having nowhere to live. In many cases there are personal circumstances like:

mental health
relationship breakdown
drug and alcohol addiction or misuse

These then can be complicated by:

poverty
unemployment
unaffordable housing.

Being homeless can interrupt education and training. It can also have a negative effect on physical and mental health.

Helping young people move from specialist homelessness services to long-term, stable housing gives them a solid foundation for their future.

About specialist homelessness services

‘Specialist homelessness services’ are government-funded services that help people who are either experiencing homelessness, or at risk of homelessness.

Specialist homelessness services:

are delivered by non-government organisations (NGOs)
provide support and/or accommodation for people who are homeless or at risk
deliver services aimed at getting involved early to prevent people from becoming homeless.

Find a specialist homelessness service

To find a specialist homelessness service provider near you visit Find a specialist homelessness service.

Get help if you're homeless or at risk of homelessness

Are you, or someone you know, homeless or at risk of homelessness?

Call:

Link2Home - 1800 152 152
Child Protection Helpline - 132 111
The Domestic Violence Line - 1800 65 64 63

For enquiries about youth homelessness services and programs, please contact the Youth Homelessness Team at youth.homelessness@homes.nsw.gov.au.

For more information

If you have any questions about specialist housing support for young people, visit If you need emergency housing or email the homelessness team at shsprogram@homes.nsw.gov.au

Visit Housing and homelessness programs for young people for more information about the programs and services available to assist young people at risk of homelessness.