Youth Homelessness - social and family issue
Here is the truth
Youth homelessness affects millions of young people each year. There is no cure for youth homlessness and from the begining to the end of time, young people will become homeless for one reason or another. We as humans need to remember our own teenage years, when we were still growing up ourselfs. Becoming an adult is hard enough with out the added factor of being "homeless".
If you think of a homeless person striotypically we all think of an unclean, funny smelling, dirty clothed person who is either sitting on a bench drinking booze, or is sleeping in a bus shelter. The actual truth is we walk past atleast five homeless people a day and don't notice, just because they look like me and you. Clean, well presented the only difference is they don't have a fixed abode.
Case studies
Young people become homeless for many different resons. Heres some examples of three youths over sixteen.
- A girl lives with her seriously ill mother, they have no contact with the father and very minimal contact with any other family members from both sides. Sadly her mother passes away, the young girl is left on her own with no one and nothing. She has no other opition but to move into a hostel.
- A young male seeking refuge/assylum in a new country with no family or contacts here, he is granted his visa, but doesn't have any where to live, he is refered to a hostel.
- A young girl has a very disfunctional family background. The young girl was getting into trouble with police, she wasn't working or going to college so her parents kicked her out. The young girl ends up sofa surfing (sleeping on friends sofa's) for a few months. She goes to her local police station and they sign post her to a hostel.
These are just a few examples of why young people become homeless, and it isn't humanly possible to completly eliminate all the issues surrounding youth homelessness. That being said, we can take preventative steps to minimise homelessness within our own communities, socail group and families. I believe that home life and the teenage years of a young person really do impact on their progression in life. We must remember to give a young person support, guidance, motivation and empowerment. We have to nourish and encourage our young people to have a healthy transistion into adulthood and independent living.
Early Intervention
Like i said before, we can't solve all the issues and problems, but we can minimise them.
If it is too far past early intervention, it is important to embed a posistive and benificial path for the young person to follow.
Example
Look into your telephone directory for words like hostel, respite, night shelters, neighbour hood offices or local police stations. Any one of the links above would be able to provide accommodation for homeless young people.
Like i said before, we can't solve all the issues and problems, but we can minimise them.
The key is to recognise the signs, then introduce the path of early intervention. There are many sevices on youth homelessness for young people:
- Family mediation - to rebuild bridges with family
- Respite - a getaway for 2 - 3 nights for the young person
- Counselling - help solve personal difficuties
- Drug and Alcohol services - harm reduction support
- Education Employment and training - help to find job or college placement
- Family - can give extra support out of office hours
If it is too far past early intervention, it is important to embed a posistive and benificial path for the young person to follow.
Example
Look into your telephone directory for words like hostel, respite, night shelters, neighbour hood offices or local police stations. Any one of the links above would be able to provide accommodation for homeless young people.
Good Samaritan
In an ideal world we would be able to do what the KARDASHIANS did and help a homeless guy named "Shorty". They gave him a shower, haircut, shave, fresh clothes and new teeth!! Not only did they do all that but they helped him get into a night shelter. They gave some one hope and we should be able to give a young person a little bit of hope who is facing savere hardship.
After all, it doesn't cost any thing to give support, guidance, motivation and empowerment.
