Young People and members of our Care team came together recently at our Southern Hub Home and Youth Resource Hub to hand-fold origami houses for Homelessness Week. Around 15 children and young people joined the activity, showing wonderful creativity, and helped each other learn how to fold the paper into the shape of a house.
The Victorian Homelessness Network is raising awareness about the urgent need for more social housing. As part of their campaign, we contributed 777 origami houses to display at Parliament House, representing a portion of the 60,000 social homes needed in Victoria.
Over 45,000 children and young people aged 0 to 24 in Australia have no home according to the latest Census data. As an organisation that supports children and young people experiencing homelessness, we know the importance of providing young people with the safe home and care they need to thrive in their young lives and beyond.
There are many reasons a child or young person might experience homelessness. Some of these include:
- Domestic and family violence
- Physical and emotional abuse
- Sexual abuse
- Homophobia and transphobia
- Neglect and abandonment
- Poverty
It is not always safe for children and young people to live with their biological family. Young people at risk of or experiencing homelessness require care and support to access safe and suitable accommodation. An experience of homelessness can have a significant, negative impact on a young person’s life trajectory. As well as being exposed to further abuse and disadvantage, children who have faced homelessness are more likely to experience it as an adult.
At Lighthouse, we create pathways to end youth homelessness by providing therapeutic care and homes to vulnerable young people. Our Foster Care and Family Support, Therapeutic Homes and In Community care environments ensure our support reaches the young people who need it, where they need it, for as long as they need it. We need to work as a community to end youth homelessness, together.
