Pathfinders Specialist Homelessness Support Services team recently had the privilege of attending the National Conference on Children and Youth Homelessness (NCYHC). This conference served as a beacon of hope, uniting individuals and organisations in a shared mission to transform the landscape of child and youth homelessness in Australia.
The incidence of children and young people seeking help from homelessness services has remained distressingly high since the Rudd government’s commitment in 2008 to halve homelessness by 2020. Despite promises made, successive governments have fallen short in taking meaningful actions to address this crisis. The existing strategies have proven ineffective in reducing homelessness or offering a new trajectory for young lives caught in the homelessness cycle. The current situation calls for a transformation of our approach.
The NCYHC brought together passionate advocates, seasoned practitioners, policymakers, and individuals with lived experiences to explore the path forward.
Australia can no longer wait for incremental change. The conference echoed a united demand for the Australian government to take a resolute step forward by developing a comprehensive standalone national plan to tackle child and youth homelessness.
This year’s conference has sparked a united voice for change. Together, attendees explored strategies to implore the Australian government to allocate resources towards a comprehensive joint plan—a plan that could mark the beginning of a brighter future for youth affected by homelessness.
We stand alongside countless others who are determined to reshape the future for children and young people facing homelessness.
