One in 30 young Tasmanians aged between 15 and 19 experienced homelessness for the first time during the pandemic, a new report from Mission Australia shows.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The report, released on Thursday, has outlined the stark reality of more and more young people in Tasmania.
Youth Network of Tasmania chief executive Tania Hunt said it was well documented that young people were at higher risk of homelessness and called for a targeted strategy.
"Young people more often have lower income and are over-represented in the casual workforce," she said.
Lower income, whether that's due to underemployment or income support, meant young people were not able to compete to get into the rental market - and owning their own home was "a pipe dream".
Ms Hunt also said young people were disadvantaged when it came to rental properties, with landlords prioritising young professionals or families over young people, particularly with share houses.
Mission Australia state director Mychelle Curran said the report showed just how harmful the experience of youth homelessness is.
"While many people were fortunate enough to have safe and secure homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, over one in 30 young people in Tasmania were plunged into homelessness for the first time in their lives," she said.
READ MORE: COVID wave crashes into Tasmanian business
"This report shows just how harmful the experience of youth homelessness can be for a young person's wellbeing, their life and their future.
Those who responded to the survey reported high levels of psychological distress, negative impacts on wellbeing, family conflict, discrimination and other pressures.
"While many people were fortunate enough to have safe and secure homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, over one in 30 young people in Tasmania were plunged into homelessness for the first time in their lives," she said.
"It's clear that for young people, homelessness can often be incredibly isolating, destabilising and traumatic. This can have a ripple effect on their lives without access to the right intervention.
"Sadly, for Mission Australia's practitioners and others who have been working with young people during the pandemic, these findings are not a surprise. Yet we must not accept this as just the way things must be.
"Shining a light on these young people's experiences and the risk factors, including family conflict, poor mental health and discrimination, must lead to strong intervention and preventative action.
Tasmanian Council of Social Services chief executive Adrienne Picone said safe, secure housing was a fundamental right, and while the Tasmanian Government had taken some steps it was not the end of the story.
"Safe, secure and affordable housing is the foundation upon which Tasmanians can get a good start in life and open up opportunities not easily available without a fixed address," she said.
"We must focus more of our efforts on supporting young people before they are at crisis point."
TasCOSS and YNOT endorsed the recommendations of Mission Australia including calls for a national plan to end homelessness and youth-specific housing models along with universal screening in schools for homelessness and wrap-around support for students.
What do you think? Send us a letter to the editor: