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Young woman from the Foyer Foundation

The chances are very, very high you’re unaware that every year Australia marks Youth Homelessness Matters Day on 15 April.

Well, this year People First Bank is working with our Foundation charity partner The Foyer Foundation to increase that awareness – and not just of the day – but of the wider crisis of youth homelessness and how we can all help make meaningful change.

The problem isn’t only huge, it’s hidden.

  • On any given night, some 28,000 young people aged 12–24 are without a stable home 
  • Approximately 40,000 young Australians experience homelessness each year

Those aren’t just statistics. Those numbers are real lives, real struggles, and real futures at risk.

And it’s often unseen. You probably imagine young people sleeping rough on the streets, but youth homelessness in Australia is often indoors with people couch surfing, frequently in unsafe environments. 

This is rarely a choice. Many young people end up without a home because of family breakdown, violence, or financial hardship. So, it’s clear these young people need support and understanding - not judgment. 

It is also critical to understand the long-term impact. Without a stable place to live, it becomes extremely difficult for young people to stay in school or find a job. Stability and safety are the keys to helping young people complete their education and build independence.

Thankfully, there are solutions that are proven to work. The Foyer Foundation is the charity behind Youth Foyers which provide 16 to 24-year-olds with a safe, stable home for up to two years which – combined with education, employment, and life-skills support – gives them a genuine launchpad into the rest of their life.

Indeed, about 8-in-10 go on to find jobs and their own secure housing. With the right support, young people can turn their lives around.

That’s why People First Bank is proud to announce the Foyer Independence Fund. With $150,000 from the People First Bank Foundation over the next three years, the Foyer Independence Fund is designed to provide practical support for young people working towards independence – from providing laptops and work gear to driving lessons, training and other essentials that help them achieve their goals.

This funding is thanks to the generosity of People First Bank employees who donate to through the Our Shout Workplace Giving program.

But, of course, more help’s needed. There simply aren’t enough resources, with many services overwhelmed and some young people being turned away because there’s no space available.  

There are three simple actions you can take that will all make a difference: 

EDUCATE: Help share the reality. Most people have no idea youth homelessness is so widespread. Awareness creates pressure. Pressure creates change.

ADVOCATE: Join the HomeTime campaign (hometime.org.au) calling on the Federal Government to fix youth housing.  It only takes two minutes.

DONATE: Support Youth Foyers across the country and back the Foyer Foundation so more young people have access to pathways out of homelessness. Donate HERE. Every dollar helps.

Young man from the Foyer Foundation

About Youth Foyers

  • Young people facing homelessness need different types of support at different points - from crisis services through to affordable housing.
  • Youth Foyers are one essential part of the solution to youth homelessness - providing a pathway out of homelessness for those ready to learn and earn
  • Youth Foyers give 16-24 year olds a safe, stable home for up to two years,  combined with education, employment and life-skills support. 
  • Some 80% of young people leave a Youth Foyer in secure housing, in work or education, and ready for independence.