Salvos Work Tirelessly To Support Homeless

Did you know that on any given night 45,850 children and young people will be homeless in Australia?

This devastating statistic is a stark reminder of the growing issue of homelessness, impacting some of the most vulnerable members of our community.

As one of the largest providers of homelessness services in Australia, The Salvation Army works tirelessly to support those experiencing homelessness, raises awareness of the issue and advocates for solutions.

The Salvation Army’s youth services run ten crisis refuges across Australia and supports more than 4500 young people each year.

State Manager for Homelessness at The Salvation Army, Peter McGrath said they were raising awareness of the scale of the issue and educating the community about what to do if they, or anyone they know, may be at risk of becoming homeless.

“It’s vital to educate the community about how organisations like The Salvation Army are supporting and preventing homelessness,” Mr McGrath said.

Young people are particularly vulnerable to issues of housing breakdown including violence in the home, poverty and leaving school early.

The Salvation Army advocates for fair and equitable access for young people to housing, from immediate crisis accommodation to long-term solutions.

General Manager for Youth Services, Natalee O’Brien said children and young people should have the freedom and opportunity to grow up in safe environments.

“Most importantly, they deserve to feel safe at home,” Ms O’Brien said.

Recently, more than 300 school students banded together to form the number 45,850 on their school oval to highlight the issue of youth homelessness in Australia.

“We encourage everyone to learn more, join us in raising awareness and reach out if they need help,” Ms O’Brien said.

Visit www.salvationarmy.org.au or call 13 SALVOS if you need support from The Salvation Army.

Key statistics from The Salvation Army’s National Stream Report, April 2024:

• Between January and April 2024, the Salvos assisted more than 19,000 people at risk of experiencing homelessness.

• Of nearly 2,500 young people, the Salvation Army’s youth services assisted during this time, almost half of the sessions (47 per cent) were related to accommodation issues.

• The Salvation Army’s homelessness services reported a five per cent increase in the number of people assisted compared to the same time the year before, and youth services increased by 11 per cent.

• In 2023, the Salvos assisted nearly 38,000 people at risk of, or experiencing, homelessness - more than one in six (16 per cent) assisted by their homelessness services were accompanying children and young people aged 14 years and under.

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