More than 2,500 young people presented alone to specialist homelessness services in Western Australia (WA) in 2022-23. Housing affordability and availability in WA are at record lows, and many young people requesting housing support are being turned away. There is an urgent need to support the medium and longer term needs of young people at risk of or experiencing homelessness.
Youth Foyers across Australia offer a safe home and community for young people to live in for up to two years, integrating education, employment and life skill support. There are currently 16 accredited Youth Foyers with an additional 11 undergoing accreditation or under construction across the country. WA has a significant number of young people experiencing homelessness, but only one Youth Foyer. This pre-budget submission to the WA State Government outlines the need for four more Foyers in WA and demonstrates how Foyers enable young people experiencing or at risk of homelessness to transition to independent, thriving futures.
