Call for youth foyer to help tackle homelessness in the NT

Advocates are intensifying calls for a dedicated youth foyer in Central Australia to combat persistently high rates of youth homelessness. Data from the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census revealed that nearly half of the Northern Territory's homeless population were children and young people under 24, highlighting a critical need for targeted intervention.

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The gap is still there and a foyer is a really practical way to start closing that gap and changing things.

Annie Taylor, chief executive of NT Shelter, emphasized that the case for a youth foyer has grown stronger since a 2023 report underscored the disproportionate impact of homelessness on young people in Alice Springs. Youth foyers are designed as housing and support facilities for vulnerable individuals aged 16 to 24, offering a safe haven for up to two years. During this period, young people can access comprehensive support services while pursuing education or seeking employment.

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Youth foyers work, and, across Australia, they've seen over 80 percent of young people exiting foyers into safe and stable accommodation.

"Youth foyers work, and, across Australia, they've seen over 80 percent of young people exiting foyers into safe and stable accommodation," Taylor stated. She explained that most young people transition into the private rental market, a crucial redirection given the NT's limited social housing capacity. Taylor also noted that severe overcrowding, both in remote communities and urban centers, remains a primary driver of youth homelessness, increasing the risk of young people entering the criminal justice system.

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The drivers of youth homelessness largely remain the same. Overcrowding really remains entrenched, and that's whether you're looking at remote communities or you're looking at our urban centres, and young people continue to experience homelessness at rates far greater than the rest of Australia.

Jackson Hills, chief executive of National Shelter, echoed the sentiment, pointing out that youth foyers are conspicuously absent from discussions about addressing youth homelessness in the NT. He urged local, territory, and federal governments to invest in establishing such a facility in the near future. "There are about 35 [youth foyers] operating across the country," Hills mentioned, highlighting their prevalence and success in other Australian states.

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There's about 35 [youth foyers] operating across the country.