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Posted May 12, 2023

ABC News: For LGBTQIA+ young people, the housing market is even tighter

Eden feels safer on the street than a hostel, where they must identify as a man or woman for a bed. The non-binary 24-year-old has been sleeping in a Brisbane CBD shopfront since January. The city’s rental market is tighter than it has ever been – but for people who are gender diverse, the options are […]

Posted May 04, 2023

ABC News: ‘Cascade effect’ pushing people into homelessness after rental prices, property scarcity hit records.

For Rhiannon*, the last three years have been a first-hand tour through the housing crisis. Forced to leave home at 17, she’s moved between crisis hotel accommodation, transitional housing and couch-surfing after a share house didn’t work out. At her lowest point, she was spending the night in front of a shop in Brisbane’s CBD. […]

Posted Apr 06, 2023

COURIER MAIL: ‘Unprecedented’ spike in youth homelessness in Queensland

Advocates have pleaded with the state government to come up with a specialised solution for young homeless Queenslanders, who are being violently and sexually abused in crisis accommodation designed for adults. Young homeless Queenslanders are being sexually and violently assaulted in mixed-dorm crisis accommodation designed for adults as advocates flag an “unprecedented” spike in youth […]

Posted Apr 06, 2023

INQUEENSLAND: Queensland needs to do more to reduce the ranks of its homeless youth

The numbers of young people experiencing homelessness – some as young as 12 – are exploding in Queensland. Long term solutions are urgently needed, writes Pam Barker. Our youth workers do their best to keep young people safe, however, they are often forced to present the tough choice of sleeping rough or in […]

Posted Mar 25, 2023

ABC News: Children in Queensland’s foster and residential care system are living on the streets of Brisbane.

Hundreds of children under Queensland government care are in ‘other living arrangements’, for many that means homelessness Self-placing is the term the Queensland government use when a child under its care leaves a foster, kinship or residential care placement. Others use the term homeless. Where do self-placing children go? Pam Barker and her team at […]

Posted Mar 22, 2023

Q&A with Clinic GP, Dr Mairaed Crawford

Seven questions with Clinic GP, Dr Mairaed Crawford What do you do here at Brisbane Youth Service? I am one of the doctors (GPs) working in the BYS clinic. I see young people for all sorts of things – mental health issues, sexual and reproductive health, arranging immunisations and medications, reviewing complex medical conditions. […]

Posted Mar 22, 2023

Flood Damaged Youth Shelter Receives Brand New Vehicle

A year on from Brisbane’s devastating 2022 floods, young people living in one of Brisbane Youth Service’s transitional housing shelters are grateful to have access to a brand-new van, purchased through the Queensland Government’s Community Grant Program. House Manager Paul expressed his gratitude for this new vehicle, emphasising the significance of easily accessible transport for […]

Posted Feb 01, 2023

Q&A with Housing Services Senior Manager, Sarah Dybing

Seven questions with Housing Services Senior Manager, Sarah Dybing. What do you do here at Brisbane Youth Service? I work in the Housing Services team as the Senior Manager. The best part of your job? Working with an amazing team & hearing stories of young people kicking goals! How does the work […]

Posted Jan 17, 2023

10 News First: Empty Houses Available To Homeless

“My children and I became homeless due to the real-estate raising the rent so high I couldn’t pay it, but when I said I could find a way to afford it, they then changed their minds stating they were doing renovations instead and needed us to leave to do it. This was back in May […]

Media Release, Jan 12, 2023

A Home for the New Year – One Young Family Safe

In an innovative response to the housing crisis, Brisbane Youth Service (BYS) has partnered with the Brisbane City Council (BCC) to use vacant properties designated for future Council development for young people, and young families, experiencing homelessness. A beautiful three-bedroom home became available in December through the partnership, meaning a new place to call home […]

Media Release, Dec 05, 2022

BYS Welcomes Coordinated Response to Keep Young People Safe

During the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (25 November – 10 December), Brisbane Youth Service (BYS) welcomes new reforms and initiatives announced by the Queensland Government after advocating for a coordinated response to address the high rates of domestic and family violence (DFV) experienced by young people. Last week, the Palaszczuk Government committed […]

Posted Nov 09, 2022

Best Workplace Award WINNER: Brisbane Youth Service

While we have felt it, Brisbane Youth Service (BYS) is officially being recognised an exceptional place to work and national employer of choice! BYS has participated in the Voice Project employee feedback survey since 2018. Our annual staff survey results have just been released, and we have been awarded the Voice Project’s ‘Best Workplace Award […]