Research and Publications

This Innovate RAP, developed with input from First Nations young people, establishes a framework to promote institutional integrity, equity, and equality through meaningful, tangible goals. It is a commitment to grow our knowledge of the cultures and histories of First Australians and to offer appropriate support based on respect and understanding.

Opinion piece – Pam Barker, CEO.

The Federal Government must address Australia’s child and youth homelessness problem. The argument for a National Child and Youth Housing and Homelessness Plan is not new. Many governments have attempted to address homelessness only to leave children and young people as one or two recommendations in an adult-focused strategy. While there have been many child and youth wellbeing strategies nationally (National Mental Health Commission’s National Children’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy’ for the most recent), they have not adequately addressed the issue of homelessness. The Federal Government has been largely silent on this issue.

Catherine Mann Research and Evaluation Coordinator, Rhianon Vichta-Ohlsen Research and Evaluation Manager, Lou Baker Young Women and Young Families Manager

In 2020-21, Brisbane Youth Service (BYS) received 2,629 new enquiries for support from young people impacted by homelessness or related support needs. Specialist Homelessness Services (SHS) data indicates that approximately 1.1 per cent of young people who seek support nationally are young parents and 17.2 per cent of new mothers are aged 24 years or younger, with younger mothers more likely to identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. At BYS, more than a quarter of the young people we support each year are young parents (26 per cent) and approximately 70 per cent of young parents coming to BYS identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.

Rhianon Vichta-Ohlsen and Catherine Mann

Mental health concerns are consistently one of the most prevalent challenges facing young people who are at risk of homelessness, or homeless, when coming to Brisbane Youth Service for assistance. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic both the numbers of young people presenting for support and the percentage of those young people who are experiencing mental health issues have increased disproportionately. The concerning increase in mental health issues in the general Australian population has been well documented, with evidence that this impact has been stronger for young people and that mental health is the third most common aspect of young peoples’ lives to be adversely affected by COVID-19

Katie Hail-Jares, Rhianon Vichta-Ohlsen, Theo M. Butler & Jacqueline Byrne

Queer young people, or young people who are sexuality diverse and/or trans and gender diverse, face a higher lifetime likelihood of homelessness than their cis-heterosexual peers. However, queer young people are often treated as a homogenous group within research, a methodological decisions that obscures differences on the basis of gender identity.

Dr Jenny Penton, Brisbane Youth Service

While several studies about lived experiences of homelessness have been documented, these often acknowledge the challenges and barriers involved in this engagement, noting the complexities of people’s lives, the high incidence of mental health issues, substance misuse and other health problems, and the perception that this demographic is hard-to-reach and unable to meaningfully contribute.

Ratna Beekman, Jacqui Byrne and Rhianon Vichta-Ohlsen, Brisbane Youth Service

Couchsurfing is the most common, is the least visible, form of homelessness for young people in Australia. Faced with a lack of affordable, safe, or crisis housing options, couchsurfing is often assumed to be a safer option than other forms of homelessness.

Rhianon Vichta-Ohlsen and Brisbane Youth Service Workers, Brisbane Youth Service

As Brisbane Youth Service (BYS)  transitioned the majority of its youth housing and homelessness support workers to work from home arrangements due to Covid-19 social distancing restrictions, service delivery was forced to adapt.

Using creativity and innovation in engaging with young people in the new landscape, workers not only developed new ways of working and focusing their engagement with the young people they support; they witnessed the resilience of young people through this crisis time.

Dr Nicola Brackertz, Australia Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI) and Adam Barnes, Brisbane Youth Service

How can we better sustain the tenancies of young people living in social housing?

This was the question posed by Brisbane Youth Service (BYS), and social housing providers from the Under 1 Roof consortium in 2015. Housing providers were clear that there was a gap in the service system regarding support for young tenants in social housing.

Rhianon Vichta and Katie Hail-Jares, Brisbane Youth Service

Recent surveys of young Australians show more young people couch surfing than ever before, although not all classified themselves as homeless. Envisioning couch surfing as a form of extended sleep-over with a friend has contributed to the perception that couch surfing is a secondary and potentially less concerning form of homelessness; or not even a form of young homelessness at all.

Laura Watson, Brisbane Youth Service

Is there ever truly an ethical way of presenting someone’s suffering and misfortunes?

When speaking for others, sharing and ‘benefiting’ from someone’s own words, what ethical guideposts should we navigate by?

Kristin Penhaligon and Tara Harriden, Brisbane Youth Service

A large proportion of the work in a residential supported accommodation program, is working with young people to get them ready to live independently. The young people have spent varying amounts of time in different stages of homelessness and many have a history of trauma, abuse, neglect, mental health issues (either theirs or their parents’), substance use (theirs or their parents’), etc. As we cater for young people of all genders between 15 and 18 years, there are different levels of emotional/mental maturity, communication skills, intellectual abilities etc. Having to meet new people, make friends and integrate into an unfamiliar living environment can be quite a daunting prospect for some young people.

Karleen Gwinner, Rhianon Vichta and Brian Collyer, QLD

Putting therapeutic tools for wellbeing directly into the hands of vulnerable young people, on their phones and devices, seems to make good sense. There are a great number of apps and websites which provide guidance and strategies for enhancing wellbeing, including mental health issues and other life challenges common to young people who are dealing with homelessness and other life crises. What we see, however, is that use of these remains limited amongst highly vulnerable and homeless young people.

Helen Wood, Chair, Brisbane Youth Service Board

While many see ‘feeding the corporate agenda’ as an ineffective use of resources and a diversion of funding from service delivery, if done effectively, good governance, strategic leadership and an effective corporate business model increases an organisation’s ability to not only do more to assist the vulnerable, but also to deliver services in the most effective way.