More young people are living on Wyndham’s streets, with family
breakdowns, rising unemployment and soaring rents leaving hundreds
without shelter.
Support services say it is difficult to tell exactly how many
youths are homeless but believe there are several hundred young people
couch-surfing or living on the street.
Werribee Support and Housing deputy chief executive Sue Moger said
there were more homeless females than males in the municipality,
including many single mums.
She said financial problems, teenage pregnancy, relationship
breakdowns, family violence and mental-health problems were forcing
young people to live on the streets.
“There is a lack of affordable accommodation options, especially
for single young people. A single young person who is unemployed is
unable to afford private rental on youth allowance or Newstart
payments.”
RELATED: Werribee fund-raisers bank on a rough night to end homelessness
Melbourne Citymission youth refuges manager Sam Barrett said the
problem was being exacerbated by a shortage of youth refuges. There are
refuges in Sunshine and Footscray, but none in Wyndham.
“There is a huge demand for services in Wyndham,” Mr Barrett said.
“In areas where there is high development and significant
population growth, these sorts of services get forgotten. It is easy to
put in a park but the other services, like homeless shelters, come after
the need arises.”
To help combat the problem, Whitelion has opened a transitional house in Wyndham with the support of Werribee Rotary Club.
The house provides homeless youths with medium-term accommodation while they take part in Whitelion’s pathways program.
Whitelion western region manager Jeff Hamilton said Bianca, 21,
was living in the house after a drug relapse, brought on by domestic
violence, caused her to lose custody of her daughter.
Bianca took part
in a detox program and returned to her family in the hope of regaining
custody of her daughter, but found living at home difficult.
She has
moved into the transition house while searching for somewhere to live
with her daughter.
