A home is more than just a roof over your head. For children and young people, it should be a place where they can feel safe, supported and cared for. Somewhere they can get a good night’s sleep, a decent meal and access to education and stability. But safety goes beyond the basics.
Children and young people experiencing homelessness need mental health support, spaces to overcome trauma and wraparound support to guide them into adulthood. That’s why we’re pushing for change.
On 15 April, we shone a spotlight on the 46,000 young Australians facing homelessness each night. Thousands of young people across Australia lack the certainty of a safe place to sleep. Youth Homelessness Matters Day exists to change that.
“Youth Homelessness Matters Day is a real opportunity for the whole country to think about the 46,000 young people homeless every night, and ask: how can we make a difference?”
Kate Mills, CEO, Property Industry Foundation.
“It is a critically important day in the national calendar where we can put the spotlight on youth homelessness and what needs to be done to end it,” said John Macmillan, CEO, Yfoundations.
In Sydney, our team spent the morning at Oasis Youth Services with The Salvation Army — and left moved and motivated. We heard directly from a young woman who had experienced family violence and homelessness, and gone on to finish high school and study at TAFE. That’s the power of the right support at the right time.
In Melbourne, our Future Leaders Committee joined The Salvation Army Youth Service in St Kilda for a working bee, supporting a frontline partner providing crisis accommodation, outreach, and wraparound care for young people doing it tough.
In Brisbane, from the first activity of the day through to the Story Bridge lighting up orange alongside Brisbane Youth Service, it was a powerful demonstration of what collective action looks like in practice. Queensland Minister for Housing Sam O’Connor MP joined to close out the day — because this issue demands collaboration across government, industry, and community alike.
At the Property Industry Foundation, we believe the built environment has a critical role to play in creating safe, stable housing for vulnerable youth. Youth homelessness is solvable — but it requires wraparound support services and a clear housing pathway.
To every partner who was part of Youth Homelessness Matters Day — thank you. Together, we’re turning shared purpose into real change. Let’s keep going.
Together, we can raise awareness. Together, we can create homes. Together, we can build a future where no young person is homeless.
