Homelessness rarely begins the day a young person leaves home. It often starts much earlier, when family relationships become strained, mental health suffers, or a young person feels they have nowhere to turn.
With the right support at the right time, that journey can change.
This year’s Safe & Sound supporter magazine explores how together with our supporters we are helping to prevent homelessness before it starts. Through the stories of young people and staff, you can see how early support gives young people safety, stability, and the opportunity to grow and thrive.
Reaching young people early can change everything.
Sophie, on the cover of Safe & Sound, experienced homelessness at a young age, cycling in and out of crisis with no idea where to turn. She didn’t know help existed. Sophie used her experience to make sure school children at risk of homelessness know they are not alone and they can get the support she never had . Read her story in Safe & Sound.
Sometimes, preventing homelessness starts with a trusted adult. Our staff deliver education workshops which help young people recognise the warning signs of homelessness, understand that help is available, and ask for support before a crisis develops.
We also train education professionals who are often the first people to notice early warning signs. Knowing how to spot the signs of homelessness, school staff can support young people to get the help they need to avoid reaching a crisis.
Reconnect family mediation gives young people and their families the time, space, and support to rebuild relationships before conflict reaches crisis point. Reconnect worker Kerry knows how important that support is because she experienced family breakdown herself. Today, she helps young people feel heard, find their voice, and rebuild relationships that once seemed beyond repair.
For one 14-year-old girl, that meant returning home to her grandmother, succeeding at school, and spending Christmas safely with her family. Read Kerry’s story in Safe & Sound.
Your donation will help more young people receive the support they need before homelessness becomes their reality. Whether it’s a school workshop, family mediation, emergency Nightstop accommodation or ongoing support, your support helps ensure young people who are at risk of homelessness are not alone.
Every young person deserves the chance to feel safe, be heard, and to look forward to the future with hope. Thanks to our supporters, young people are:
Together, we are helping prevent homelessness before it starts. Thank you.
