youth mental health

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Causes of youth homelessness – mental health

The Burdekin Association - prevention and early intervention

There are many causes of youth homelessness including family breakdown and bereavement. The top three causes of youth homelessness are generally considered to be:

  • Family and domestic violence
  • Housing crisis
  • Relationship/family breakdown

There are multiple others causes which are often correlative. They happen together or one causes the other or they’re bi-directional.

  • Exiting out-of-home care
  • Mental illness
  • Trauma – such as abuse, addiction or neglect
  • Addiction
  • Lack of housing
  • Unemployment

In the case of mental health, there are strong links between homelessness and the exacerbation of mental health issues, additionally mental illness can also increase the risk of homelessness.

The Mission Australia Youth Survey 2022 found:

  • 27.7% said mental health challenges including: low mental health, stress, anxiety, depression, low self-esteem or self-harm.
  • 19.7% said relationship challenges, death, abuse, challenging relationships with family, friends or significant others.
  • 28.8% had high psychological distress, 23.5% felt lonely all or most of the time, 44.0% were extremely or very concerned about coping with stress. Males had higher levels of self-reported wellbeing, followed by females with gender diverse young people having the lowest at just 12.5%.
  • 53.4% have needed help with mental health challenges, with the top barrier to seeking help being feeling stigma or shame. Read more.

I could talk to my parents about it but I am afraid of how they will react. Female, 15 VIC

Youth support services Inner West Sydney

Youth homelessness and mental health

Young people who experience homelessness are more likely to experience mental ill-health than those in stable housing.

It has been estimated that the prevalence of mental ill-health is at least 300 to 400 per cent higher among people experiencing homelessness when compared to people in stable housing.

Oyrgen’s Youth Homelessness and Mental Health report

In addition to the increased prevalence of mental ill-health among young people experiencing homelessness, it has also been shown that homelessness can increase the severity of mental ill-health. Research has found elevated levels of psychosis, anxiety, depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and alcohol and other drug use among people who are homeless.(31) As many as 90 per cent of young people experiencing homelessness have been estimated to meet criteria for diagnosis of at least one mental disorder.(32) Young people experiencing homelessness are also at elevated risk for suicidal ideation (40 to 80 per cent) and suicide attempts (23 to 67 per cent).

Oyrgen’s Youth Homelessness and Mental Health report

What is needed?

We understand far more than we ever did before about mental health and illness. Help is available but we still have a way to go to address both youth homelessness and youth mental health.

We need:

  • Low cost housing
  • Prevention and early intervention
  • Outreach and support
  • Effective programs

Further help:

In an emergency, call 000

Connecting the Dots

Join us for screenings on the Northern Beaches

Community Capital Foundation presents Connecting the Dots screenings and panel discussion events.

We have partnered with Community Capital Foundation and other local organisations for something very important to us – screenings of the documentary film Connecting the Dots by award-winning Canadian film director Noemi Weis, as well as post screening panel discussions.

Discussions will include mental health experts, local organisations and youth representatives to talk about how we can collectively improve youth mental health in 2022.

You can view screenings of Connecting the Dots on:

Watch the trailer

About Connecting the Dots

Connecting the Dots is the first feature documentary of its kind to offer a raw and inteimate look at youth mental health from a global youth perspective.


“The film gives a voice to our future leaders, who, through sharing their lived experience- articulate the problems and potential solutions. Community Capital Foundation will then work directly with Northern Sydney’s youth to identify ideas needing community support. In addition, we’re asking local individuals and businesses to contribute to our Youth Impact Fund for a giving program this year,” says the Foundation’s manager, Jessie Williams

Youth Mental Health Crisis

Late last year, self-harm and suicidal ideation were up 31 per cent for children and teenagers compared with 2020, according to NSW Government’s Health report.

With mental health charities doing it tough and rising rates of youth struggling, Community Capital Foundation want to shift the dial through a campaign to increase awareness, identify organisations making a difference and help raise the capital to contribute to our next grants program.

You can help promote Connecting the Dots

Hashtags and links to use – #RaiseYourHand, #ConnectingtheDots, #CCF, #mentalhealth #youthmentalhealth

Community Capital Foundation media release

Connect with Facebook and Instagram

About Community Capital Foundation

Community Capital Foundation is an initiative by local Northern Beaches organisation, Community Care Northern Beaches. We support our communities through grant-giving and community-building initiatives that positively impact our local backyard. Since 2019, we have donated $111,000 to programs eradicating Indigenous youth disadvantage, building male youth resilience and respect for themselves and others, and programs supporting victims of domestic violence, plus several others.

“When a flower doesn’t grow, you change the environment around it. As communities, we need to learn how to create safe and empowering spaces for young people to achieve their best mental health,” says Community Capital Foundation’s Youth Ambassador, Emily Unity.

To learn more, contact Jessie Williams.
Email: jessie@communitycapitalfoundation.com.au
Phone: +61 452 627 257



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