On Youth Homelessness Matters Day, the not-for-profit organisation Social Futures is calling on Northern Rivers real estate agents and landlords to give young renters a fair go – given 19-to-24-year-olds now have the highest rate of homelessness in Australia.

Social Futures Program Manager, Lucie White, said young people have been hard hit by soaring rents and low vacancy rates – and frequently face discrimination. 

“Young people, due to their young age, have a limited work history and often no previous rental experience,” Ms White said.  

“More often than not, landlords would prefer not to rent their properties to a young person. This obviously makes young people very vulnerable to homelessness.   

“But all young people need is a chance to prove they are capable, sadly too many just can’t get their foot in the door of a rental.” 

Generous subsidies available 

Ms White said generous government subsidies were available to help young people sustain rental tenancies, while they worked towards the goal of establishing an income to afford ongoing rent.  

“These subsidies help young people stabilise their lives, without the daily pressures of homelessness, and the government subsidy is an assurance to agents and landlords that the rent will always be paid,” she said.  

Social Futures delivers the Connecting Home Youth Program, funded by Homes NSW, which supports young people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.  

“Our Connecting Home Youth workers can help young people to access this subsidy and also link them to other valuable government and not for profit supports,” said Ms. White.  

Emma’s story – 18 years old, homeless and alone  

Emma Jacobsen was just 18 years old when her mother died two years ago. 

(Emma and her mother. Photo: supplied)

“We were like two peas in a pod,” said Emma. “We went everywhere together. We went to the movies, we went shopping – she’d be like, ‘I don’t want to go to the shops alone! Come with me!’ She would come into my room in the morning and eat cereal in my bed. She’d be like, 

‘Hey! I’m just coming to eat my cereal’. I’d say ‘mum! It’s eight in the morning’. And she’d say ‘yeah, but I haven’t seen you all night!’”  

“I remember two weeks before she passed away, I was sitting in the kitchen and I said to her, ‘I can’t lose you, you’re the last thing I’ve got. I couldn’t even think about what I would be doing next’. And then…it happened,” Emma said.  

Emma’s mum died suddenly of ischemic heart disease leaving Emma homeless. 

“I screamed, I threw up, I blacked out for like 20 minutes. I don’t think I stopped crying for two weeks straight.”  

Emma moved around, mostly couch surfing for almost a year until she went into Centrelink to ask for financial help and the person at the counter asked if she had somewhere to sleep that night. She didn’t, so they referred her to Social Futures.  

“If it wasn’t for Social Futures, I think I’d still be on the streets or couch surfing.” 

Emma has been in Social Futures transitional housing for 12 months but next week, she gets the keys to her own apartment. She is working and will also be supported through the Rent Choice Youth Program.   

“It’s actually affordable for us, for young people. And it gives us that extra boost to know you’re able to do it. It’s fine. It’s a good rate now, and you’ll be prepared for that bit extra later down the track,” Emma said.  

“Before, I didn’t know what I was doing. ‘What do I do when an electricity bill comes?’ I wouldn’t have known. But now, I’ve got that so down pat. I wouldn’t have done it without Social Futures.”  

Real estate agents call on others to take a chance on young people 

Northern Rivers Real Estate Agent, Andrew Gordon (R Gordon and Son) currently has four tenancies with young people using the Rent Choice Youth subsidy and encourages other landlords and estate agents to give young people a chance.  

“As a community, we have an obligation to nurture our next generation. As a business community we rely on the next generation staying in our region, to become our staff, and often become employers themselves. And unless we provide the opportunity to stay in our regional areas, they will go,” Mr Gordon said.  

“It’s that good old Aussie adage of a fair go. And often, it’s just that first step these young people need. There are many who don’t have that bank of mum and dad to help them but given the chance, and the opportunity, they will flourish.”  

Social Futures is there for young people

Social Futures provides ongoing support to equip young people with the necessary skills to sustain their tenancy, manage their property, and thrive in their new home.   

“We continue to support the young person throughout by helping them build skills in sustaining a tenancy, caring for their property, being a good neighbour and managing bills and budgets, so there is ongoing support available,” Ms White said.  

“By opening your properties to local young people, you can set in motion a series of events that could change lives for the better, permanently.”