Youth homelessness
Foundational struggles involving addiction, familial unrest, or abuse often lead to young people choosing to leave or being forced out of their homes before they are adequately prepared to be on their own.
[1] The term "Youth" itself is defined by the United Nations as an individual between the ages of ten and twenty-four, and most states' definitions fall near this categorization, yet flex slightly.
[4] In the European Union, anyone between the ages of 13 and 26 who lacks a physical structure to reside in, or who struggles with housing insecurity as a result of fractured caregiver relations falls into this category of "Youth Homelessness".
[6][7] In 1986, UNICEF established two varieties of "Street Children": half of whom return home after their days of work, and those who reside without permanent shelter.
Abusive behaviors inflicted upon young people during their adolescence can encourage them to leave home at an earlier age either by force or by choice.
[5] Instability within the family unit or household can cause not only youth displacement, but also can lead the children impacted down a path of criminal behavior as a psychological result.
[9] Some children also enter the foster care system during their childhood when conditions of abuse or neglect become extreme, and the state is forced to intervene.
In Russia, alcohol and drug addiction amongst youth permeates society, and contributes to the number of orphans or unhoused children within the nation.
[8] Very closely related with the other topics, pre-existing Mental Health conditions (as a direct or indirect result of the previously outlined contributions) can increase Youth Homelessness.
Pre-existing inequalities also exacerbate the already unequal distribution of wealth, making it difficult in many societies for the poor to mobilize and gain access to new employment opportunities.
Children tend to naturally fall into a similar economic range as their parents do as a result of birth age, and educational milestones, however this varies regionally.
[24] Activists maintain that the majority of young people leave home because of family breakdown, often caused by domestic violence and abuse.
Additionally, when assistance was requested, many reported denial or barriers that would exacerbate pre-existing mental health challenges and resulted self-esteem reduction.
[33] In 2018, a study was conducted to gain a new perspective on youth homelessness, and resulted in the development of three avenues of prevention to target all levels of the issue.
The three levels of prevention are: The study concluded that the main issue with policies enabling Youth Homelessness to persist is the late intervention of assistance.
[39] Russia recognizes the challenge of Youth Homelessness as deeply concerning, partially for the impact that such children will have upon the wider culture, and their inability to assimilate into societal norms.
Some less educated citizens were marginalized during the transition away from communism, causing conditions of poverty, and ultimately familial distress in many situations as a direct result.
[18] Russian interior minister, Rashid Nurgaliyev, explained that as a result of widespread addiction after the economic and systematic struggles following the Collapse of the Soviet Union, youth homelessness has skyrocketed.
[40] The study intends to convey that there are various factors in play in childhood psychological and physical distress which shape future characteristics and choices in their adult lives.
[41] Amnesty International has called upon the human rights infringements in the wake of this ratification, noting that it is a duty of the state to uphold their constitutional provisions to their citizens.
[45] Youth Homelessness impacts individuals identifying as LGBTQ+ to a greater extent than other populations of young people, as a direct or indirect result of this.
Additionally, these individuals may feel excluded from their community or society at large leading to threats to their physical safety and their mental health which can promote alcohol or drug addiction.
[46] In Canada, in a qualitative study conducted with members of their homeless youth population, claims were made of denial of services or exclusion from shelter programs due to their identification as LGBTQ+.
Despite the swift movement to hotel rooms, programs and assistance that was regularly provided had been halted, and more rules were implemented to help curb the spread of the virus.
[19] Jobs that are regularly granted to young people with lower experience levels were largely unavailable as the service industry virtually closed during the early months of the Pandemic, reducing the ability for this population to ensure steady income to pay housing fees.
[47] When the study was conducted, many of the resources available for these youth populations in San Francisco were difficult to access as various agencies provided the different services.
YEH suggested that expanded hours of operation or trauma-informed service training might help alleviate negative experiences with the agencies.
[50] The research group there has developed a protocol for addressing youth homelessness with four levels of prevention categorized by effectiveness and ease of implementation.
Providing housing, direct cash transfers, and increased access to quality resources and support are viable prevention strategies.
The Pathways to Success Model Intervention was developed to aid youth exiting foster care and prevent homelessness — a transition which is often tumultuous.
