Uniting had the pleasure of hosting the launch of the April 2022 issue of Parity Magazine in partnership with the Council to Homeless Persons and Parliamentary Secretary for Youth, Katie Hall MP (pictured above). Uniting CEO Bronwyn Pike hosted the event.
The April issue of Parity Magazine, ‘Homelessness and Young People: Support During Troubled Times’, centres around the intersection between homelessness and young people. The current social housing system is designed for adults; there are distinct differences in experiences of homelessness for young people, who require specialised support and receive limited benefit from adult-focused services.
Uniting CEO, Bronwyn Pike contributed an article to Parity in which she calls for a continued commitment and investment in the youth homelessness sector.
“Safe and secure housing is a major factor in helping get a person’s life on track. This is particularly critical for young people, who are only at the start of their journey. As a society, we should be doing all that we can to help the next generation lead healthy and productive lives. Young people need governments across the country to step up and invest in social and affordable housing on an ongoing basis and at a rate to keep up with increasing demand.”
Kate Waterworth, Team Leader for the Youth Support Team in Horsham also contributed an article for Parity, unpacking the barriers services face in supporting young homeless people and identifying ways to achieve greater outcomes.
“Coping skills and strategies for me are the foundation to setting our young people up for independence and success. Our support services are generally connected in with young people longer than specialised services which coincides with the supports. ”
Katie Hall MP, the Parliamentary Secretary for Youth and for Multicultural Affairs was in attendance to formally launch Parity Magazine and spoke of her passion for supporting young people, particularly after the COVID lockdowns.
“The pandemic brought many challenges to the lives of young people, challenges that greatly impact their mental health and their prosperity and these issues are compounded and reinforced by homelessness.”
“We’re committed to ensuring young Victorians have access to the accommodation and support they need to build strong futures”.
