Campaign to end youth homelessness gains MP traction in Parliament

RECENTLY, Minister for Homelessness, Rushanara Ali MP, was joined by more than 45 MPs at a parliamentary event calling for decisive action to end youth homelessness. 

Hosted by the #Planforthe136k collective– which references the estimated number of homeless young people in 2022-3 – the event featured moving testimonies from young people with lived experiences of homelessness. They highlighted passionately the urgent challenges facing young people on the brink of homelessness and those experiencing it.

The collective, which includes leading charities such as YMCA, Centrepoint and New Horizon Youth Centre, is urging the government to prioritise youth homelessness in their national strategy.

The collective is calling for a dedicated youth-specific chapter in their cross-departmental strategy to tackle the root causes of youth homelessness and eliminate the escalating crisis that faces the lives of thousands across the nation, providing young people with the stability and support they deserve.

The Minister’s engagement at the event underscored the importance of cross-sector collaboration in addressing this issue and amplified the voices of those most affected. It’s a rallying cry for the government, charities, and communities to work together to ensure no young person faces homelessness again.

Phil Kerry, Chief Executive Officer of New Horizon Youth Centre, said:

“It was great to see so many MPs attend the end youth homelessness event and it stands as a strong indicator that there is real concern amongst MPs about the issue.

“Far too many young people across the country find themselves unhoused, unsupported and unsafe. For too long, they have been overlooked in the past Government’s response to homelessness and the housing crisis. Their issues are different to many other groups.

“That is why the collective is calling for a youth chapter to be included in the homelessness strategy. We look forward to continuing the discussions with MPs and the minister around the important issue of youth homelessness.”

Commenting on the event, Florence Eshalomi, Labour Co-op MP for Vauxhall & Camberwell Green shared: 

“Almost 136k young people presented as homeless last year. It was powerful to hear directly from young people about their experiences of homelessness.

“It is important this is included as part of the Government’s cross-departmental homelessness strategy.”