Almost one-in-ten young Australians aged 15 to 19 experienced homelessness in the past year, a survey indicates.
Mission Australia's The Unfair Divide report, released on Thursday, quizzed 19,501 teenagers aged 15 to 19.
Of the sample, 1508 respondents, or 8.6 per cent, reported homelessness during the most recent 12 months.
This took place either with or without the teenagers' families and included recent time spent without a fixed address, living in a refuge or transitional accommodation.
Other respondents spent time away from home because they felt they could not return.
Mission Australia chief executive Sharon Callister said it was hard to convey the impact of homelessness on a young person’s wellbeing and future prospects.
“This report demonstrates the harrowing impact of homelessness on young lives," she said.
“Whether enduring the harsh realities of sleeping rough, seeking refuge in crisis or transitional accommodation, or couch surfing ... the experience of homelessness for young people can be distressing and scarring.
"It should be unacceptable for any young person on the cusp of adulthood to be forced to experience homelessness in Australia."
Almost half, or 47 per cent, of young people who had been homeless were lonely all or most of the time compared with 18 per cent of those who had not been.
Two-in-five young people who were recently homeless said they had a mental health condition, compared with 13 per cent of young people who had stable homes.
The insight comes as Monash University's Centre for Youth Policy and Education Practice released its 2024 Australian Youth Barometer, which reveals what issues are facing young people.
Out of 600 Australians aged between 18 and 24 surveyed, 98 per cent reported having at least one feeling of anxiety or pessimism.
Another 86 per cent experienced financial difficulties in the last 12 months, with just over a quarter, or 26 per cent, reporting they did so often
Only half of the respondents, at 53 per cent, think it is likely they will achieve financial security in the future.
Socially, only 56 per cent of respondents often felt like they belonged when they spent time with friends.
Ms Callister said putting an end to youth homelessness and young people's wider hardships in Australia was possible with the right resources.
"It requires a comprehensive approach, including the concrete solutions outlined in this report such as investing in housing supply, ensuring adequate rental subsidies, implementing prevention measures and expanding youth housing options," Ms Callister said.
"We want to see an Australia where homelessness is rare, brief and non-recurring. But currently, for too many young people, it is neither."
