Zizi Sparks: We can t fix child poverty with band-aids
22 Dec, 2020 05:00 PM
2 minutes to read
Some young people will spend this Christmas on the streets.
Others will spend it in emergency housing - in a hotel room living out of a suitcase. And some may spend it milling about in a park or reserve, or on a friend s sofa.
They are New Zealand s homeless. And according to a Ministry of Housing and Urban Development report, they may make up more than half the nation s homeless population.
The report showed 51 per cent of homeless people in New Zealand were under 25.
Under 25 could mean early 20s. Or it could mean an infant with their family, living on the streets or without a permanent home.
Bay of Plenty homeless: More young people showing up on streets
21 Dec, 2020 05:00 PM
7 minutes to read
The number of young people sleeping in parks and reserves, couch surfing and in emergency housing is on the rise in the Bay of Plenty, social agencies say. The reasons vary, from trauma to their family becoming homeless as a casualty of the housing crisis and the pandemic, and those at the coalface expect it to get worse.
They say permanent accommodation specifically for young people and wrap-around services are needed.
A Ministry of Housing and Urban Development report says 51 per cent of all the homeless in the country are under 25, which includes unaccompanied minors and young people whose families are homeless.