Its been raining in Brisbane, We came across seven young people yesterday morning, all between the ages of about 16 and 25 sleeping rough at the church. Most nights there are people sleeping under the awainings on the concrete, generally one or two, mostly in their mid 30's or older. Other than a feed of 'hot noodles' and unlock the toilets so those who need can relieve themselves, there's not much we can do, tell them to come on Monday when there will be more resources available to them.

The alarming thing is the growing number of homeless young people we are encountering these days. The following link from the AIHW (Commonwealth Government) gives a good account of the plight of homeless youth in Australia. Unfortunate the situation is getting rapidly worse, and there seems no relief in sight. What can be done to mitigate this crises? The wet weather has set in this morning, I wonder where those young folk are now.

BTW; five coppers, yes five uniformed coppers, turned up later with a couple of social workers, looking for one fella who sleeps there regularly, he hasn't been seen for more than a week. We couldn't help them with his whereabouts, he could be anywhere.

http://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/children-youth/homelessness-and-overcrowding

Dear Paul,

We keep hearing about the situation of homelessness
in Australia. And I realize that there are a variety
of reasons for it, and it is complicated. However,
regarding young people? How about the government taking
a stand and encouraging these young people to work for
any welfare payments? We have a shortage of labour in
many areas, from farmers needing help, to other areas
needing workers. Wouldn't it be more useful to give
these kids a purpose in life instead of waiting for
hand-outs from strangers? They need a reason to get up in
the morning. Would putting them to work be such a bad idea?

Dear Foxy,

With respect how would that address their homelessness?

Hi Foxy and Steele,

I have to say the problems are greater than not having a job, or not willing to work. That is the manifestation of the problem, but I do believe it's not the problem as such. It would be difficult for anyone to employ these kids as they are uneducated and lacking in social skills, I know little of their family history, but I take its not the greatest, and they have onboard issues of all kinds, with anger quickly coming to the fore. Incidentally two of the seven were druggies, the other five, drink and would do casual drugs, I'm sure. Talk to them calmly and reasonably, they tend to respond fairly well. Once asked, they cleaned up and by nine o'clock packed their belonging into a shopping trolley and moved on for the day, seen them later in the shopping centre where they spend a fair bit of their day, meeting up with the same.

Dear Steele,

I'm not sure how it would affect their homelessness. I guess
I was thinking rather narrowly - in that if they were given
some sort of purpose - or activity to get involved in, then
perhaps it may give them a greater self-worth and willingness
to try other things to improve their lot in general. Especially
if they felt that their were valued for the work they were doing.
It may increase their self-esteem.

I'm just grabbing at straws here. Especially if they were to
form friendships with say - farmers, where they were very valued
for the work they did?

Decades ago - my older brother ran away from home with
a friend and they ended up on a ranch way out the back of
beyond. The farmer fed them and taught them farming.
My brother ended up loving it and stayed for a year. Dad fianlly
found my brother and brought him home. My brother agreed to
finish his high school certificate "for you dad," which dad
accepted. I wish I had a happy ending to this story.

This brother ended up being a "rover" all of his life. It broke
dad's heart - but at least dad got him to finish high school.
(for dad). Funny though - this guy always ended up landing on his
feet - no matter the messes he got himself into. Go figure.
I worked hard all of my life - and many times ended up bailing
this guy out. But I guess that's life.

The real question is why are so many young people homeless in the first place ?
Most don't need to be, they simply shy away from the responsibilities of home life. The by now worn-out excuse of abuse is wearing thin.
A National Service scheme would house young people & offer them exposure to a mentality they're obviously lacking hence their being on the streets !

Indy,

These children haven't had a stable, caring and nurturing home life, and simply chose to turn their backs on such a life and take to the streets. The majority grew up, and grew up quick, in a terrible home environment, and took off at the first opportunity. You seem to think there is some quick-fix scheme that if applied will see the problems of disadvantage youth disappear like magic from society. The problems are systemic and if they could be solved with a quick-fix then don't you think it would have been tried in the past.

BTW some are druggies, some are criminals, one young girl told me someone, a druggie, had stolen her mobile phone the night before.

It is not just kids from bad family environments that are bludging today. In this area at least 20% have a kid, from 25 to 35 living in a granny flat, caravan or some such to avoid the cost of rent.

My son is living in my granny flat, but is "paying" for the privilege by restoring the 30+ year old unit to its former glory. He is also paying for his own power & internet connection. Most are contributing nothing, a sore point with many elderly parents, particularly weth power getting so expensive.

It is not a lack of jobs or skills that has many unemployed either. There are many employers looking for workers, with no specials required. A number of turf farms are always looking for labourers, & my son is being offered a number of jobs every week.

One company he has been doing some engineering for has been looking for someone to drive a small car licence truck delivering hay. The owners wife is often having to drive it with a baby in a car seat beside her.

There are a couple of pages of positions vacant in the local paper every week, many not requiring skills & offering training. Homelessness is a lifestyle of choice for many.

The problems are systemic ...
Paul1405,
Yes, systemic as in many of the young simply not willing to work & systemic as in shirking responsibility as in opposing a National Service.
Hasbeen hit the nail on the head in his last reply.
There is simply no getting away from the dreadful fact that those who don't want to put in an effort are helped along by those who think being a bleeding heart is helping.
I was way too soft in my earlier days but having been a victim of crime several times has made me see what the real problems are. No punishment for crime & rewarding laziness are the culprits ! Choosing homelessness is a lead-up to that. I feel terribly sad for genuine homeless people but I'm afraid to say that I believe the greater majority of homeless don't have to be if they don't want to. State Govts & or Councils should have emergency accommodation as standard & helping to maintain it should be part of the responsibility of the occupants.

A friend's son is a pastor and works with the homeless. In his experience, the single biggest cause of homelessness is substance abuse.

This is not an easy problem to solve and all that can really be done is to provide help when they want it.

These children haven't had a stable, caring and nurturing home life, and simply chose to turn their backs on such a life and take to the streets.
Paul1405,
Precicely, that's why we need to make the bureaucrats who cause this accountable !

Drug and alcohol abuse is a big part of the homeless life in general, in older people alcohol abuse is prevalent. Among the youth both alcohol and drugs play a big part in their daily lives. Mental illness, for whatever reason seems to affect many homeless people. Met a bloke on Wednesdays, nice fella Michael, about 27, said he was an "artists", wanted to borrow a broom to clean up his flat, but I think he had some real mental issues, although he does have a place to live, so these who know him said.

"that's why we need to make the bureaucrats who cause this accountable" Indy you are so far off the track its unbelievable.

Indy you are so far off the track its unbelievable.
Paul1405,
Really ? Sounds more like I'm too close to the bone in giving you a deserved guilt complex !

Paul1405,
If it's not bureaudroids making these dreadful & costly decisions, who then makes those decisions ?
Something tells me that no non-experts get to say in them let alone un-indoctrinated ones !

Hi Foxy,

A great day for our charity at the "Bunno's Barbecue" yesterday, it was a hot one, both for the weather 32C, and the sales, we sold close on 60 dozen sausages with or without onion on a slice of bread (no butter) @ $3.50 each gives us a margin of about $2.50, plus 70c from each drink sold, giving the charity about $1800 net. T will give me a full report when she returns from church this morning.

Can't stop the wife, last night it was off to the 'Halloween Parade' T get right into it dressed as witch, complete with broom, about 5,000 people there, many in costume. A Parade down the main street, cars and all, even a pipe band, ha, ha.

Substance abuse...

I remember years ago in the 90's, the days of my youth

I remember being so drunk I was passed out on the floor and quite possibly laying in a puddle of my own spew.
I was just conscious enough to be able to reach my arm out to present my vein.

15 seconds later, I'm up off the floor and about as perky and wide-eyed and awake as one could be...
- with my mind now racing at double the normal speed.

"Thanks man, what did I miss?"

I wonder if the experience of taking drugs is itself completely different to that which other people (who never did it) think it is.

I even remember shooting up acid trips, (vaguely) and the feeling one gets from heroin, like a whole world of inner peace.
- or the feeling of powder dropping down the back of your nasal passage after you snorted a line of speed.
- Kind of pleasantly irritating if there's such a thing.

All long distant memories... but memories nonetheless
Things of this world I'm not likely to ever experience again.

You want to know why people take drugs?
It's a feeling one cant describe, and one that others will never know.
These things are only mysteries to the uninitiated.
- Been there, done that - and not planning on ever going back -

"A friend's son is a pastor and works with the homeless. In his experience, the single biggest cause of homelessness is substance abuse."

Yeah well, he's right - but what is the cause of substance abuse?
The outsiders will never be insiders.

Until they've had a syringe in their vein themselves, (if you want real experience) the most you'll get from them is speculation based on outside observation.
- But you've got to walk the walk and live that life to know these things, for real.

but what is the cause of substance abuse?
Armchair critic,
Lack of basic culture, excessive mindless culture, a culture of irresponsibility, a culture of entltlement etc etc are the causes of substance abuse & of course a poor mentality from early schooling by people with a just as poor mentality themselves. Role models have become troll models !

Indy,

You have developed this unreal hatred of some sections of the public service for no other reason than the fact you perceive these people as "leftists" and therefore they are to be despised with a passion. You go to the extreme of blaming all the ills of society on these people. You are completely out of touch, and judging by your posts, you are cocooned in a fantasy world of imagined beliefs detached from reality.

The biggest substance abuse problem in our society is not cannabis, its not heroin and its not ice, it ALCOHOL! A legally sold and heavily taxed drug, not sold by "progressive leftest" but by large corporations and individuals. From a medical standpoint NICOTINE abuse is a major killer in society, again a legally sold and heavily taxed drug, not sold by "progressive leftest" but by large corporations and individuals. Indy how does that equate with your distorted thinking.

You have developed this unreal hatred of some sections of the public service for no other reason than the fact you perceive these people as "leftists" and therefore they are to be despised with a passion.
Paul1405,
What a dumb-crap thing to say. Also, tell us who legalises alcohol sales ? My bet is that it's not those who consume alcohol excessively. My bet is that it's some educated beyond their ability to use their education dumb-crap bureaudroids who legislate those policies !
It's very much like accusing the descendants of the invaders from Europe for bringing alcohol here & then bitterly whine discrimination if alcohol is being restricted to those who can't handle it. I witnessed that first-hand yesterday arvo again in our local park a mere 50 metres from the local Police Station with no Officer to be seen. These "homeless" have housing provided but instead chose to lie around the park all day & night & carry on screaming & yelling abuse of a most colourful order.
I don't "hate" you lot, I merely draw attention to your incompetence & stealing good oxygen from the performing Public Servants !