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 !