When Homelessness and Education Collide | International Youth Day 2026

Every year on the 12th of June, International Youth Day asks us to stop and think about the young people in our communities – what they’re facing, what they need, and what kind of future we’re building for them.

This year, we want to talk about something that doesn’t get discussed enough: the relationship between homelessness and education, and what happens when a young person is trying to navigate both at the same time.

You can’t learn if you don’t feel safe

It sounds obvious when you say it out loud. But the education system has historically treated these two things as separate problems, dealt with by separate services.

The reality is they are deeply, inextricably linked.

When a young person doesn’t have a stable place to sleep, the cognitive load of simply getting through the day leaves very little room for learning. When home is unsafe or unpredictable, school can feel impossibly far away. When a young person is couch surfing, or has just fled a violent situation, or is trying to navigate the complexity of crisis accommodation at 16, asking them to show up to class and focus on their studies is asking a lot.

Research consistently shows that housing instability is one of the strongest predictors of educational disengagement. And educational disengagement, in turn, makes it harder for young people to access stable employment, financial independence, and long-term housing. The two issues feed each other in a cycle that is genuinely difficult to break without the right support.

“Homelessness is not a choice. Many young people are fleeing violence, family breakdown, abuse, or circumstances beyond their control. Behind every young person experiencing homelessness is a story, and our job is to ensure that story doesn’t define their future” — Rachael Nudds, Head of Homelessness

For many of the young people who come to Youth Futures, homelessness and disengagement from education arrived together, or one followed closely after the other.

A young person leaves an unsafe home situation and loses their school enrolment in the process. Another spends months couch surfing, falling further behind until catching up feels impossible. Another ages out of the care system at 18 with no family safety net and no clear pathway back into study or work.

These are not edge cases. In 2025, Youth Futures supported 45 young people through our accommodation services and 350 young people through our community school programs. Many of those young people were dealing with both.

Why addressing them together matters

The traditional approach, fix the housing first, then worry about education, doesn’t reflect how young people actually experience these challenges.

They don’t arrive at a service with one problem neatly packaged and ready to solve. They arrive as whole people, carrying everything at once.

“A lot of the young people who come to us haven’t had the easiest run. They’ve experienced trauma, instability, or just never felt like they belonged in a traditional school setting. That doesn’t mean they don’t want to learn, it just means they need something different. That’s where we come in.” — Paul Jones, Principal

At Youth Futures, our model is built around this reality. Our homelessness services and education programs are integrated, with the same values, and with teams that communicate and collaborate around the young people they share. A young person in crisis accommodation can be connected to one of our schools, with programs which meet them where they are, at their own pace, building the confidence and qualifications needed to take the next step. A student at Youth Futures Community School who is experiencing housing instability has access to youth workers and social workers who can help stabilise their living situation so they can stay engaged in learning.

This wraparound approach is not just good practice. It is the only approach that actually works for young people facing multiple, intersecting challenges.

“Our vision is simple but powerful: Every young person feels connected, has a sense of purpose, and knows they matter. From early outreach through to long-term housing, our services have an impact. Whether a young person needs emergency accommodation, help settling in a new country, or a safe place to reset and rebuild, we want to be part of their next chapter.” — Rachael Nudds, Head of Homelessness

In 2025, Youth Futures Community School awarded 230 full qualifications to students – the third consecutive year exceeding 200. These are young people who, in many cases, came to us having already disengaged from mainstream education. Some were navigating housing instability at the same time as working toward their Certificate II. Some arrived through, building trust and confidence before stepping into a classroom.

Behind every one of those qualifications is a young person who had to overcome more than most of their peers to get there.

“Before we talk about subjects or grades, we listen without judgement and treat every person with dignity, valuing who they are and the experiences they bring. The relationship comes first. Once they trust you, everything else falls into place.” — Paul Jones, Principal

What International Youth Day means to us

International Youth Day is a reminder that young people are not problems to be managed, they are people with potential, with goals, with stories that are still being written.

At Youth Futures, we believe in the potential of every young person and take action to help them build the skills, confidence and independence to shape their own future. We work with young people, with our people, partners and communities to create the conditions for every young person to build capability, connection and confidence.

If you know a young person who needs support with housing, education, or both, please reach out. We are here.

Get in touch with the Youth Futures team.