Each night in Wodonga, Junction Support Services provides a safe place to sleep for young people who would otherwise have faced the night without shelter.

Every bed represents safety, care and connection, and a powerful reminder of what is possible when a community invests in its young people.

Yet across our region, too many young people still remain without a safe place to live.

These are our hidden homeless, young people staying in camping grounds, couch surfing with friends or extended family, or living in environments that are unsafe or unstable.

Without a secure home, young people are far more likely to disengage from education, struggle to find work, and miss out on meaningful participation in community life, ultimately increasing their risk of long‑term disadvantage.

This is a challenge facing communities across Australia, where around half of young people seeking crisis accommodation are turned away due to a lack of youth‑specific beds.

“Every day, we see both the vulnerability and the incredible resilience of young people in our community,” says Junction’s Chief Operating Officer, Rhianna Coleiro.

“When young people are given safety, stability and the right support, they don’t just survive — they thrive.”

At Junction’s five‑bed Youth Refuge, which provides crisis accommodation for young people aged 15 to 17, demand consistently exceeds availability.

Currently, only one in four young people seeking crisis accommodation can be offered a bed.

“We make every possible effort to support every young person who reaches out,” says Geoff Harsant, Junction’s Homelessness Team Manager.

“While it’s devastating that we can’t always provide a bed, our staff work tirelessly to find safer alternatives and pathways forward. This is why continued community and government support is so critical.”

As the largest provider of youth homelessness services in North East Victoria, Junction’s experience and data are clear: stable housing, access to education and strong, relationship‑based support change lives.

Junction is advocating for a coordinated national approach to youth homelessness, one that recognises safe housing as a basic human right and invests in solutions that are proven to work.

“With the right investment, collaboration and policy settings, youth homelessness is solvable,” Rhianna says. “Our community already sees the difference these supports make. Together, we can ensure every young person has the safety, stability and opportunity they deserve.”

Youth Homelessness Matters Day, held annually on the third Wednesday of April, is a powerful reminder that ending youth homelessness is not only possible, it’s a shared responsibility.

Youth homelessness is not inevitable, and ending it requires the collective effort of the whole community.

Junction sees every day how community generosity, advocacy and partnership directly change young lives.

When the community shows up, young people gain not just a safe place to sleep, but hope, stability and a pathway forward.

Financial donations play a vital role in ensuring Junction can respond when young people reach out for help.

Contributions directly support access to food and essential items, education and employment pathways, and early‑intervention programs that prevent homelessness before it begins.

Every donation, no matter the size, helps provide safety, dignity and opportunity for a young person during a critical moment in their life.

“Our work shows that when young people have a safe and stable place to live, entire communities are stronger,” Rhianna says.

“By standing together — as neighbours, organisations, businesses and governments — we can create a brighter future for every young person.”

Community members who want to make a difference today are encouraged to donate to Junction Support Services and be part of the solution.

Donate at: https://junction.org.au/general-donations