Chai Brady
Sr Stan Kennedy Many young people are en-route to “tragedy” owing to homelessness, according to Focus Ireland, highlighting a 98% increase since 2014 of homeless people aged 18-24.
Sr Stan Kennedy opened the ‘Youth Homelessness in Limerick today’ event in Thomond Park Conference Centre and called for greater action to be taken in order to support the 826 young adults who are now homeless, saying they have paid a high price for austerity.
Sr Stan said that department figures don’t accurately reflect the true number of homeless young people “as this figure does not include young people who live in unstable and temporary arrangements such as staying on friend’s couches”.
In collaboration with Tusla and Limerick City and County Council, Focus Ireland have provided the youth housing project which aims to prevent young people becoming homeless.
Sr Stan said: “We are providing homes for vulnerable young people, along with vital support to help them sustain their tenancies as they make the transition into adulthood.”
Employment
The programme is independently evaluated and has provided youth housing in Waterford, Cork, Clare and North Tipperary.
Tackling homelessness isn’t just about housing, but about facilitating access to training, education, mental health services and employment Focus Ireland stated. Without these supports many young people become marginalised, never reaching their potential.
Sr Stan added that the hostel accommodation provided for young people is “anything but appropriate”, and the State should provide housing “that gives young people respect, dignity and privacy and the support they need to become mature adults”.