At just 17 years old, Mystique never imagined she would be at risk of being homeless, unsure of where she would go next.

Following a family breakdown and with no option to stay with another family member or to couch surf with friends, Mystique was facing the very real possibility of living on the streets.

“It was quite scary to think about,” Mystique said. “It was not an easy time.

“I was rarely attending school, my mental health was poor, and I was dealing with the possibility of being kicked out of my house. It was a lot to handle.”

Mystique needed support to help her move forward with her life in a more positive direction, and was referred to AnglicareSA’s Reconnect service, which helps young people aged 12 to 18 who are homeless or at risk of homelessness to stabilise their living situation and improve their level of engagement with family, work, education, training, and their local community.

AnglicareSA Coordinator, Youth Intervention Services, Sharnie Whales, worked alongside Mystique to organise referrals to homelessness services and youth shelters, support her physical and mental health and wellbeing, make sure she felt safe in her current living situation, organise financial support, and support employment and education goals.

Mystique said being at risk of homelessness was isolating, however, bonding over being self-confessed Swifties (Taylor Swift fans) gave her and Sharnie something to connect with and laugh about.

“There were not many people there for me,” she said.

“I was embarrassed – would people even want to be friends with me, knowing I’ve been through that homeless situation and I’ve had to rebuild everything I had?

“I felt alone a lot of the time and leaned on AnglicareSA for support.”

 

 

Carving her own life

Now 18 and living alone for the first time in her life in youth accommodation, Mystique said the adjustment was a lot easier because of the support system she had around her.

“Having to do everything myself, like cooking, took a lot of adjusting, but I think I’ve got it now,” Mystique said.

“Now I’ve got a social circle and friends. We hang out in the common room of our building, do activities together, dinners together.

“I feel a lot less stressed, knowing I am always going to have a place to come back to. I am not going to be left out on the streets one night.

“There’s no pressure living here. It is up to me how I live, and I feel a lot stronger.”

 

Mystique’s next steps

A year on, Mystique is moving on with her life, studying beauty services at TAFE SA with ambitions of becoming a make-up artist in the wedding industry.

She said nothing was going to stop her.

“I’ve adapted to adult life,” she said.

“My next steps are getting a private rental eventually, continuing to study, hopefully getting a job, and getting the best out of my life.

“If I want to do it, I certainly can. There’s nothing that I can’t do anymore.”

Sharnie said Mystique was a perfect example of what young people could do given the choices and supports they deserved.

“Every young person that comes through our programs teaches us something new about resilience and determination,” she said.

“We are incredibly proud of every one of them and so grateful to be a part of their journey.”

 

Youth homelessness on the rise

Unfortunately, Mystique’s story is not unique. Across Australia, thousands of young people face homelessness each night – not because of poor choices, but because of circumstances beyond their control.

According to new research, young people under the age of 24 represent more than 40 per cent of the Australian homeless population.

Closer to home, Adelaide’s northern region was identified as a hotspot for youth homelessness for young people aged between 16 and 24.

Our Reconnect service, which helped Mystique, works out of the Playford region and has seen the prevalence of youth homelessness increase.

As of June, our Reconnect service has seen 27 per cent of the young people they support homeless or at risk of being homeless. While the team has supported 31 per cent into crisis accommodation, many young people are falling through the cracks of the system in South Australia, facing limited crisis housing, age-inappropriate services, or long waitlists.

This Homelessness Week, AnglicareSA is sharing stories like Mystique’s because everyone deserves a safe place to call home.