'It can’t happen soon enough': Cork Simon welcomes plans to tackle youth homelessness

Cork Simon has welcomed the publication of a new strategy working towards ending homelessness for people aged 18-24 and said it hopes the measures in the strategy will be “rolled-out without delay”. 

The Government has published its Youth Homelessness Strategy 2023-2025, the first such strategy in over 20 years, setting out 27 distinct actions to tackle the issue.

“Preventing young people from entering homelessness in the first place is a key pillar of the strategy, and we look forward to working with all agencies in creating as many diversionary routes as possible away from homelessness for young people,” Cork Simon’s campaigns and communications manager Paul Sheehan said.

A key measure in the strategy is establishing additional emergency accommodation for young people, which Mr Sheehan said is much needed. 

“At present, many emergency shelters, including our own, provide emergency accommodation for people of all ages. It is not uncommon for 18-year-olds to be sharing emergency accommodation with 60 and 70 year olds.

“Creating an environment where specific assessments to identify all the supports required for young people in emergency accommodation will help to make sure their stay is short-term, is focused on positive outcomes, and limits the negative, often long-lasting impact the trauma of homelessness can have. 

"It can’t happen soon enough,” he told The Echo.

Youth homelessness in Cork city 

Mr Sheehan said in 2021, 18-24 year olds accounted for 9% of all people staying in Cork Simon’s emergency accommodation, and that last year the charity’s outreach team, met 29 people in that age cohort sleeping rough — 11% of the total number. Emergency shelters, he said, provide an “immediate, safe and supportive environment” to those experiencing homelessness but should only be a short-term measure.

“The strategy provides for a pilot model of housing-led intervention for 18-24 year olds. We hope this will be rolled-out without delay. 

"In almost all cases people can put all of their energy into addressing their root causes of homelessness once their housing is sorted. 

"It is proven to be the most effective way to end homelessness for people.”