Youth homelessness can start with rough sleeping at the age of 13. It can snowball into adult homelessness and lead to a variety of challenges for the individual as well as the greater community with costs associated with government intervention and family well-being services.
According to youth support service Kids Under Cover governments spend about $28,964 on a young person experiencing homelessness a year, mostly on justice and health rather than housing.
To help ease the problem the service has come up the idea of compact studios that can be transported and constructed in the backyard of family’s home and then repurposed for another family.
This solution could tackle the issue from the start and can cut down on associated costs of homelessness and reduce it overall.
The potential saving could be $7.3 billion net present value nationally over thirty years, Kids Under Cover said.
According to Kids Under Cover many related programs look at resolving the symptoms of homelessness rather than preventing it in the first place.
The compact studios can be transported and constructed in the backyard of family’s home and then repurposed for another family when no longer needed.
The studios are available for young people aged 12 to 25 who are identified as high-risk of homelessness. This can stem from a variety of reasons, but most often include overcrowding, relationship breakdowns, mental health challenges or conflicts within the home.
They are made from Durra Panel, a material that is virtually indestructible, heat efficient and environmentally friendly. The material is made from wheat farming waste and is constructed in Bendigo by Ortech.
The Australian owned company based in Victoria, specalises in sustainable building materials. The durra panel is 100 per cent recyclable and biodegradable and maintains acoustic and thermal control for fire resistance and durability. The company also has PLACEit homes, which are modular homes with ready to go designs and off-site construction.
Each studio can be designed to the family’s needs, such as one or two bedrooms and studios with bathrooms. The company said the design intentionally doesn’t include a kitchen, in order to support family connection during mealtimes.
The initiative isn’t just a solution to support individuals facing homelessness but can be a financial solution for government costs and shelter overcrowding.