Inadequate system needs to grow up
WHEN will the region start giving young people a fair go?
That's the question Sherradean Easton has been asking for too long.
As the youth development facilitator at Roseberry Community Services, every day Sherradean works with vulnerable and at risk young people, a large number of whom are living in unstable accommodation, also known as couch surfing.
Sherradean sees a dire need for affordable housing in the region, particularly for young people who cannot live at home.
"How can a teenager afford to pay $400 a week for rent? Half the time these young people don't even get a fair go from real estate agents.
There are a variety of reasons why young people end up out of home and on someone else's sofa.
"Family breakdowns, mental health, alcohol and drugs and lack of parental guidance, there's a variety of reasons."
"We need to introduce preventative programs early on, not at the last minute when the real problems are emerging. We also need to increase awareness for what help is available to help families deal with these kind of problems" Sherradean said.
The negatives of couch surfing are endless and from it stems a range of other issues such as drinking, drugs and hanging around in public places. "These young people have no stability; they're living in survival mode. How can the community expect these kids to function normally when they're wondering where they will sleep that night? One thing that needs to be embraced by the whole region is to stop stereotyping, give them a go."
