SPECIAL EPISODE Beyond Youth Homelessness - Community Member, Julie

This is a special edition episode of the Beyond Youth Homelessness Podcast as we participate in Youth Homelessness Matters Day for 2026, where Matt is joined by Julie, a member of our local community here in the Sutherland Shire.

In this conversation, Julie shares her reflections on the reality of youth homelessness in our own backyard, and the shock and sadness that comes with understanding just how many young people are being turned away from support.

Julie speaks to the role that everyday community members can play from starting conversations, to educating themselves and others, to using their voice in local forums to advocate for change. She reminds us that while the issue can feel overwhelming, meaningful action often starts small and that when we each contribute in our own way, real momentum can build.

Thank you for listening and for joining us as we continue working toward a future where youth homelessness does not exist.

Make a pledge through the BEAR Project HERE 

Donate to the work of Project Youth HERE

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:02

Welcome to the Beyond Youth Homelessness Podcast, a platform dedicated to sharing the voices, stories, and solutions that are shaping a future where youth homelessness no longer exists. This episode is a special edition for Youth Homelessness Matters Day, a national day of action that calls on us to raise awareness, amplify lived experience, and take meaningful steps towards ending youth homelessness. Today's episode was recorded live at Project Youth in the Sutherland Shire, where we brought together community leaders, sector partners, and young people to explore one critical question. What role does our community play in ending youth homelessness, and what do we need to do differently to achieve it? At Project Youth, we support thousands of young people each year across prevention, housing, and employment pathways. But the reality is stark. Nearly four in five young people seeking housing support are turned away due to limited resources. This is more than a housing crisis. This is a social justice issue. Because every young person deserves access to safe, secure housing, and right now, too many are being left behind. In this series, you'll hear from leaders across government, housing, and funding sectors as we unpack the reality, the responsibility, and the action needed to create change. This conversation is part of our young people advocating change initiative, ensuring that lived experience is not only heard, but is actively shaping the solutions. Let's get into the episode. Well, hello and welcome to this special edition of the Beyond Youth Homelessness Podcast. We are stepping into the call for action as part of Youth Homelessness Matters Day for 2026. And so we are doing things a little bit differently, but we are still having those conversations that matter. And joining me for a conversation that really matters today is a member of our local community, someone who calls this area home. Her name is Julie, and welcome, Julie, to the podcast.

SPEAKER_02 2:19

Thank you for having me. I'm really excited to be here.

SPEAKER_00 2:22

And I'm excited to have you here. We have been talking to various people and really kind of trying to unpack spheres of influence. And so as someone who is local to the area, kind of taking on that, you know, that grassroots kind of response to youth homelessness and the experience of youth homelessness in our very own backyard. Very excited to hear your perspective. But I've got to ask you, Julie, as someone who calls the Shire home, what is your favorite part about being a part of this community?

SPEAKER_02 3:02

I think for me it's the natural environment in which we live. It is absolutely stunning.

SPEAKER_00 3:07

We are pretty fortunate.

SPEAKER_02 3:08

We are very fortunate between the there is something about being able to walk out of my house and being able to see gum trees lining the streets and having the birds that live in those gum trees and you know, watching them and hearing them. It's a great area to raise a family because there is lots of things you can do outside. And so that's one of the things that I really love about being here in the Shire.

SPEAKER_00 3:36

We are very fortunate. Are you a kind of national park kind of goer or a beach like Crenulla goer? Or are you like, you know, the Como Pleasure Grounds is also a good spot?

SPEAKER_02 3:47

Do you know what? I love the drive through the national park. It's pretty still and seeing that um, again, it's the gum trees for me. I think it is those seeing the bark and the different colours of the bark, there is something about that, and then winding the window down as you drive through the national park and smelling the gum leaves.

SPEAKER_00 4:04

Clean air. Can you believe it?

SPEAKER_02 4:06

Absolutely. But I also love being able to see the water, so I'm a bit of both. Um, but yeah, so for me it is definitely the gum trees. There's something about it that just feels um very Australian and very at home. And I know they're not native to Australia, but it still is something that I just absolutely. Um, but then also, you know, there is something really nice about sitting out at the Rocks at Canal and watching the water and watching the whales when it when whale season is on, um, and also just seeing other people out and about enjoying um the waterways and the sphere around.

SPEAKER_00 4:43

Do you know what I do love? And this actually happened for me this morning, is the the random hello. Oh, I was walking from my car and and I parked next to this lady and she just said, Good morning. Oh gosh, it just there is that sense of community around here. It's beautiful.

SPEAKER_02 4:58

Yeah, definitely. And I grew up in the country, and so when I moved to Sydney, that was one of the things that I really missed was the hello, the random hello.

SPEAKER_00 5:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 5:05

Um, and I remember walking around, kind of going, and I was in the Eastern suburbs at the time, it was like no one said hello. So, yes, I too like the random hello.

SPEAKER_00 5:13

We need to say hello more. Well, hello, Julie, and welcome to the podcast. We're really keen to get your insights. We've got a few questions to ask you. Um, so let's get into it. Um, so Julie, uh, I think when it comes to youth homelessness, there are there's a lot of statistics, a lot of data that kind of gets thrown our way. Some of it can be uplifting and some of it can be quite challenging. Um, one of the statistics that we have as an organization is that nearly four in every five young people are turned away from housing support in our community. When you as a member of this community hear that kind of statistic, what does that mean for you?

SPEAKER_02 6:13

Matt, it makes me sad, to be absolutely upfront and honest. It makes me sad to think that for young people who made it to the front door to knock on the front door and say, Hey, I need help, can't get that help because we don't that you know, the project doesn't have the resources or the funding to be able or the vacancies to be able to help those young people. That's for young people that have to try and find something else to help them. Um, and that's only the young people that have made it to the front door. So I that also concerns me who who isn't making it to the front door, who's not actually getting there, and how are they getting the help that they need?

SPEAKER_01 6:48

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 6:49

Um, you know, I think that that's one of the things that those kind of stats for me I always question, well, where do they go? Yeah, you know, and as a community member, it's it's like, well, how can we help? Um, you know, what could we be doing? Those are the kind of questions that come up for me. Um, it also makes me go, four out of five. That's a lot of young people who are struggling, who don't have somewhere safe to stay, who actually know about project youth, which is great. But that, you know, the fact that we have young people that know about project youth and know that they can come and knock on the door and ask for help. But what about the ones that don't? Yeah. You know.

SPEAKER_00 7:29

Yeah, absolutely. I think you're right. I think when we when we look at, okay, so five young people are asking for help and four don't get it, but we can only imagine then how many young people haven't asked for help. So that number of young people not receiving the support that they need is probably far greater than what we know. And just also, I'm just gonna add a little bit of context, which does not make this situation seem any better whatsoever. But um, you know, maybe some people listening might go, oh, so five people have asked for housing this month. Um, now you know, part of my job is the stats and to collect that data. And the last time I did that was a couple of months ago for this current financial year, 2025 to 2026. And the amount of young people who had asked for support was 518. So this isn't five young people every month, this is you know, probably five young people every week, if not more.

SPEAKER_02 8:29

Um so it's 518 that have asked for help.

SPEAKER_00 8:32

That have asked for help.

SPEAKER_02 8:33

And four-fifths of those have not been able to receive that help. That to me, and that's in our local area. I go, what about those young people? Well, like how how can we let this happen? How can how does our government let this happen?

SPEAKER_01 8:47

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 8:48

That we we have to turn people, like services like Project Youth have to turn people away. And I can't imagine what that's like as a worker, to be perfectly honest. Um, you know, it's what I would assume it's one of the hardest things for people to do is to have a very vulnerable young person standing on the doorstep asking for help and to not be able to provide that. Yeah. Um now I know you've probably got systems in place that look at well, we're asking, can we do that? But I think the fact that we have to turn people away from their local area, where they've got the connections, where they might be going to school, where they have the people who are their family and friends, you know, that's really difficult.

SPEAKER_00 9:25

Yeah, and I think when I heard you say, like, you know, I guess what I'm hearing from you is that there's kind of like a little bit of shock for someone in the community that, oh, like what in our backyard that this is happening? And I think that kind of does speak to a bit of a blind spot for many, for many people in community for whatever reason. Like, you know, we all go about our day, we're all doing the best we can, and and I think that there is an element of shock uh for people within the Sullivan Shire St. George area that we would have such an astronomically high number of young people who are requiring housing support.

SPEAKER_02 10:05

Um absolutely, and I think you know, I think there is this um like unless you've been exposed to that, I think you have a a level of ignorance is bliss in some ways that you just don't understand or don't know people who've gone through that. Um, but I also think there is an element of that's surely not that people have that's surely not necessary. Not here and not in 2026. Like, you know, we're uh yes, people are you know doing it tough out there at the moment, but I think there is this also this level of but we live in this really amazing country that has you know support built in, that the government does provide different like levels of support. So I think there is a yet this can't be happening. So there's kind of like this disbelief. Um, and I do know that when I have had, you know, other people in my community that I've talked to about youth homelessness, um, and when I share some of the other podcasts, but also some of the social media that's happening at the moment around young people's story and being able to tell that, I know people look at that and hear that and go, wow, I wasn't aware.

SPEAKER_00 11:13

Yeah, yeah. It is a blind spot, and and I guess that's part of what Youth Homelessness Matters Day is all about. Absolutely. It's building that awareness, but then it's also taking that awareness and turning it, turning it into action, um, which is exactly what question two is going to be about. So let's move on into that. So, Julie, I think it's fair to say, you know, for many people who, you know, might come to the realization of what's happening in our community and that youth homelessness is a big issue within our community, that it can kind of feel quite overwhelming. Um, it's huge. We're talking about hundreds and hundreds of young people who need support. Where do you start? How do you even, you know, how do you even move the needle on an issue so big? Um, so let's try and break it down for them, I guess, as best we can to something bite-size. What role do you think you play as, you know, an uh a member of this community in ending youth homelessness? And what needs to change to see that realized?

SPEAKER_02 12:36

I think what I see my role as a community member is actually talking about the issue a lot. Um, I know I I have teenagers myself, so talking to them about the issue. Um, and you know, they then go and talk to their friends. Um, and I think that's great that they're actually able to do that. Um, I know my eldest came home one day and said, Mom, do you know that there's this service that actually helps people who are homeless? And I was like, Yes, I do. Um, and you know, being able to talk about that and actually then her have those conversations at school. Um, I talk about it, you know, I'm talking about it at home with my kids and when their friends come over because I want them to know that this is an issue that could face any one of their friends, right? Um, and so having someone that they could come to and get, hey, look, I need a place to stay, or can you help me do this? I really think that's an important thing that you're open to those conversations. Um I talk about it in every opportunity I get to talk about the issue and talk about the fact that you know there are young people who sleep in the national park over nighttime because they've got nowhere else safe to go or they don't feel that they've got anywhere else safe to go. And the reality is they may not. You know, when we're turning when Project Youth is turning away four or five people, there's not many places left. Um, you know, so I think it's actually about having those opportunities to talk about that. It's also for me as a community member, when Sutherland Council, for example, asks for comment around their housing strategies or young people, I try and make an effort to always put in a comment around that and feedback and ask the questions around how are you going to be helping young people who are facing homelessness. So it's also about having those conversations with other people in a way that or feeding back into systems that exist that are there to help people or there to provide for the community and actually asking those questions. Yeah. Um, I think that's an important part of being a community member. You know, yes, I'm worried about whether or not the roads are fixed, obviously, but I'm also really worried about how we as a community care for some of our most vulnerable. I think that's a real reflection of our society when we can say, you know, hand on heart, this is an area that we want to make sure our most vulnerable are being looked after or have options. Um that for me is important. That's how I would rate a community. And so I'm talking about it in every opportunity I get. Yeah. Um, I, you know, do things like talk about youth homelessness with my physio, for example. Um, you know, or saying, hey, what are you doing for Youth Homelessness Day? Um, you know, or have you did you even know it was Youth Homelessness Day? Like today I posted um in some of the, you know, everything Crenella, everything Southern Land Shire. Yeah. Um, did you know it was Homeless Youth Homelessness Matters Day today? So I, you know, doing those kind of things, I think, as a community member are really important.

SPEAKER_00 15:28

Yeah. What I love about that is it it does actually break it down into bite-sized pieces for people and and also it highlights that there are avenues already available. I mean, to have the conversation, no one loves a gas bag more than, you know, someone from the Shire down at a cafe at Crenella on a Saturday morning. So, you know, having that gas bag about something like youth homelessness, you know, that is a huge way to start. But what I loved about what you were saying as well was, you know, there are those, those avenues, those communication pathways, those input um opportunities where we can highlight to change makers, to our local government, what is important to us. And I think, you know, too often the one voice feels too small. Um and yet, if we are all taking those opportunities to make a comment, as you said, um, to council, like, you know, it's like the classic petition, right? You think that one signature is not going to do much, but you add that one signature to 10,000 signatures, and all of a sudden it's got some traction there.

SPEAKER_02 16:43

And one small act for collective change.

SPEAKER_00 16:46

There you go. And I love it. And and and so for me, like even as you were talking about, you know, making those kinds of comments to council, I'm like, oh, I've never actually considered that. I love it. So there you go. Like, there's the conversation. That's your action item. And so it's that's where because I think so many people are like, oh, conversations, like, how much can you talk about it? But in this one conversation, you've shown me that actually there are some really practical ways that I can use my voice to kind of move that needle just a little bit. And if we all do that, and that's the thing about community, right? It's community isn't one person, it's a unified people working towards something.

SPEAKER_02 17:25

And it often takes a village to, you know, support each other. Yeah. And so this is the way we can support our most vulnerable. I mean, you know, the fact that we have 12-year-old, 13-year-old, 14-year-olds who are have nowhere safe to stay. Yeah, but we should be doing stuff about that.

SPEAKER_00 17:43

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 17:44

You know, each and every one of us can do something small. Whether or not that is finding out more about youth homelessness, whether or not that is actually, you know, making a donation if you're not in a position to donate your time, donate some money if you can. Absolutely important stuff. Um, you know, find the charity that really resonates with you. Yeah. Project Youth is a great one if you are very passionate about it. I have heard they're pretty awesome. I'm not gonna lie.

SPEAKER_00 18:07

Can confirm.

SPEAKER_02 18:08

Absolutely. So, you know, so being looking at doing those kind of things, um, they're all little steps that we can absolutely take. Yeah. Um, you know, signing up to be getting the Southern Council's newsletter that comes out that tells you about when they're looking for community feedback.

SPEAKER_01 18:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 18:24

Um, also the New South Wales government does the same. You know, New South Wales, the app that you've all got on your phones. Um, for the New South Wales government, signing up to that, that lets you know when it's also got um policies that are coming out for comment. Yeah. Again, I've done similar around um youth specific stuff. Always ask the question, what are you doing around youth homelessness? Um, you know, when you hear the stat, for me, I go, um, you know, over 40,000 young people are turning up to youth homelessness services every year, looking for support and looking for somewhere to stay. That's across Australia, that's a huge number.

SPEAKER_01 18:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 18:59

And of that, we have people here in the Shire that are in the same boat, yeah, that are knocking on the door. Unfortunately, four of the five can't get the help that they need. And it's really important we take action around that.

SPEAKER_00 19:11

Absolutely. Oh, I've learned something already. So, but let's move on to question three, see what else we can learn. Okay, Julie, third and final question. And and you've kind of you have touched on this in the previous question, so I'm gonna ask for something different this time. Um, but if every community member listening to this episode of the podcast took one meaningful action, if they did one thing coming out of this conversation, what would you want it to be?

SPEAKER_02 19:56

Well, you're right. I have already given some different ideas around that about that.

SPEAKER_00 20:00

You've used some of your some of your gold.

SPEAKER_02 20:03

Um, but I think for me, it is actually about if you're listening to this and you know nothing about youth homelessness, educate yourself. Spend time on Project Youth's website. There is a whole bunch of information there about what they do, but also what you can do. And um, they have um the Bear Project has started up, which has been an action by young people who have experienced homelessness taking action. Um, have a look at that, make a pledge to that. Um, it's you know, it's something really small, and there's a whole lot of different examples around that, whether or not that is supporting young people in employment, whether or not if you have investment property in the Shire and are looking to rent it out, make sure you ask your real estate were there any young people that applied to that? Um I have to say personally, I have investment properties. It's one of the things that we've asked our real estate, were it did any young people actually apply? Um, you know, and obviously you you need some checks and balances in place, but if they meet all the other criteria, why wouldn't you rent to some young people and give them the start that they might need to achieve greatness? Because our young people, when they are supported the right way, absolutely achieve great things. So you know, if you're an investment property owner, think about doing that. Um if you um are in the position to support someone through a young person through their education, yeah, um, that's also a really good avenue that can help um with the issue around homelessness because we know if young people have an education and are supported in that, that helps break the cycle of um homelessness. So, you know, I think there are lots of little things, but most of all, I think educate yourself, yeah. Um, find out more about it and you know, but become passionate about caring for some of our most vulnerable. We can all do something, yeah, um, and it can be just one small act, can make a big difference. Difference.

SPEAKER_00 22:00

I think the thing I love about that is, you know, yes, it starts with educating, but then from there it's just like, well, what do you have at your disposal? Like that this is such a vast, complicated um issue. Um, and there there is no one way to end youth homelessness. It is going to be a community effort. It has to be a community. It has to be a community effort. Like you said, it takes a village. Um, you know, they say it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a village to support a young person. It does. Um, and so just find that one area, that one area that you know that you have the capacity to contribute to.

SPEAKER_02 22:43

You could even, you know, for me, it's actually even asking the question if you've got young people in your house, ask them what would you do if you were homeless? If you couldn't find a safe way to space to stay, what would you do? Yeah, find out from them what they think there's some of the avenues are. And if not, go, okay, well, let's find out. And then maybe they might have a friend that is actually facing homelessness that they could also support by giving them that information. I think for me it's about those conversations.

SPEAKER_01 23:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 23:09

Um, having those conversations around the dinner table. You know, had this great podcast today, and they're talking about youth homelessness. What do you know about youth homelessness? So even having that, starting those kind of conversations, I think, can be really helpful. And then, as you said, Matt, the next step is the action. What can you do in your local area or in your community, whatever your community looks like, and we all have you know communities, different communities that we belong to. How can you contribute to that as well? Um, you know, maybe you're creative and maybe you can knit beanies for the homeless. And you know, there are organizations out there who do take beanies and knit it stuff and and hand out to um people who are homeless, whatever it is that fits for you. I think it's just about taking that first step.

SPEAKER_00 23:56

Yeah. Yeah, beautiful. And what a great call to action. Like learn, consider, do.

SPEAKER_02 24:04

Do, absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 24:05

Beautiful. Well, Julie, thank you so much for joining us for today's episode. It's been great having this conversation. Um, and until next time, we'll see you later. Thank you. Thanks for listening to this special Youth Homelessness Matters Day edition of the Beyond Youth Homelessness Podcast. What you've heard today is a reminder that youth homelessness is not inevitable, it is preventable. But ending it requires more than awareness. It requires action from all of us. If this episode has sparked something for you, there are many ways to get involved. You can take the bare project pledge to be engaged, act, and rise. See our bio for more information. You can support Project Youth through partnerships, employment opportunities, or by contributing to safe housing pathways. You can advocate, challenge stigma, and use your voice and networks to push for change. Because ending youth homelessness is not the responsibility of one organization. It's a shared responsibility across our entire community. To learn more, support our work, or hear more stories like this, follow the Beyond Youth Homelessness podcast and share this episode with your network. Together, we can move from awareness to accountability and from managing homelessness to ending it.