John's* story
I'm originally from Goulburn, New South Wales. I've just turned 18 and I've been in Melbourne about eight months.
I came to Melbourne because I ran away from home. It was because of my dad. We used to fight a lot, like fistfights and verbal stuff. He yells a lot, he gets angry at everything and everyone.
The fights could be over anything. When I ran away he cracked it at me about me using the Internet too much and, you know, I cracked it back at him.
Then I just walked out and didn't turn back. I was only wearing a pair of socks and didn't have a bag or anything. I was really upset, and wasn't really thinking straight. Things seemed pretty bad.
I walked to the freeway and then just went from there. I hitchhiked to Melbourne. The guy who picked me up was going that way, so that's where I ended up.
When I got here I was dropped off at Federation Square at two in the afternoon. I had no money and no shoes on. It was scary.
I was asking people where a refuge was- I knew about refuges because my sister had been in one. This guy said there was one in George Street, so I crashed there for a couple of nights. And then after that I went to a refuge in Footscray. Then I went to this place in Sunshine...
John was a part of Melbourne Citymission's Step Ahead program in 2007. Late last year John, with the help of Melbourne Citymission's family reconciliation and mediation services, returned home.
*Name has been changed.
How many people are homeless on any night in Victoria?
Over 23,000.
How many of these are less than 24 years of age?
Nearly half.
Is the problem getting better or worse?
There are twice as many young homeless people now than there were 20 years ago.
Homelessness includes:
Primary homelessness: people without conventional accommodation - living on the streets, in deserted buildings, in cars, under bridges, in improvised dwellings etc.
Secondary homelessness: people moving between various forms of temporary shelter, including friends, relatives, emergency accommodation and boarding houses.
Tertiary homelessness: people living in single rooms in private boarding houses on a long-term basis - without their own bathroom, kitchen or security of tenure.
Source: Council to Homeless Persons
