Our Swedish member Skåne Stadsmission recently published a report on “Youth in homelessness”. The work highlights that at-risk youth or young people living in homelessness and the problems connected to this precarious situation need specific solutions, separate from the structures developed to aid homeless adults.

The mapping pictures a dire situation in Skåne. In Sweden, the lack of housing is a major factor contributing to an increase in homelessness among young people, as well as mental illness, poverty and segregation. The report aims to bring personal stories of youth in homelessness to life and to put the focus on taking a human rights approach to preventing youth homelessness while also developing and implementing an advocacy strategy aimed at raising awareness for youth homelessness among policy-makers.

Many of the members of our network work to fight homelessness and prevent youth exclusion and marginalisation in society. We regularly organise network meetings across Europe to foster sharing of good practices and make sure our members can learn from each other and so improve the quality of their services. In that regard, Eurodiaconia together with our member Kerk in Actie, is currently organising the next Extreme Destitution Network Meeting, taking place from 25. – 26. November 2019 in Utrecht. The meeting will focus on over-indebtedness and explore its various interrelated social issue arising and how to best respond to them. If you have further questions, please contact our Policy and Membership Development Officer Stefan Kitzmann at stefan.kitzmann@eurodiaconia.org.

To know more about this event please check the invitation and draft agenda. Please register through this online form by the 25th of October at the latest.

The report can be found on Skåne Stadsmission’s website (only in Swedish) and will be published in English soon.