They do not end up in homelessness, but often start there earlier: young people for whom neither their family nor their social network offers support. When they turn 18, their already tough lives become even harder for them.
About a third of all homeless people in Vienna, about 4,000 people, are between 18 and 30 years old. Fate has dealt them the worst cards, because the path to homelessness is often mapped out for them without them taking any action themselves.
“I couldn’t find a place that seemed safe enough”
In its new situation report, the Vienna Homeless Aid Association, an association of charitable organizations, follows the lives of these ‘forgotten’ homeless people, who are often victims of a lack of social services. Young people often end up on the streets because they flee desolate family circumstances: “When I was fifteen, I spent the first night on the street, or rather, all night, because I couldn’t find a place that seemed safe enough for me,” says one affected person in the report.
Non-swimmers thrown into the deep end
If the social network gets hold of the young people, the clock is already ticking: when they come of age, care stops. “The young people are thrown into the deep end, but no one has taught them how to swim,” says Roland Skowronek, a member of the homeless assistance association at the Salvation Army. The association calls for the extension of care to the age of 24 and a greater supply of housing for people who do not yet have a job and therefore no money: the fact that they have to start their independent life with the stigma of homelessness often becomes a vicious circle.
An affected person, who fought her way back to life with an iron will and support from the streets, summarizes her journey: It was “difficult”, but “life is not a race, especially because we were not all allowed to start the same level”.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
