Youth Homelessness

• Miranda Mcgufficke, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2014

Youth Homelessness - Miranda McGufficke

It does exist. Living in the country does not exclude you from being homeless. I may not see it from where I sit, I know it’s there, I have heard about it. I may be young, but I can see some people struggling in the streets, sensing something is not right.

Homeless is being without a stable environment and family, where communication channels and home environment have broken down.

I am a lucky child, I have a home and roof over my head. I have a family who loves, cares, supports and is there for me. I live in an environment with no warring words, people fighting, struggling and feeling hopeless.

I have clothes, food and a warm bed, I do not have to worry where I sleep, what I will eat, how I will keep warm, who will look after me when I am sick. I do not take this for granted – I am grateful and appreciate what I have.

It is so hard to imagine how these young people end up surviving. What got so bad that they had to leave, what arguments went wrong and could not be resolved, what misunderstandings, perhaps parents drinking, gambling, taking drugs, even abuse so many questions.

Times have changed people have access to so much more it is sometimes hard to resist substance abuse, drinking, whatever and people spiral out of control. It is a vicious cycle and everybody is tangled up and children are more susceptible and cannot escape. What do they see, hear and feel. What if they closed their eyes and blocked their ears, would it all go away.

What thoughts must go through their minds, some have no control and want a better life, but a life on the streets or homeless is not what they need. How can they survive. We all need families, health and education. We need rules and restrictions, that is life.

Can these young people reach out to family and friends to help them. Are they strong enough or old enough to seek youth workers who care and know where to get help. Can they just reach out for HELP.

I want an education, I want guidance, I want to achieve and to succeed. I need to be able to communicate and talk things through, I need my family, I have faith, love and there is always hope.

Let me leave you with these thoughts, the authors anon:-

‘Never look down on anybody unless you are helping them up’ and ‘too often we under estimate the power of touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around’.