2. Youth Homelessness A Working Definition I understand that Hugh takes:
Introduction
Why now?
Note on homelessness in Europe

3. A Working Definition of Youth Homelessness in Europe
Age range
Distinction from ‘adult homelessness’
Diversity of experience
Typology of homelessness
International & European human rights standards
The Feantsa Youth working group has developed a working definition, a guidance note to support the definition, and is in the process of pulling together examples of ‘best practice’ from service provision and policy development.

4. Working Definition
Youth homelessness occurs where an individual between the age of 13 and 26 is experiencing rooflessness or houselessness or is living in insecure or inadequate housing without a parent, family member or other legal guardian.

5. Process
Review of youth homelessness definitions from other jurisdictions
Online survey with service providers and experts across Europe
Analysis of results and draft definition
Feantsa Youth meeting to discuss and refine definition and guidance notes
Also collating ‘best practice’ examples
Plus some detail about the survey we conducted and the results

6. Survey Findings Reality v Legislation
Perception of ‘youth’ differs between and within countries and services
No agreed definition of youth homelessness
Common experiences and pathways for young peope
Headline findings:
Respondents from the survey represent 21 countries in the EU
96 people responded, representing mostly service providers with some responses from local authorities and ministries
Significant differences in terms of youngest age a person has presented, more consistency re age a person no longer considered youth
Responders provided insight into specific issues being faced by cohorts of young people in their jurisdictions.
Reality – many services mentioned that there is legislation and separate systems to deal with people under the age of 16 or 18 becoming homeless, but yet in reality they were often left with the responsibility of supporting these vulnerable young people. In Netherlands some local authorities defined youth homeless as being younger than 27 but services funded by the local authority defined youth as 23.

7. Age range Needed to be inclusive of different contexts
Needed to consider cognitive, emotional and psychological development
Different practices in different sectors: youth work, social welfare, housing
8 has also been mentioned, but 13 was most prevalent as the youngest age.
Mention youth work definition until 30 here

8. Distinction from ‘adult homelessness’
Differences in pathways into homelessness
Differences in experiences while homeless
Differences in exit routes from homelessness

9. Distinction from ‘adult homelessness’
Things to consider:
Young people may have no experience of independence
Transitioning to adulthood
Social, cognitive, physical, psychological and emotional development
Experience of social service failure/fear of authorities
Discrimination in existing services/policies

10. Diversity of experience
Age
Household disruption and family instability
Young people leaving state care
Debt
Black & minority ethnic
Precarious/low paid employment
LGBTQ+
Wider social exclusion
Drug use
Young offenders
Mental health
Pregnant young women & young people with children in their care
Housing supply and discrimination
Survival sex
Roma youth
Family conflict and violence
Inaccessiblity of affordable housing
Feantsa Youth has expanded on some of these but others require input:
Family conflict and violence
Household disruption and instability
Debt
Pathways (sign-posting) – I removed this from the above list as I wasn’t sure how it related to diversity of experience?? Difference experiences with services?

11. Sustaining exits from homelessness
Building supportive networks
School, education, training, work
Family connections
Access to social systems and support
Psychological and mental health supports
I have suggested to also address this as guidelines to work on a solution, since now in the document it’s a bit in between the several risk factors.

12. European typology + Human rights
Definition is in line the ETHOS typology
Youth homelessness as a human rights violation - ICCPR, ICESCR, European Social Charter
Youth rights, right now guide
I would suggest not to elaborate on this too much, since it’s quite straightforward.
Human rights was a starting point for this work – young people experience homelessness as a result of a series of infringements of their human rights – right to housing, education, employment, healthcare & non-discrimination. Infringement of rights is a cause of homelessness, but their continued violation prolongs a young person’s experience of homelessess.