Manaaki Rangatahi are concerned about the effects that another Alert Level 3 is having on young people/rangatahi experiencing homelessness. Lockdown is hard for everyone, but for our rangatahi living rough, it only heightens the risk they are in.

During our previous lockdown, rangatahi around the country were at increased risk due to our nations failure to develop a Youth Homelessness Strategy in order to plan for their needs. Manaaki Rangatahi collective members reported that many rangatahi were forced to live in unsafe, and unsuitable environments due to the lack of youth specific supports and services available to address their housing needs. And with few emergency housing providers willing to take 16- to 17-year-olds, this group of young people were literally left out in the cold.

Manaaki Rangatahi is concerned that this Lockdown will be no different.

Manaaki Rangatahi is urging the Government to take seriously the urgent needs of our most vulnerable, and to make urgent plans to address them.

We would like to see immediate plans put in place to open up access to safe, and supported emergency accommodation for our young people experiencing homelessness over the lockdown period. We are also calling on the government to prioritize the development of a Youth Homelessness Strategy to close the pipelines into homelessness for young people, and plan appropriately to provide for the needs of young people when they become at risk of homelessness.

Do you want to bring our rangatahi in from the cold? Sign and share our petition now: https://our.actionstation.org.nz/petitions/end-youth-homelessness and follow us on Instagram and Facebook.

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The Manaaki Rangatahi ki Tāmaki Youth Homelessness Collective was established in 2018 as a way of consolidating the work of different organisations who are trying to tackle youth homelessness. Member organisations including VOYCE - Whakarongo Mai, Kahui Tu Kaha, Lifewise, Strive Community Trust, RainbowYOUTH and VisionWest Community Trust, are calling for immediate and urgent action to respond to Youth Homelessness.

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