A conversation between sector leaders Louise Giolitto, CEO WACOSS and Michelle Jenkins, CEO Youth Futures
As WA confronts the sharp edge of the cost-of-living crisis, it's young people who are increasingly being pushed to the margins. In a recent conversation between Youth Futures CEO Michelle Jenkins and WACOSS CEO Louise Giolitto, the message was clear: the system is bottlenecked, outdated and ill-equipped to support the most vulnerable.
“We’re turning away over 1,000 young people every year,” said Michelle. “Not because they don’t need help, but because there’s nowhere for them to go. The crisis system was meant to be short-term. Now it’s become the only option, and it’s full.”
Louise, who began her career as a youth worker at Youth Futures, noted that many of the drivers of homelessness remain deeply unaddressed. “For example, we’re not putting enough energy into the reason why so many queer young people become homeless - family rejection. It’s not just about acceptance. It’s about embracing. Until we support families to understand and support their queer children, we’ll keep seeing these young people pushed out simply for who they are.”
Michelle and Louise spoke about how the housing crisis is compounding, creating a situation where youth homelessness is increasingly intergenerational. “We’re seeing more young people becoming homeless alongside their parents,” Louise shared. “Mum is doing everything she can, but there’s just no housing. Even some two-income households can’t meet basic costs anymore.”
The current model also fails to address the diversity of young people’s experiences. “You have young people who are stable in every way except housing, being placed in crisis accommodation with those experiencing complex issues like AOD use or criminal involvement,” Louise explained. “That’s not just unhelpful, it’s harmful. We need a diverse, responsive system, not one-size-fits-all.”
Both leaders pointed to simple but impactful interventions like brokerage funds for essentials, extended rent relief and more investment in long-term, youth-specific housing. “If we can give a young mum a home, a fridge, a cot, and ongoing support,” said Michelle, “we’re not just helping her, we’re breaking a cycle.”
But they also made it clear: real change requires political will. “This is 25 years of inaction catching up with us,” Louise said. “The system is overwhelmed, and the crisis isn’t going away. If we want to prevent youth homelessness, we need a government that’s ready to invest in housing, early intervention and real support, not just emergency response.”
As Homelessness Week 2025 approaches, this conversation is a stark reminder: we cannot wait for crisis to act. Preventing youth homelessness means addressing family breakdown, supporting queer young people, easing the cost of living, and building systems that see and serve young people in all their complexity.