For much of his childhood, Michael* lacked the safety and stability every young person deserves.
When he was a teenager, his mother passed away and his father remarried. His younger sister had been removed from the family home and placed in out-of-home care when she was 10 years old.
At home, Michael was experiencing significant domestic and family violence and eventually made the difficult decision to leave.
With nowhere safe to go, he began sleeping rough.
Michael slept in parks and discreet locations, choosing places where he hoped he wouldn’t be noticed. Every day was focused on meeting his most basic needs: finding somewhere to sleep, finding food and staying safe.
Michael was 17 when he was connected with Youth Off The Streets. Although he was legally nearing adulthood, staff recognised that emotionally and developmentally he was much younger, having spent years navigating trauma and instability.
Alongside helping Michael navigate housing and other system barriers, Youth Off The Streets staff supported him to access Centrelink, funds for public transport, clothing and hygiene products.
Read more: Mariam’s* story: The cost of choosing safety
Through local partnerships, they also arranged gym access for Michael so he could shower while waiting for stable housing. Almost every day, he would come to the Youth Off The Streets office and walk with staff to the gym.
These simple routines became important moments of connection and stability in a life otherwise defined by uncertainty.
Aside from contact with Youth Off The Streets staff, Michael was completely isolated. He wasn’t in touch with his father and had lost contact with his sister. He didn’t know where she had been placed and had no family to turn to for support.
As Michael’s homelessness continued, surviving became increasingly difficult.
Without stable housing, income or family support, Michael began spending time with older people involved in crime who recognised how vulnerable he was. What began as a way to meet his basic needs eventually led him into offending behaviour, including drug trafficking.
When Michael turned 18, he was arrested and sent to Silverwater Correctional Centre.
Before visiting him, Youth Off The Streets staff prepared for what they expected would be a difficult conversation. They imagined Michael would be angry, frustrated and overwhelmed by the loss of his freedom.
Instead, when he walked into the visiting room, he was smiling.
When asked how he was coping, his response was unexpected.
“This is the best I’ve been.”
For the first time in years, Michael had a bed every night. He knew when the next meal would be and what he would be eating. He had people around him. He had a routine and predictability.
For the first time in years, Michael felt safe – in a place where most people would feel afraid.
The cost of limited options
Today, Michael is out of custody and working as a plumber. But his story shows us that young people experiencing homelessness have limited options to escape it. For Michael, people involved in crime were among the few adults offering him belonging and a way to meet his basic needs.
Michael’s story reflects a broader systemic issue. Research shows that 15 per cent of adolescents under juvenile justice supervision had received support from a homelessness service in that year, demonstrating how often homelessness and justice system involvement intersect for young people when safe housing and wraparound support are not available.
By the time Michael entered custody, prison offered something he had been missing for years: safety, routine, connection and a place to sleep.
When prison feels like a young person’s best option, we know the system has failed them.
