Presentation given by Lars Benjaminsen, Danish Centre for Social Research (DK) at the 2013 FEANTSA conference, "Investing in young people to prevent a lost generation: policy and practice in addressing youth homelessness" http://feantsa.org/spip.php?article1596&lang=en

1. Increasing youth homelessness in strong welfare regimes explained
The case of Denmark
Lars Benjaminsen
Investing in young people to prevent a lost generation in Europe: key policy and practice in addressing youth homelessness
8th November 2013, Prague, Czech Republic

2. Strong increase in youth homelessness (National Homelessness Count)
Homeless people in each age group
Week 6, 2009
Week 6,
2011
Week 6, 2013
Percent change 2009-13
0-17 years old
200
204
144
-28
18-24 years old
633
1,002
1,138
+80
25-29 years old
490
596
617
+26
All under 30 years old
1,323
1,802
1,899
+43
Total, all age groups
4,998
5,290
5,820
+16
Investing in young people to prevent a lost generation in Europe: key policy and practice in addressing youth homelessness
8th November 2013, Prague, Czech Republic

3. Homelessness situation, 18-24 year olds, week 6, 2013
Homelessness situation
Percent
Street/Rough sleeping
6
Emergency night shelter
1
Homeless shelter
22
Hotel
1
Family/friends
50
Short term transitional
2
Institutional release
5
Other
14
Total
100 (n=1,138)

4. Profiles, 2013 (National Homelessness Count)
Percentage with
18-24 year olds
All age groups, 18+
Mental illness (MI)
51
47
Substance abuse (SA)
58
65
-Alcohol abuse
13
38
-Hashish abuse
50
36
-Hard drugs abuse
8
20
MI or SA
74
78
MI and SA
32
31
No MI or SA
26
22
Investing in young people to prevent a lost generation in Europe: key policy and practice in addressing youth homelessness
8th November 2013, Prague, Czech Republic

5. Reasons for homelessness (National Homelessness Count)
Reasons, percent
18-24 year olds
All age groups 18+
Mental illness
33
31
Drug abuse
32
29
Alcohol abuse
6
26
Divorce
9
16
Financial difficulties
37
32
Debt
7
8
Released from prison
11
8
Eviction
18
21
Lack of suitable housing
26
21
Could no longer live with family/friends
32
18

6. Explanations for increase in youth homelessness
Continued social marginalization of vulnerable youth
The rapid increase in youth homelessness over few years points to structural causes:
Strong increase in youth unemployment
Strong increase in young people on social benefits
(50 pct. increase from 2007 to 2012 for 18-27 year olds)
Cash benefit levels for 18-24 year olds are lower (half the level) than for 25+ year olds
Strong and increasing shortage of affordable housing in larger cities

7. Housing outcomes of Housing First/ floating support Interventions (National homelessness strategy)
Housing outcome, percent
18-24 year olds
25 years or older
Have been housed and maintained housing
63
88
Lost housing
9
5
- rehoused in other housing
(4)
(2)
- not rehoused
(5)
(3)
Not been housed
28
8
Total
100 (n=335)
100 (n=803)

8. Experiences with interventions
Conclusions from the national homelessness strategy:
The housing first model is also suitable for young homeless people
With Intensive Case Management also young homeless people with support needs can live in independent housing and this is the best solution for most of them
Problems with substance abuse and conflicts in congregate housing facilities for young people
The main barriers for extending Housing First to young homeless people are structural/systemic
-lack of affordable housing/low benefits
-local shortages of available support

9. Interventions (National Homelessness Count)
Housing and support, percent
18-24 years old homeless people
All homeless people
On waiting list for housing
34
32
- own housing
30
27
- supported accommodation
4
5
Has social support person
34
28

10. Conclusions
Strong increase in youth homelessness since 2009
Structural causes – combination of strong increase in youth unemployment, relatively low cash benefits for young people, and increasing lack of cheap/affordable housing
Positive experiences with Housing First also for young homeless people
Need for better access to affordable housing and for more case management support
Investing in young people to prevent a lost generation in Europe: key policy and practice in addressing youth homelessness
8th November 2013, Prague, Czech Republic