NCJ Number
175137
Journal
Youth Studies Australia Volume: 17 Issue: 3 Dated: September 1998 Pages: 26-35
Date Published
1998
Length
10 pages
Annotation
This article examines the service provision environment for young homeless persons in Victoria and Queensland, Australia.
Abstract
Recent research has indicated that life circumstances of homeless young people in Australia continue to place them at increased risk of contracting sexually transmissible diseases, including HIV. Service providers often play a critical role in facilitating the transfer of knowledge about sexual health and providing opportunities for young people to develop the skills and confidence to access services and to negotiate safer sex. A study of the service provision environment for young homeless people in Victoria and Queensland revealed that while some youth services provide well documented, accountable and innovative programs, many rely on informal and more individualized strategies in the area of sexual health. This article documents case studies of successful and innovative programs with young homeless people and considers how the approaches of youth services providers, particularly in the refuge/youth accommodation setting, can be incorporated into a more holistic framework of care. Notes, references