Key points:Advocates say homelessness is dramatically increasing and affecting new demographics
At her lowest point, she was spending the night in front of a shop in Brisbane's CBD. She couldn't sleep.She didn't feel much safer during an extended stay at a backpacker hostel, where she said drug use was rife among guests. Many people there were 15 to 30 years older than she was."People came around and had drinks," she said.
Urgent calls for help have soared at Brisbane Youth Services, which offers support to young people aged 12-24. Last year there were more than 3,000 requests for crisis housing or financial assistance – up 88 per cent since 2020.