A “SURPRISING” number of teenagers and adults are living in the bush around the Bega Valley because they are homeless, the Salvation Army says.

Many youths also become stuck couch surfing – staying on friends’ couches to keep a roof over their heads.

However, when they run out of friends, they either go into the bush or try moving to a city, the head of the Bega Salvation Army Corps, Lieutenant Lesley Newton, said. 

“In Bega there is a lot of homelessness, but it is hidden,” she said.

“A number of young kids just find a safe place off a dirt track near a creek and that’s where they live.”

The youths live in tents, humpies, cars – “whatever they need to survive”, Lieutenant Newton said.

Some do not clean themselves or wash their clothes because, simply, they cannot. 

As visual evidence of homelessness is not seen in the Valley, Lieutenant Newton said locals were often surprised when she told them there are many people in the area without homes.

In fact, the Cost of Youth Homelessness in Australia Study found the most dominant form of homelessness for young people was couch surfing. 

“In Sydney people sleep under bridges, but you don’t see that happening in the Bega Valley as they are hiding, they set up their homes in places where they can’t be seen,” Lieutenant Newton said.

“As it has been miserable and wet these last few weeks, I hate to think how they are surviving.”

Homeless youths who live in the bush come in to the Bega Salvos, where they get food and whatever help the Salvos can provide. 

Those couch surfing ask to take food back with them, because as they are staying on someone’s couch for free, being able to offer the household something to eat could guarantee them another night’s accommodation. 

Some youths and adults live out of their cars, so all their money goes towards keeping their vehicle on the road because at least that way they have shelter. 

As homeless people do not have a fixed address, they can find it difficult to get Centrelink benefits.

Lieutenant Newton said there are multiple reasons why a young person could become homeless.

Sometimes parents put their kids out of their house, often due to drug addiction, and in other cases youths leave their homes because of abuse in their family system.

It was hard to escape the cycle of homelessness, Lieutenant Newton said.

Ways out involved youth programs or refuges working with teens to get them into housing. 

As there are usually no youth refuges in small towns, teenagers who live in rural areas may move to the city.

THE Salvation Army is asking people in Bega to sleep on a couch for one night on Friday, September 18, to help raise funds for youth centres across the country.

People in Bega are being urged to get involved with “The Couch Project”.  

Bee Orsini from the Salvation Army said couch surfing is a hidden form of homelessness and it can be very dangerous if it continues to go unrecognised. 

All funds raised from this fundraiser will help the Salvation Army with its critical youth work. 

Fundraising ideas include asking people to sponsor you, organising projects at a school, challenging your workplace or boss to participate and more. 

To get involved go to www.thecouchproject.com.au or call 13 SALVOS.