Housing is a complex issue that disproportionally challenges young people. In Ireland, 63% of young people aged 20 to 29 years continue living with their parents, compared with 49% in OECD countries on average, and it has been increasing fast during the last decade due to a lack of supply of houses to buy or rent, high constructions costs, and low supply of social housing. As of September 2023, young people aged 18-24 make up 17% of all adults in emergency accommodation. Housing First for Youth has been implemented by Focus Ireland to tackle youth homelessness in Ireland. This approach, which has also been used in Canada, Scotland and the Netherlands, aims to provide young people at risk of experiencing homelessness with secure housing as quickly as possible, followed by intensive and targeted support services to help them transition to independent living and prevent future homelessness.
Housing First - Ireland
Abstract
Housing First for Youth by Focus Ireland is a comprehensive housing-led programme that prioritises housing stability for young people aged 18‑26 facing homelessness, irrespective of their background or the cause of homelessness. This approach is designed to break the cycle of homelessness by addressing the root causes. By offering secure housing and a range of age‑appropriate support services, the programme aims to empower young individuals, equip them with the skills needed for independent living, and ultimately break the cycle of homelessness. The programme’s goal is not only to provide immediate housing solutions but also to help young people transition to independent living successfully. This focus on long-term stability and independence is aimed at preventing future episodes of homelessness.
Housing First for Youth has two main target groups: 1) young people leaving state care, who can be especially vulnerable to homelessness due to the lack of family support and resources; and 2) non-care leavers who are facing homelessness due to other factors, including family breakdown, mental health challenges, economic pressures, or unemployment.
In contrast to Housing First for adults, Housing First for Youth recognises that young people may change homes frequently, and it provides flexible, tailored support that remains with them even if they switch residences. Support services also involve collaborating, as needed, with child protection agencies, mental health providers, educational institutions, employers for enrolment in vocational training programmes, healthcare providers, and financial advisors and assistance with familial relationships. Focus Ireland collaborates closely with various partners, including local authorities and Ireland’s Child and Family Agency, Tulsa, to ensure the programme’s success. This partnership model allows for the pooling of resources and expertise to effectively address the complex issue of youth homelessness.
The Youth Housing initiative has yielded positive results. In the Mid-West, for example, 40 young people have been placed in secure homes, with many engaging in education or employment. Similar successes have been seen in Waterford and Cork. To date, the programme has been successful in achieving zero homelessness for young people in the programme, a sustainment rate of 96%, tenancies for 76% of young people and access to education or employment for nearly a third of participants. Further, Focus Ireland plans to expand the Youth Housing First service to other regions in Ireland as needed. However, this expansion will take time and require ongoing support from local authorities and partners. Results from the implementation of Housing First in the Netherlands have shown promising results as well, with for instance an estimated savings of EUR 20 000 per participant compared to regular extramural support.
This practice also supports the implementation of provisions IV.3, IV.5, and VI.2 of the OECD Recommendation on Creating Better Opportunities for Young People (OECD, 2022[1]).
Further reading
[5] Focus Ireland (2020), Housing First for Youth in practice, https://www.feantsa.org/download/housing-first-for-youth-focus-ireland-lisa-o-brien7679054090172377504.pptx.
[2] Focus Ireland Youth Housing (n.d.), A Partnership Approach: Working to Tackle Youth Homelessness, https://www.focusireland.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Youth-Housing-Partnership-Approach.pdf.
[3] Housing First Europe (2022), An Introduction to Housing First for Youth, https://housingfirsteurope.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/HousingFirst4YouthFinalPrint.pdf.
[4] Norris, M., A. Palmer and J. Kelleher (2022), “Preventing Homelessness among Care Leavers: Review of the Capital Assistance Scheme for Care Leavers”, https://assets.gov.ie/246794/c3885f78-70b5-4ad1-ad7e-26e9a094cc82.pdf.
[1] OECD (2022), Recommendation of the Council on Creating Better Opportunities for Young People, https://legalinstruments.oecd.org/en/instruments/OECD-LEGAL-0474.
This document, as well as any data and map included herein, are without prejudice to the status of or sovereignty over any territory, to the delimitation of international frontiers and boundaries and to the name of any territory, city or area.
© OECD 2024
Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
This work is made available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. By using this work, you accept to be bound by the terms of this licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Attribution – you must cite the work.
Translations – you must cite the original work, identify changes to the original and add the following text: In the event of any discrepancy between the original work and the translation, only the text of original work should be considered valid.
Adaptations – you must cite the original work and add the following text: This is an adaptation of an original work by the OECD. The opinions expressed and arguments employed in this adaptation should not be reported as representing the official views of the OECD or of its Member countries.
Third-party material – the licence does not apply to third-party material in the work. If using such material, you are responsible for obtaining permission from the third party and for any claims of infringement.
You must not use the OECD logo, visual identity or cover image without express permission or suggest the OECD endorses your use of the work.
Any dispute arising under this licence shall be settled by arbitration in accordance with the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) Arbitration Rules 2012. The seat of arbitration shall be Paris (France). The number of arbitrators shall be one.
