10 years of Couch Surfing!

Kindness, collaboration and community took centre stage at Darwin’s Civic Park this Wednesday.

Hundreds of people came together to mark the 10^th annual Couch Surfing Day – a celebration of the resilience of young people and an event that aims to connect young people with key information and support services.

Hosted by Anglicare NT and the City of Darwin, Couch Surfing also seeks to raise awareness of the high rates of youth homelessness across the Northern Territory.

Twenty-four teams from local schools, community service providers and social groups raced on brightly decorated couches and learned about what they can do to help their friends and themselves if they experience homelessness or other challenges.

YouthWorx NT took the title of Best Dressed Couch, with CatholicCare NT and Saltbush named the fastest team on the track, and Seda College running in at second place.

The Northern Territory has 12 times the national average of people who are without a home – and the highest rate of youth homelessness in Australia.

On any given night, thousands of young people across the Territory have no home to go to.

Ten years of couch surfing races provides the opportunity to reflect on what has been achieved for young people and to advocate for what else still needs to be done. According to the last Census data, almost half of all people experiencing homelessness in the NT are under 25 years of age.

With a safe home, young people can thrive, build relationships, grow independent living skills and pursue study or work.

Many young people live in overcrowded accommodation or are couch surfing, moving from place to place with limited support.

To find out more about how Anglicare NT supports young people visit: https://www.anglicare-nt.org.au/service-type/young-people/