Young and homeless

420: that is the estimated number of young people aged between 14 and 25 who are homeless in Switzerland. This figure comes from a 2023 study by the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW), which found that around 2,200 people in the country are homeless and 8,000 are at risk of losing their homes. 18 per cent of people experiencing homelessness are under 26, and around 60 per cent of the adults surveyed in this study first became homeless before the age of 18.

The study acknowledges that the exact number of young people experiencing homelessness remains unknown due to the lack of systematic data collection. A research project supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation and carried out by the FHNW aims to close this gap by 2027.

What appears to be undisputed even now is that the number of unreported cases among young people is likely to be significantly higher than the figures calculated so far. One of the reasons emerges from the surveys: those affected often do not seek help, whether from centres offering psychosocial support or from emergency shelters, out of shame and fear of stigmatisation, which is why they are not included in the statistics to date.

Furthermore, the concept of homelessness is defined in different ways. It is often assumed that only people who sleep on the streets or in parks – so-called ‘rough sleepers’ – are considered homeless. However, according to the ETHOS typology (European Typology of Homelessness and Precarious Housing), it also includes people who spend their nights in emergency shelters or similar low-threshold facilities.

When it is said that there are over 400 young people experiencing homelessness in Switzerland, this should be understood in the sense of the ETHOS definition. This is distinct from the concept of housing insecurity, which is broader in scope than that of homelessness and comprises anyone living temporarily in social care facilities; this includes those in foster care, women’s shelters, psychiatric hospitals, prisons or asylum centres.

Ending up on the streets on becoming an adult

The causes of youth homelessness have been relatively well researched. The most common include family conflicts, violence, mental health issues, and problems relating to substance misuse. Financial difficulties, a shortage of housing and rising rents can also contribute.

Studies in both Germany and Switzerland have shown that so-called ‘care leavers’ are particularly at risk of becoming homeless. These are young people who, for example, lived in a care home or with a foster family until they turned 18 and, upon reaching the age of majority, were suddenly left to fend for themselves.

In order to provide such young people with at least a temporary form of safety net, the Pluto emergency shelter in Bern takes in young people up to the age of 23. In the German-speaking part of Switzerland, Pluto is one of the few emergency shelters specifically for young people, alongside Nemo in Zurich. It was opened in 2022; has a total of seven beds, most of which are usually filled; is open every night from 6pm to 9am; and offers free shelter, protection and safety to young people aged 14-23.

The social workers place particular emphasis on ensuring that their services are as accessible as possible. In Pluto’s case, this means that young people are not required to show any form of ID; they do not need to be from Bern; do not need to have a guarantee of payment from, for example, a health insurance provider or social security; and are free to come and go as they please during opening hours. Furthermore, unlike in many similar institutions, they are allowed to bring their pets with them.

However, accessibility does not mean that there are no rules. For example, drug use is prohibited on the premises, as are acts or threats of violence against residents or staff; furthermore, young people are not normally allowed to stay at Pluto for longer than three months. In the case of minors, depending on the circumstances, either those with parental responsibility or the Child and Adult Protection Authority (KESB) will be informed of the young person’s whereabouts. In principle, however, organisations such as Pluto adopt a strictly advocacy-based approach, acting entirely in the interests of the young people who seek shelter at the emergency accommodation.