Couch race raises awareness for NT youth homelessness crisis

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Young people hit the streets today in Darwin in their couches to take part in a unique race. But it’s not just about the winning, they also hope to raise awareness about the growing problem of youth homelessness in the Northern Territory.

Transcript

00:00There were cheers, crashes, and a creative collection of couches on the Territory track

00:11today.

00:12Some racers planned tactics, others not so much, and some left it to the heat of the

00:26moment.

00:27I saw the finish line and I just had to jump.

00:30But it's not all fun and games.

00:32Today is also about highlighting a growing problem.

00:36The reality is maybe sometimes home isn't the safest place for these young people.

00:39The Northern Territory has 12 times the national average rate of homelessness, with half of

00:45them young people.

00:46It is a crisis and we need to treat it as such.

00:49With rising cost of living pressures, young people couch surfing or living rough are experiencing

00:54more challenges than ever before.

00:56There needs to be considered approach across the spectrum from all levels of government

01:00and community to say what's really a complex and wicked problem now.

01:03There's a lot of laughter here today, but the community of young people have turned out

01:09to push for a change.

01:11Change!

01:12Today's champions using their win to shine a light on the cause behind the couch.

01:18This is for all the homeless young people in the Northern Territory and this is what we're

01:23doing this for.

01:24This is what the whole event is for.

01:25So like really this is a win for all of our young people and not just ourselves.

01:30Young people racing to solve a crisis in their own way.

01:35They do not have a lot of problems, right?

01:43And I might be happy.

01:44I hope that the community of young people are living in this country with a place behind the

01:46market.

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