Street kids ‘don’t feel safe at home’ study finds

Murdoch University Community Development student Jenna Woods will present her research at the Adelaide conference.

‘Overwhelmingly we found that young people were on the streets and trains because they didn’t feel safe at home,’ she said.

Ms Woods is a graduate of the K-Track bridging course, which gives indigenous students a pathway into university, and works as an Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience presenter.

‘My tutor approached me about helping because she knew I’d be interested, and realised the best way to get young Aboriginal people to talk was to have Aboriginal people asking the questions,’ Ms Woods said.

Ms Woods and other members of the project’s Youth Advisor Council spoke to about 400 young people on streets and trains, as well as at schools and community events, over about six months.

She said she encountered up to 100 a night, most around 13 or 14 years old.