Teen Couch Surfing - “Hidden Homelessness”
Couch surfing is defined as staying temporarily in a series of other people's homes, sleeping on sofas, in a spare room, or even on the floor. Millions of homeless teens in the U.S. couch surf annually. At face value, this does not sound so bad to many of us, especially compared to other forms of homelessness. However, for our youth, couch surfing is a far cry from having a sleepover at a friend’s house. These teens find a way to stay with a friend or acquaintance until they overstay their welcome, always with the uncertainty of when they will have to move on and where they will be sleeping next. The “stays” may or may not include access to food and/or a hot shower, though often do include an overwhelming sense of being a burden. As these young adults generally cannot be selective, they are also very vulnerable if they end up staying in unsafe or less than ideal environments. Additionally, though no surprise, the stress of the uncertainty and embarrassment contributes to the much higher levels of psychological distress in these teens, than their peers in the general population.
Our Robyne’s Nest mission is to provide the support and resources our local at-risk and homeless students need to break their cycles and change their lives. Of primary importance is to ensure these teens have a consistent, safe and stable place to live…a first step in allowing them to focus on school and their future, rather than worrying about where they will be sleeping each night.
Hidden Homelessness - The Realities of Couch Surfing
Psychological distress among young people who are couch surfing