Sleep on your couch for youth homelessness on Saturday, 13 September 2014

The Salvation Army has launched a campaign to respond to youth homelessness and raise vital funds for centres across Brisbane, Sydney and Canberra.

The Couch Project aims to raise awareness of couch surfing, a form of hidden homelessness, by encouraging people to sleep on their couches on Saturday, 13th September 2014 and fundraise to support The Salvation Army’s youth homelessness services.

“Couch surfing is often the first unseen step in the cycle of youth homelessness,” says Jason Poutawa, Territorial Youth Coordinator for The Salvation Army.

“Just because a young person has a roof over their head does not mean they have stability, safety or a secure place to live.”

The Salvation Army’s youth homelessness services across Brisbane, Sydney and Canberra provide young people with the help they need to overcome adversity and build independence by offering transitional accommodation, living skills programs, education and support.

“All of our centres see the effects of couch surfing first-hand with the young people they support. The reality is that these arrangements can be dangerous and can very easily lead to sleeping rough”.

The Couch Project aims to generate awareness of the 44,000 young Aussies who are homeless tonight and raise the funds necessary to continue the work of four of The Salvation Army’s centres across Queensland, NSW and ACT.

You can help combat hidden homelessness by signing up to sleep on your couch on Saturday September 13 and asking your friends and family to sponsor you. Fundraisers who raise over $200 will also receive a Couch Project ‘onesie’ and socks to wear on the night.

To sign up to fundraise, donate to The Salvation Army’s Couch Project or for more information on sleeping on your couch on Saturday, 13th September, please visit thecouchproject.com.au