Compared to 6404 people older than 55, there were 9048 homeless youth aged 12 to 24 in NSW, accounting for around a quarter of all homeless people. About 60 per cent of these homeless young people live in "severely" overcrowded dwellings, found Census 2016's homeless figures released last month. The figures were part of an in-depth presentation for youth homeless organisations. Youth homelessness is also likely to have been underestimated due to a "usual address" being reported for some who may be couch surfing, said the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The neglect of this age group was a disgrace, said Zoe Robinson, the CEO of Yfoundations. She is calling for a "real conversation about this problem", and a promise to halve the rate of homelessness by 2030, which would require at least double the current funding of $198 million. Simon Byrnes arrived in Sydney as a 16-year-old. Credit:Wolter Peeters

"These are the formative years," said Ms Robinson. "We’re talking about children as young as 12, who through no fault of their own, have slipped through the cracks. Youth homelessness is rarely the fault of the victim," she said. Like Mr Byrnes, many young people try to hide their homelessness, which means they may be invisible to the general public. "Someone who is couch surfing might not recognise themselves as homeless, that's part of the stigma," said Ms Robinson. "Young people don't necessarily put their hand up and say I am homeless. They say they are going through a rough patch or need a break from home." When Mr Byrnes arrived in Sydney as a 16-year-old, he felt lucky to find a bed in a refuge. "For the first two years, I would've stayed in 13 services, and definitely stayed with people who set off warning bells."

Often they'd be overcrowded so he would be kicked out. "There was a fair bit of living on the streets," said Mr Byrnes. "It is hard sleeping through the night without being murdered or sexually assaulted, but once you get into a refuge you have other problems. "When you have a bed it doesn't necessarily mean you have a life. And when you have a refuge spot, it doesn't mean everything is solved. It just goes from making it through this night to making it through the next three months," he said. He also tried boarding houses and private rental accommodation, which were nearly always too expensive other than those that were scary. One place didn't have potable water.

A boarding house had no locks on the door: "A guy jokingly said that was because we have a few pedos here and we want to check on them." Thanks to two programs, Mr Byrnes got his year 10 certificate and then his HSC while homeless. He is now studying marketing and communications at Ultimo TAFE. He finally has private accommodation, which brings him unexpected joy. "I got excited that I could buy bulk toilet paper. I cried a little inside," he said. Very boring things like saving money and having clean sheets - that remind him how his mother used to warm his sheets in the dryer with something that smelled nice - make him well up inside.

He's one of the lucky ones, he said. "I had some amazing services that managed to hold onto me and keep me around for years. It takes years to actually get you out of homelessness," he said. Cindi Petersen, the executive officer of Launch Pad, said services like hers for young homeless "were being slammed". As well as an increase in youth homelessness, there was a rise in the number of those at risk of becoming homeless. The situation was worse in Sydney and NSW because housing was more expensive than in other states, and there was a lack of public and private affordable housing.