Madison Collings used to be one of Australia's 26,000 homeless people between the ages of 12 and 25.

She left home at 14 after a family dispute and began couch surfing between friends' houses.

At the age of 17, with a newborn son, she had nowhere to go but a motel after breaking up with her baby's father.

"I had to move out of my dad's house because I didn't get along with my step-mum and I was a bit of a naughty kid," she said.

"The motel wasn't really good because I had to have my son with me and there was no cot in there.

"It wasn't ideal."

Ms Collings' story is not uncommon.

Youth homelessness figures 42 per cent of Australia's homeless population is under 25 years old

42 per cent of Australia's homeless population is under 25 years old 26,000 Australians between 12 and 25 are experiencing homelessness every night

26,000 Australians between 12 and 25 are experiencing homelessness every night 70 per cent of Australia's homeless youths left home to escape family violence, child abuse or family breakdown

70 per cent of Australia's homeless youths left home to escape family violence, child abuse or family breakdown The most common way young people experience homelessness is couch surfing - Source, National Youth Coalition for Housing, 2016

As Australia marks Youth Homelessness Matters Day, service providers hope to create greater awareness of the causes of youth homelessness.

Northern Rivers Social Development Council organiser Jennifer Parke said the majority of young people left home because of family breakdowns, often created by domestic violence and abuse.

"Young people don't leave home unless it's serious," she said.

"While we can't always prevent the situations which force young people out of their homes, we can help to ensure that they have access to support."

Ms Collings, now 21 and a mother-of-two, is living in 'transitional accommodation' provided by a Northern Rivers Social Development Council program called Connecting Home in the northern New South Wales town of Casino.

The program helps young people who are homeless, or at risk of homelessness, to achieve their long-term housing goals.

Ms Collings pays 25 per cent of her earnings to live in her current accommodation provided by Connecting Home while they help her find a more stable rental through a real estate agent.

She said without the program, she would not have permanent shelter.

"I have no family around here except my dad, so I would have had to stay with friends, but that wouldn't have been very stable so it wouldn't have been the best for my son," she said.

"Before Connecting Home, finding a rental property was impossible.

"Eventually I hope to be in a house that's through a real estate agent, but in the meantime this is pretty good for me."