BYS Couch Surfing – Webinar & Risk Screening Tool

Abstract

Webinar: A Couch is Not a Home.

This is a recording of a webinar held early in 2021 by Brisbane Youth Service.

In this recording we share learning about the risks and realities of couch surfing as the most common form of homelessness for young people.  Included is key learning arising from 5 years of quantitative research data about young couch surfer’s issues and support needs as well as in-depth qualitative learning from young peoples’ voices and experiences, gathered through 65 in-depth interviews with young couch surfers.

We also explore how the research learning has been applied to practice through a dedicated couch surfing hotline and support service, including practice approaches, the use of a purpose-developed couch surfing risk screening tool and recommendations for frontline workers, agencies and policy.

We have also attached the Risk Screening Tool. Please note this tool is a work in progress and further changes may be made between now and the end of the project.

Tool: Couch Surfing Risk Screening

Brisbane Youth Service Couch Surfing Risk Screening Tool

If you are planning to use the tool in practice, and would like to provide any feedback please contact:

• Ratna Beekman  rbeekman@brisyouth.org
  Project Coordinator – Couch Surfing Support Hotline
• Rhianon Vichta-Ohlsen  rvichta@brisyouth.org
  Research and Evaluation Manager