On any given night in the Shoalhaven over 170 young people are homeless and CareSouth Shoalhaven Youth Support Service (SYSS) is dedicated to helping youth in need, as the regions only dedicated youth homelessness service.

As couch surfing is the most common form of homelessness among 15 to 24-year-olds, CareSouth launched their A Couch is not a Home campaign.

For a night, CareSouth staff and supporters, including HMAS Albatross personnel, will sleep on a couch for a night to highlight issues faced by young people who are unable to live safely at home.

Between 2022 to 2023, over 38,000 young people aged 15-24 sought support from a homelessnessservice, including SYSS, and in the Shoalhaven, 704 people were homeless on the night of the 2021 census.

"But a couch is not a stable home, and young people soon run out of couches to stay on," Ms Hanley said.

"Early intervention from programs like SYSS help break the cycle of youth homelessness.

"Without this service the problem will grow as the cost of living continues to rise and young people are priced out of the housing and rental markets."

In 2023 70 young people accessed SYSS crisis accomodation services, which CareSouth Shoalhaven Regional Manager Denise Hanley said many people who access their services had been couch surfing for a period of time.

CareSouth executive officer Renee Knight said youth homelessness in the Shoalhaven is an ongoing critical issue.

"CareSouth is committed to addressing this crisis by providing a safe, supportive environment for homeless youth to stay, while helping them build the skills needed to live independently," Ms Knight said.

"SYSS staff help young people voice their opinions and create links to networks in housing, legal and health services support for referrals and advice. Early intervention, through programs like SYSS, is key to providing solutions to this crisis."