SLEEP AT THE 'G Will Return to Melbourne

A line-up of Australian entertainment talent, including BABBA, John Wayne Parsons, and returning host Briohny Dawson, will headline this year's Sleep at the ‘G. Hundreds of sleepers are preparing to spend a night at the iconic MCG as they raise funds for young people experiencing homelessness.

Behind the music and community spirit lies a confronting reality: youth homelessness in Victoria is escalating rapidly and driven by rising living costs, fuel pressures and a system failing to keep up. New analysis shows 10,924 young Victorians aged 15–24 presented alone to homelessness services last year, with nearly half (5,276) experiencing mental health conditions severe enough to require hospitalisation. At the same time, nearly two-thirds of the 14,261 young people seeking housing were turned away. The crisis is being intensified by economic pressures hitting families and young people hardest.

“We've seen this pattern time and time again. When the cost-of-living rises, youth homelessness often rises with it,” said Paul Wappett, CEO, MCM. “As fuel and everyday costs increase, pressure builds inside households. For some young people, that may mean that home is no longer safe — and when they leave, there are fewer options available than ever before. Right now, young people are being priced out of housing, with the system unintentionally stacking the odds against them and that gap only getting worse.”

The impact is already being felt on the ground at MCM in young people accessing Frontyard Youth Service in the past three months, while last year only 15% were able to secure appropriate housing. Services are now operating at full capacity, with refuge beds full and waitlists across all programs.

“We are supporting young people in such severe mental health crisis that they require emergency care — yet they are discharged back into homelessness, sometimes in a taxi, with nowhere safe to go,” Mr Wappett said. “These are children, some as young as 16, left alone at their most vulnerable.”

Every four days in Australia, a young person dies while experiencing homelessness, many after repeatedly seeking help. A dangerous disconnect between services is compounding the crisis, alongside what advocates are calling the “youth housing penalty.” Despite facing the same rising costs, young people receive around 54% less in income support, making it significantly harder to secure housing. In a tightening rental market, this effectively locks them out before they even get a chance.

Now in its 13th year, Sleep at the ‘G brings together corporates, community groups and individuals for a powerful night of fundraising, awareness and lived experience storytelling. Participants will sleep overnight inside the MCG while raising critical funds to support housing and wraparound services for young people.

“Sleep at the ‘G is about standing alongside young people and recognising that homelessness is not a choice,” Mr Wappett said. “The generosity of our community gives us confidence that together, we can change outcomes.”

As part of the national #HomeTime campaign, MCM is calling on the Federal Government to introduce a youth housing supplement — a targeted solution to bridge the gap between income support and housing costs. There's still time to get involved and Sleep at the ‘G this May. Because safe and stable housing isn't just nice to have, it's the foundation for every young person's future.