Health: Young People, Health Rights and Homelessness

The Royal District Nursing Service (RDNS) Homeless Persons Program (HPP) employs two youth focus positions in the northern suburbs of Melbourne providing a primary health care response to young people between the ages of 12-25 who are at risk of or who are experiencing homelessness. As one of these nurses I have spent the last ten years trying to address the individual health needs of those young people I come in contact with. A significant part of my role involves actively supporting marginalised young people to negotiate their way through the many difficulties that prevent them from accessing quality health services.