Journal of a Homeless Youth

by Dominic Mapstone · 2009-10-04 09:57:00 UTC
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The best way to get a glimpse into life on the streets is to talk to someone who has experienced. I want to share with you the journal of an Australian homeless youth that has been written over more than five years at the Homelessness Forum. Over 70,000 people have read her journal already -- now it's your turn. I believe it's the most engaging and educational first-person account of homelessness available online.

Be prepared, though. The entire journal is long, and will take you more than a few hours to read.

Most of her journey is there though warts and all; it's a very honest and confronting account. Here's an excerpt from one of her first entries in 2004, when she began writing at just 17 years old. It provides a pretty good glimpse into why she began writing about her experiences online:

i wish there were more streeties from australia to talk to online. i'd spend an hour scabbing EVERY day to get on the net to talk. most of them are too busy chroming or sleeping. u know ive kept off all drugs so far! i havent even smoked. but its pretty hard, and i think ill have to give in soon. im going to book a library computer for like the next week so i can get on the net every day. sorry about going on and on but u dont get to talk to many people about being on the streets, like the people at the food vans are good, but they dont stay very long and not many people (volunteers) come.

The author has been a long-term moderator at the International Homeless Forum. Perhaps the neatest thing about this journal is that you can interact with the author. If you read her story and want to comment, she is available to respond.

Recently I arranged for her to appear on the Aussie-equivalent of Good Morning America. The video of that interview is available here and also included in the journal.

Out of respect for the author of this amazing journal, please don't comment in reply to this blog post unless you have read her journal in full.

If you want the author of the journal to reply to your comment, join the Homelessness Forums and reply to the thread Diary of a Homeless Youth.

Image from the8rgrl's public Flickr photo stream.

Dominic Mapstone is the director of Rebeccas Community, an Australian non-profit, and admin at the International Homeless Forum.
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