Rebuilding broken lives: New initiative to house and support youth turned away by family

In Singapore, a group of young offenders who have nowhere to go after release from the Reformative Training Centre (RTC) are facing challenges due to strained relationships with their parents. Some have sexually abused siblings, leaving parents worried for their siblings' safety if the youth return home, while others have given up on their children due to addiction or repeated law violations.

YGOS, a social service agency, had to find accommodation for 15 such young people released from the RTC in 2025, most of whom were 18-21 years old, including three females. In addition, homeless youth without a criminal background also struggle to find a place to stay, as adult shelters require parental consent, which these youth lack.

To address this issue, YGOS is launching a specialised support pathway for youth between 18-25 who are homeless, part of 11 new initiatives under the Partnership to Tackle Homelessness (PATH) Fund. This program consists of a three-stage plan that provides shelter, counselling, vocational guidance, family mediation, and other assistance.

The first stage involves offering temporary shelter for nightly sleep, while the second stage guarantees a bed in a transitional shelter and requires commitment to a program aimed at building life stability. The final stage offers long-term, affordable housing options for youth ready to transition. Another PATH Fund initiative is the Maps programme, which focuses on micro employment and apprenticeship pathways to stability for rough sleepers who are not working.

This program, run by the Hope Initiative Alliance, aims to help these individuals re-enter the workforce, earn their own income, and engage in meaningful activities.