Narratives of Youth Homelessness

Stories from Paris and New York

Julien Billion

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2026
• Topic: Social Sciences
• eBook ISBN:
  9781040855485
• Subtopic: Human Geography
• Index: Social Sciences

This book explores the daily lives of 20 young people experiencing homelessness in Paris and New York.

Drawing on detailed observations and personal testimonies, it reveals their living conditions, survival strategies, and the rhythms that shape their days and nights. Beyond hardship, this book captures moments of joy, hope, and human connection. It examines their relationships—with family, friends, romantic partners, education, work, and support organizations—highlighting both the resources they rely on and the obstacles they face. Often absent from public debate and media coverage, these youths are given a voice, offering a nuanced and humanizing portrait that challenges stereotypes. By bringing their experiences to the forefront, this book calls for greater awareness and collective action to respond to youth homelessness with empathy and effectiveness.

It will be of interest to all scholars and students of social policy, youth work, social work, urban studies, and sociology more broadly.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Series Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication Page
• Table of Contents
• Foreword
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• 1 The Family: “Things Were Tough with My Parents”
• 2 Friends, Lovers, and Acquaintances: “I Found My Own Little Family, a Second Family”
• 3 Education and Employment: “My School Was the Streets”
• 4 Aid Organizations: “I Stayed Outside. I Was Like a Bum”
• 5 The Street: “Without a Job, without a Home, without Anything”
• 6 Dreams: “It’s Just Like Everyone Else”
• Conclusion
• Afterword
• Index