New anthology featuring top Scottish writers highlights country’s homelessness crisis

New work by top Scottish writers features in a charity anthology that aims to highlight the country’s ongoing youth homelessness crisis.

Rock Trust, which works with young people experiencing homelessness in Scotland, is celebrating its 30th anniversary by publishing All the Way Home. The anthology will feature pieces from emerging writers and personal essays from people who have experienced youth homelessness, as well as works from more established writers.

Val McDermid is among the writers contributing, as are authors Kirstin Innes and Jenni Fagan.

“Across each contribution, the idea of ‘home’ is approached from a variety of perspectives, exploring the visible and invisible realities of home and homelessness, of family and belonging”, said Rock Trust.

Half of the proceeds from the book will go to the charity, which provides frontline services across Scotland, and lobbies the government to work towards ending youth homelessness.

“Through bringing together such a diverse group of voices and stories”, Rock Trust says it “hopes to shine a spotlight on the complexities of youth homelessness and how the lives of Scotland’s young people are being affected”.

Nearly 7000 young people were declared homeless in Scotland last year, although the actual number is likely to be higher.

“Despite the high numbers of young people affected, youth homelessness is still hugely misunderstood and often a hidden crisis”, said Rock Trust CEO Kate Polson.

“Many young people are never declared homeless, they may not even realise themselves that they are homeless, moving between hostels or the sofas of friends, even strangers, just to keep a roof over their head. But they are not safe, and they need our help now.

“We are proud of what we have achieved as an organisation over the past 30 years, and this anthology is a powerful way for us to celebrate our journey, but it has also been an opportunity to reflect, question, and acknowledge how far we still have to go if we are to truly see an end to youth homelessness in Scotland.”