HOMELESSNESS

Homelessness is not just a statistic. It is an event in a person’s life, often recurring, that can have a lasting and traumatic effect. Homelessness can result in a variety of physical deprivations relating to a lack of or inadequate shelter, physical safety or access to suitable hygiene and health services. Pre-existing health issues can be exacerbated in situations of homelessness, where individuals are unable to access or afford essential services. Furthermore, homelessness is more than just a lack of housing. Not having a space to call one’s own can have significant impacts on a person’s agency, resilience and sense of security. This can have acute and lasting effects on a person’s mental health and their connection to community and public life; becoming exacerbated where the conditions of a person’s homelessness are ongoing.

For further information find the final report from "Inquiry into homelessness in Victoria"

1.

BE KIND

If possible and safe acknowledge and engage with those who are homeless. Check on them if they look unwell, call an ambulance or organise police to do a welfare check. 

If you learn their name use it. A person’s name connects to their identity and individuality. Using their name is a sign of respect and promotes connection.

An estimated 424 people experiencing homelessness died on Australia’s streets over the past 12 months.

2.

TALK & CHAMPION A CHANGE OF ATTITUDE

"Every word we put out into this world, each question we choose not to ask, each conversation we choose no to have, or to have, but carelessly - each of these aggregates into a lifetime's worth of impact."

Diana Tsai, Co-founder and CEO of Upwage

Check the conversations you are having with yourself, get rid of the misconceptions. Currently four in 10 Australians think that homeless people are ‘lazy freeloaders’, ‘stupid failures’ or ‘not working hard enough’.

Start conversations with family, friends, and colleagues.

Start conversations with organisations, schools, governments.

Read why it is so important to talk about homelessness here with HomeMore

Causes of homelessness

Echo Training provides information and science based education to promote survivor empowerment.

3.

LEARN ABOUT "HOUSING FIRST".

Housing First prioritises the basic human need for shelter by providing immediate access to permanent housing and support to address the other challenges they face. Rapid rehousing can play a transformative role in changing people’s lives and is more cost effective for Government as it reduces the cost of acute services, hospitals, police, ambulance and criminal justice. You can start here by watching these videos on Housing First

Journey to Social Inclusion Program  by Sacred Heart 

Further information on the program can be found here

Ted Talk "The Housing First approach to homelessness" by Lloyd Pendleton

4.

USE YOUR VOTE

Check out the housing policies of your local candidates and vote for those who are going to invest in public and social housing. The solution to homelessness is housing. 

5.

IF YOU CAN, DONATE MONEY.

Donate to charities like Sacred Heart Mission who directly help the homeless. Donate to the mission here.

Sign up your company or community group to host fundraising events of Some Happy Day.

This SBS article lists other major services Australia wide that support the homeless and would benefit from donations.

6.

VOLUNTEER.

Contact your local services and ask how you can help. 

7.

SUPPORT THOSE SURVIVING WITHOUT A HOME

BY LISTENING TO THEM.

There are many events that offer these opportunities. Here are some:

Homeless Memorial Day - Winter Solstice (the coldest and darkest day of the year).

Homelessness Week, first week of August. 

World Homeless Day, October 10. 

8.

BE A SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR.

Think creatively and pragmatically. What can you do to make a difference?

Collaborate with others, be adaptable.

Social enterprises can be community-sized or global. They all work to solve problems to make the world a fairer place.