Homelessness Week is an annual campaign coordinated by Homelessness Australia to help drive awareness about homelessness, its affects and the solutions needed to end homelessness.
When we think about our life in Australia, we don’t imagine ourselves homeless. Yet, for many, living without a home is a reality.
A home is not just walls and a roof, it is a place where people can feel safe and secure. We should all be able to access safe and secure housing, but this is not the case. Homelessness is more widespread than the visible experience of people sleeping rough on the streets. Many people have hidden experiences where they live in short term accommodation, sleep in their cars, couch surf or may live in overcrowded housing, motels or are in crisis accommodation. Homelessness knows no bounds, it affects people of all ages, men, women, children.
On Census night in 2021, there were more than 122,000 people experiencing homelessness. And possibly more, as there would have been barriers to completing the Census if they did not have access to accommodation. Homelessness has increased by 5.2% since the 2016 census.
There are many statistics about homelessness available, to learn more visit the Australian Bureau of Statistics estimating homelessness
Fr Andrew Hamilton sj reflects on when you are left without a home, people are deprived of more than bricks and mortar, they are diminished in their humanity. Read Fr Andrew’s full article here.
Churches, community groups and many other organisations are all working to raise awareness of homelessness, and to help those in need. To learn more about homelessness, housing and what you may do to support homelessness visit:
Servants Community Housing is a registered organisation providing safe, affordable community housing in Melbourne.
Boroondara Council has a range of programs and information to support people experiencing homelessness in Boroondara.
Boroondara Community Outreach is an organisation based in Kew offering food relief, support and services for disadvantaged members of the Boroondara community.
Both VMCH (Villa Maria Catholic Homes) and St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria (Vinnies) are actively involved in providing social housing solutions.
VMCH offers affordable housing, particularly for older Australians, with a focus on providing a dignified life. VMCH has 426 independent living units across 24 locations in Melbourne that are designed to be safe, secure and connected to the community.
St Vincent de Paul Society, through their subsidiary VincentCare Community Housing, is working on the Big Housing Build. Works are well under way with their first project at Footscray, which is set to deliver 92 new safe, secure and affordable homes in partnership with the Victorian Government’s Big Housing Build. Vinnies have recently announced that it is moving into the build phase of another community housing project set to deliver nine new safe, secure and affordable homes in Epping/Wollert in partnership with Homes Victoria as part of the $5.3 billion Big Housing Build.
Lastly, let us not forget about the pets of the homeless. Quite often emergency and crisis accommodation do not permit pets resulting in many pets being abandoned or surrendered to shelters. Pets of the Homeless provides food, veterinary care, safe shelter and other support to pet owners in need. They help people who are facing homelessness by making sure their companion pets are well looked after.
There are many other organisations that assist the homeless, these are just a few of the ways in which we can learn and help.
Published: 9 August 2024
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