Homeless Person’s Week 2010

During National Homeless Person’s Week from August 2-9, Australian Red Cross is highlighting the fact that homelessness affects the lives of ordinary people and that anyone can become homeless. 

On any given night there are about 105,000 homeless people – of these, more than 15 per cent are sleeping rough; 45 per cent stay with family or friends; 21 per cent are living in boarding or rooming houses and 19 per cent are in temporary accommodation. 

Homelessness disrupts people’s lives. Connection to family, friends, workmates and community is often lost or severely strained. People who experience homelessness can be shut out from mainstream social and economic life, finding it difficult to hold a job, study or participate in social and recreational activities.

People who are homeless tend to have poorer health, a significantly higher rate of substance abuse and greater rates of mental illness than the general population. They are also more likely to experience violence and to be imprisoned.

The children of families who are homeless are particularly vulnerable. They are more likely than other children to experience developmental issues and disrupted schooling. This can lead to family patterns of disadvantage and exclusion being repeated.

Red Cross works with people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. In providing support, we seek to address the underlying causes of their homelessness, enabling them to access and maintain housing, and enhance their lives. We work in collaboration with communities and other organisations to provide opportunities for people who are homeless.

We do this by:

• Taking a comprehensive approach, recognising that homelessness is usually more than a housing problem and there is a need to address the range of issues people are likely to be dealing with.
• Understanding the structural causes that tip people into homelessness in Australia.
• Recognising that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are more likely to experience homelessness than others and that specific strategies are required.

We support people to maintain their housing and avoid homelessness through programs like Homestay, Heading Home and the Private Tenancy Support Service; help young people to build their life skills and get housed through programs like Night Café, Street Directions and the Young Parents Program; support people experiencing homelessness through Street to Home and Personal Helpers and Mentors (homelessness workers). Soup Patrol and the Roadhouse give a regular hot meal and a chat to homeless people or on low incomes.

Open Forum and the Australian Red Cross will be sharing stories throughout Homeless Persons Week 2010. To participate, simply follow the links below to read the related blogs and login to leave a comment. You can also email Open Forum  your own contribution or contributor suggestion to srose@openforum.com.au, or phone +61 2 8303 2430.

To make a donation or find out more about our programs and services, visit www.redcross.org.au

RELATED STORIES:

• From living on the streets to helping the homeless: One woman’s tale of how she turned her life around – by Kristie Papanikolaou
• Planning an end to homelessness – by Matthew Cox
• Anyone can become homeless – by Ian Coverdale
• Building Skills for a Happy Family – by Site Administrator
• A Place to Call Home – by Site Administrator
• A wonderful job and a wonderful opportunity for homeless women: one woman’s tale of why she works as hard as she does – by Natalie Susman

RECOMMENDED READING:

• Focus on homeless aims to end couch-surfing – Jessica Mahar, Sydney Morning Herald, August 2, 2010.