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On todays show I interviewed 2 guests who brought great depth and breadth to the homelessness episode. Glenda Stevens from Homelessness Australia and Tim Sheerman from StreetWork. I hope you will be as inspired as me when you listen to the podcast. I think I say amazing and inspiring way too many times but to be honest I say it as it is - they are amazing, what they do is amazing and I am inspired.
How often do we simply walk past a homeless person without giving them a second glance. How will my decision in Canberra affect 24,000 people? |
The main driver for
homelessness in Australia
is domestic violence
Homelessness Australia with Glenda Stevens
These young people are incredible
once they are given an opportunity
- The Homeless population is made up of middle-aged man
- People who are homeless sleep on the street
- People choose to be homeless
- People who are homeless just need to get a job
- Homeless people are dangerous
- Homelessness is simply about housing and "roof-lessness"
- Homelessness will never happen to me
- We will never solve homelessness
Taken from Homelessness Australia website
StreetWork with Tim Sheerman
Streetwork pioneered outreach youth work - they build relationships and trust and walk beside young people facing a crisis in their lives. Their youth workers go out to where the young people are, whether that is the shopping centre, the train station, the local park or their home. They provide a supportive scaffolding when the warning signs of a crumbling life appear and are able to prevent the final stages of disconnection from society such as homelessness, mental health problems, leaving school or imprisonment.
Young people have
a metal detector for fake
- Attend any of their fundraising events as a guest
- Support the organising of the event, like waiting tables!
- Advocacy - Advocates are needed to support young people when they have been arrested - we are there to check they are OK and understand what is going on.
- Become a mentor - many people want to help but this is quite a specialised area and not as needed as the others
There is no age limit so please get in touch and see how you can help. Check out how you can get involved by using this link
For details of the YOUTH events like the Thursday BBQ in Chatswood run by Streetwork check out this link
Lots of young people
don't know they are homeless
home is safety, security, belonging, love - it shows we have a place in society
City of Sydney Street Count
Street counts assist the City’s homelessness unit to develop responses to homelessness according to need. Results are regularly used to advocate to state and federal governments, along with potential partners, for the resources necessary to achieve enduring solutions to homelessness.
If you would like to see data from the street count for the last few years or learn more about how you can get involved then check out this link.
This year they had about 200 volunteers, we went out in pairs between 1 and 3, were extremely well looked after by Sydney City Council and Mission Australia Team. I am in awe of what goes on during the night on our streets.
There is much harshness in our world but what I saw that night was deep care.
Resources
Streetwork
Homelessness Australia City of Sydney Street Count Domestic Violence in Australia Homelessness NSW Other websites of interest: Link2Home YFoundations Thanks ag |
Thanks again to the Glorious Music Team for the use of their music in my show. Both tracks come from their dance albums below. Check them out...the title music is Groove Your Foundations and the sting and closing music is Tango with Truth
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