I decided to participate in the Winter Sleepout as an individual fundraiser before asking a couple of friends to join to me. Pretty soon we had a team of about 25 young people in our fundraising group, ‘Team Radelaide’.
We began our Sleepout at around 6pm and shared soup for dinner. We had some time to chat and get to know each other while we started a small campfire to keep warm. Some of us brought along boxes and tarps to use as a basic shelter in case it rained. We spent the night talking, laughing, sharing stories and had a couple of sing-alongs.
Importantly, we set aside some time throughout the night and in the morning to reflect on what homelessness is and how we could best support people who are experiencing it.
A big highlight of the Winter Sleepout was seeing the young people involved begin to comprehend what homelessness is. A person sleeping from couch to couch is homeless, just as a person sleeping on the streets is.
I learned that we can never truly understand what it’s like to be homeless. We can go home to our comfy beds, with our supportive families who put food on the table, who ask us how our day was and offer us the emotional and mental support we need. But it is very hard for us to really grasp the reality of life for a person who is homeless.
I think the challenge of doing Winter Sleepout is keeping young people engaged in the learning experience after the event. It is easy for us to do a one night challenge, but to keep enough momentum to take action after the event is much harder.
I chose to support the people who Mission Australia helps through the Winter Sleepout because I believe in what the organisation is about. I believe in Mission Australia’s commitment to seeing equality and dignity restored to those in need.
Winter Sleepout is a Mission Australia event to raise funds and awareness of homelessness in Australia.
To find out more about Winter Sleepout and register a team visit www.wintersleepout.com.au
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