Rugby heroes to join MA staff at Brisbane Winter Sleepout

Queensland Reds and Wallabies players Radike Samo and twins Saia and Anthony Faingaa will tonight join a group of Mission Australia staff from the Brisbane South Employment Solutions team sleeping rough to raise money for our homeless services.

Mission Australia’s Elia Tuqiri said staff taking part in the Sleepout at Citipoint Church are aiming to raise up to $10,000 to help people experiencing homelessness.

“In my job I meet a lot of people who are desperately looking for work as they are at risk of losing their home, or worse, are already homeless,” Elia said.

“In many cases, it’s not just individuals who are homeless, but families with young children without a stable home. Many are couch-surfing at friends’ places or sleeping in their car, because they haven’t got a place of their own. In the toughest cases they are sleeping rough in our community.

“I often think of myself as very lucky to have stable full time employment and the ability to pay my rent, have food on the table and a safe place to shower and sleep.

“Sometimes we take these things for granted – and that is why we have organised this Winter Sleepout to build awareness and raise important funding for Mission Australia’s homeless services.”

Former Reds player, Charlie Fetoai will also share how he turned his life around after suffering a serious spinal injury that brought his Rugby Union career to an end.

Charlie now works as a Mission Australia Indigenous Employment program mentor, helping young Indigenous men and women to overcome challenges in their own lives and get the training and support they need to find work.

“When I suffered a serious spinal injury on the field, I went from the highest point in my life – doing what I loved, playing professional rugby – to the lowest point, where I was terrified I might not walk again,” Charlie said.

“It was through self belief, staying positive and the support of my family, friends and team mates that I was able to recover and walk again. The experience completely changed my outlook on life, and has motivated me to help others who are struggling with barriers in their lives that are holding them back.

“The Winter Sleepout is a great cause, aimed at helping people out there who are struggling with circumstances hard for any of us to imagine – and that is why I am pleased to be a part of this event.”

There will be performances by school and dance groups from 6:30pm and the players will be signing autographs from 6pm.

Meanwhile on the Gold Coast, more than 30 staff from Mission Australia’s Employment Solutions offices and the crew from Southport Rotaract Club offices will brave the winter tonight to raise money for the homeless.

Good luck to all everyone camping out tonight for Winter Sleepout to help us reach our $250,000 fundraising target. To find out more about Winter Sleepout or to make a donation, visit: www.wintersleepout.com.au

Thanks to our City2Surfers for going the distance
Huge thanks to the 150 people who ran, walked and even skipped the 14km in last weekend’s Sun-Herald City2Surf in support of Mission Australia. There was a blur of red and white singlets in almost every category of the event, from the speedy runners to the walkers.

A few even ran the whole distance in their PJs, in support of our Winter Sleepout. Along the way hundreds of well-wishers, including Senator Mark Arbib and NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell, offered their support.

Of all our fundraising supporters, first-time City2Surfer Sook Smith outdid herself, raising over $9,000 for our services and sitting at number eight in the overall top ten individual fundraiser ladder for the event.

She joined Mission Australia staff, supporters and members of Team MA, made up of clients of our homeless services, at a post-race barbecue in North Bondi.

All those weeks of training with the Sydney Roosters paid off for Team MA, with all members crossing the finishing line. Among them was Wayne Richards, who has taken part in every City2Surf since 1974.

In the lead-up to the City2Surf, Wayne attended every training session with players Ethan Lowe, Cheyse Blair, Lama Tasi and Boyd Cordner.

Thanks to Wayne, his team mates, all our fundraisers and their supporters for playing your part in this fabulous community event. Your efforts have raised a much-needed $20,000 for Mission Australia’s support services.

Media Release: Local Mission Australia staff sleep out to help the homeless

More than thirty staff from Mission Australia’s Employment Solutions offices on the Gold Coast & the crew from Southport Rotaract Club offices will brave the winter cold tonight, in an effort to raise money for the not-for-profit’s homeless services.

The driving force behind the local event – Crystal Jousovec from Mission Australia’s Employment Solutions office in Palm Beach – said she decided to organise a Winter Sleepout because she wanted to help people less fortunate than herself.

“In my job I meet a lot of people who are desperately looking for work as they are at risk of losing their home, or worse, are already homeless,” Crystal said.

“In many cases, it’s not just individuals who are homeless, but families with young children without a stable home.

“Many are couch-surfing at friend’s places or sleeping in their car, because they haven’t got a place of their own. In the toughest cases they are sleeping rough in our community.

“I have experienced homelessness personally myself in a brief moment over a year ago.

“I have a young daughter and I understand the despair of not having anywhere to live. Luckily I had the support of my friends and work mates to help bring me through homelessness and I now have my own unit which I pay rent for.

“I often think of myself as very lucky to have stable full time employment and the ability to pay my rent, have food on the table and a safe place to shower and sleep.

“Sometimes we take these things for granted – and that is why I wanted to organise a Winter Sleepout to build awareness and raise important funding for Mission Australia’s homeless services.”

The Winter Sleepout is being held at Southport Rotaract Youth Club, Lawson Street Southport, tonight from 7pm, with the group aiming to raise $1000 or more.

Raffles will be held on the night, with Jupiters Casino donating one night’s accommodation in a superior room for two adults, including buffet breakfast; and local beauty company True Beauty Revealed donating vouchers for facials and massages at their salon.

Mission Australia’s Winter Sleepout, which was first held in 1988 in Sydney’s Martin Place, is about raising both awareness and funds for Mission Australia’s more than 100 services for homeless people nationally.

Last year, Mission Australia assisted close to 30,000 people who were homeless or at risk of homelessness.

This year’s Winter Sleepout fundraising target is $250,000. With your participation, we can reach this target and help transform the lives of more homeless Australians in 2011.

To find out more about Winter Sleepout or to register, visit: www.wintersleepout.com.au

For more information on tonight’s event at Southport contact (07) 5559 6200

Media Contact: Nicola Hazell (07) 3394 8114 or 0467 783 421

Above photo: The team from Employment Solutions Palm Beach in preparation for their sleepout

Call to protect vulnerable boarding house residents

A report by the NSW Ombudsman Bruce Barbour has revealed vulnerable residents in State Government-licensed boarding houses suffer abuse by staff and other residents and are denied basic rights such as access to money, family and phones.

'More than board and lodging: the need for boarding house reform', tabled in NSW Parliament yesterday, shows the level of care for boarding house residents is inferior to that received by people in housing run or funded by the government.

It calls for reforms to improve boarding house standards, monitoring and enforcement, as well as legislative change to protect residents' rights.

“What is evident from our work,” says the report, “is that there are fundamental flaws and inadequacies in the existing legislation and requirements for licensed boarding houses, and that these problems can adversely affect the safety, health, welfare and rights of residents.

“Concurrently, the capacity of licensed boarding houses is declining, and there are concerns that vulnerable people are entering unlicensed boarding houses, where there are fewer safeguards and no regulations.”

According to the report, there are an estimated 455 boarding houses in New South Wales, accommodating over 5,000 residents. Of these, 31 are licensed boarding houses, with capacity to accommodate 687 people.

Residents are typically reliant on income support, and pay between 75 and 100 percent of their benefits to the boarding house for accommodation, food, and consumables such as toiletries and cigarettes.

A familiar story
Mission Australia caseworkers from our Rawson Project, which provides support to people at risk of homelessness in Sydney’s inner-west, are all too familiar with the hardships vulnerable boarding house residents experience. One is currently helping a boarding house resident to find long-term accommodation and leave the $155-a-week room in Croydon that requires them to share a bathroom with 20 others.

This person lived in private rental properties for years but was evicted after the landlord wanted to renovate and found he couldn’t afford anything else.

He is also working to help a family move into a three-bedroom house in western Sydney. The grandmother, her adult daughter and grandchild - all with limited English skills - are currently sharing one room.

Our services has been finding that because boarding house residents spend most, if not all, of their income on rent they don’t have much left for food, and are relying on programs such as Foodbank.

Further reading:

• Boarders dying with no dignity


• Shocking abuse and neglect revealed in boarding houses across NSW

Jen’s jammies hit the headlines

Permanently PJ-clad Jen Cramond, Community Fundraising Manager in our National Office in Sydney, has attracted plenty of attention this month – and a story on the front page of today’s mX newspaper will ensure more people see her in her bright jammies.

As Jen explained to mX journalist Cathy Morris, she’s been wearing pyjamas on her daily commute from Bondi to the city since the start of the month to help raise money for homelessness. And that includes when she pops out for a coffee or goes out for dinner and drinks at night.

"Generally, people give me an up and down look, and don't say anything," Jen told mX. 'But I have had a couple of people ask me what I'm doing.

"I felt a bit nervous on the first clay, after that I kind of go with the flow. It feels like my normal work attire, but I am looking forward to getting back into my normal work clothes."

Jen said she was motivated by the fact the money was going to a good cause.

"I think it's a small discomfort to raise money for such a good cause, there's lots of people out there who don't get a choice about where they sleep each night."

About 100,000 people were homeless across the country every day, with half of those aged under 25.

For every $100 Jen raises she's wearing PJs for another day this month. She has currently raised $1,400 and her last day is set to be Thursday.

"But if I receive more donations I'll keep going," Jen said, adding that she’s been wearing a variety of different types of PJs as part of her fundraising effort, but "the ones that are matching get the best reaction from people".

Great work, Jen! To show your support for Jen’s efforts and help homeless Australians visit everydayhero.com.au/jen_cramond_pj

You can also follow Jen on Twitter - @everynothingyen

National data mirrors demand at Mission Australia's services

New national data released today showing an increase in demand for welfare services across Australia mirrors Mission Australia's own frontline experience.

Mission Australia CEO, Toby Hall, said the number of people seeking assistance at Mission Australia’s homeless services and other community assistance programs has continued to rise in recent years – highlighting the ongoing plight of Australians struggling with financial and personal hardship.

Data published by the Australian Council of Social Service today reported a 12 per cent increase in assistance provided by agencies for services ranging from homelessness to mental health to aged care.

The data also showed that despite providing services on 6,180,282 occasions in 2009-10 compared with 5,513,780 in 2008-09, more than half of the 783 organisations polled said they had been forced to turn people away as they were unable to meet demand.

“This is a clear indication of how serious the demand has become for more services to help people who are struggling in our community,” Mr Hall said.

“Everyday, staff at our services are contacted by individuals and families desperately in need of help: people struggling with long-term homelessness; parents who are unable to find work and can no longer afford to pay the rent; and children who are dropping out of school because of the challenges they face on the home front.

“These trends are particularly concerning, when you consider that high unemployment, large numbers of young people not engaged in education or training, and general disengagement from community are the seeds of the kind of activities we have seen in Britain this month.

“This is a strong reminder to Australia of how important it is to provide adequate support services to help disadvantaged members of our community turn their lives around.

“We don’t want to see Australia's level of disadvantage increase. And most of all, we don’t want to see people in need being turned away from crucial services because the demand is just too great.

“At Mission Australia we are committed to helping people turn their lives around – especially those people who have been turned away by every other service provider.

“We don’t want to see anybody left behind – and that’s why we will continue to work with all levels of government to identify new opportunities to support people who are at risk of homelessness or disadvantage," said Mr Hall.

City2Surf novice speeding ahead

On Sunday, Sook Smith will run her first City2Surf to raise funds for Mission Australia. Currently one of the event’s Top 10 fundraisers, she’s already off to a great start:

"This is my first year doing The Sun Herald City2Surf. I’d thought about it over the last few years but wasn’t ready to commit. This year a few girlfriends are doing it so it was enough encouragement to get me to sign up.

Having my maiden run at 46 meant that I really needed to stick to my training. Making use of the intermediate training suggestions on the City2Surf website made this easier and I made the commitment to stick to my training no matter what. Although this sometimes had me running in my raincoat!

When deciding to fundraise it was important to me to pick a charity in Australia that supports Australians, especially youth, unemployed and homeless. Quite often we hear about charities in developing countries but sometimes we miss what’s in our own backyard. This is the reason I chose to support Mission Australia

Once I began fundraising I made the approach to the Jaques Stanmore Foundation, the foundation within our business - The Jaques Stanmore Financial Group (http://www.jaquesstanmore.com.au). I know them to be very supportive, but had no idea how supportive until they informed me that for every dollar I raise up to $3,000 they will match those funds. So of course my step was to figure out how to raise $3,000 to get the most from my fundraising!

I started off by emailing my friends, family and clients and was completely overwhelmed by all the support I received from them and from my business partners. The company was also kind enough to support me in having a fundraising morning tea where I put baking skills to work in the cake raffle, where the prize was a cake for any occasion baked by me.

I think fundraising is all about working to your own skill sets and being as creative as you can. My advice to others thinking about fundraising is Go for It. It encourages you to race better and with the help of email and the internet, it’s easy.

The run on 14 August is all about enjoying myself and the spirit and atmosphere of the event. Hopefully I get a good race time and the fundraising is an added bonus!"

Share the fun
Supporters can meet up with their sponsored runners after the race at a Mission Australia barbecue on Sunday. We’re setting up just over the finish line at Ramsgate Avenue, near the North Bondi RSL - so come along and grab a snag and a drink. Look out for the Missionbeat van and the Mission Australia banner!

To get behind our runners, including Team MA from our homeless services, visit www.fundraise.city2surf...

Superheroes to tackle the City2Surf

On Sunday, Carlos Romero and his family will take on The Sun-Herald City2Surf to raise funds for Mission Australia. Here he shares why this event – and the cause – means so much to him.

"As the Telstra Operations Manager of the Social Services and Not for Profit Sector I have built a great relationship with Mission Australia over the past six years - a place where motivation and inspiration are easy to find.

Missionbeat is one of my favourite Mission Australia services. It’s headed up by one of Sydney’s most influential and inspirational people when it comes to social welfare - Daniel Strickland. I follow Daniel on Twitter and Facebook and he was my first motivator to get started with City2Surf. I have always wanted to compete against Daniel - and win!.

This is my first time doing City2Surf and I will be running alongside my family. It’s also the first time they have run beside me in such a large-scale event, or anything that involves running or walking more than 80 metres. I think my wife and kids are excited about the prospect of beating me at something sports related (all the sporting trophies at home currently have my name on them).

Training with kids
Kids, as we know, are generally never still; even when mine are enjoying an ice-cream at home they are constantly on the move. So when it came to training, their regimes were much cheaper than mine.

Having exciting race-day attire is important in my family and money saved on training has since been spent on outfits for the day. Celio, 2, will be sporting a Superman costume but his older brother Marcius, 4 (both pictured) thought Spiderman was by far the superior option. I have a strong feeling they will cross, or fly, over the line well before their father.

My training has been going well, since moving to our new house in Parramatta. While we had wanted to build a huge state of the art training facility much like the ones used by Olympians and the very fit NRL stars at Moore Park, we could only afford a cheap exercise bike.

It’s come to my attention that those very fit NRL Sydney Roosters have been training Daniel and the Missionbeat team, but I don’t feel they will be a match for my cheap exercise bike. I also have an added advantage over Daniel in this race. However, I cannot disclose all my secrets in this article, you will have to stay tuned to find out more! I will say this though; it is something I intend to wear to rival Daniel’s rainbow shoes.

Putting the fun into fundraising
I feel City2Surf and fundraising are a perfect match, it brings the ‘fun’ and ‘raising awareness’ onto the world stage, and brings a few laughs with it too. On a serious note though, it’s a joy to be able to help others in need, especially when God blesses a positively charged middle-class male with a good family, good health, a little wealth and plenty of good times.

With this attitude, one lives life without counting dollars and cents, but counting sense in community partnership, in social justice and in personal success towards bridging the wide gap between being very poor and very rich, which means a lot more to me.

The prize at the end of the day for me is raising money for people less privileged than me, knowing that they are being looked after by Mission Australia. Regardless of whether you are first or last, the best part of reaching your destination is the long and winding but memorable road that leads you there."

Support our superheroes
If you’d like to get behind any of the teams running in support of Mission Australia – including those MA Team runners from our Sydney homeless services who are being coached by the Sydney Roosters - visit this page. You’ll also find links to other fundraising events, such as our 2011 Winter Sleepout.

VicHealth Media Release: Poor housing and illness intrinsically linked, reports show

The Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth) and Hanover Welfare Services have put the spotlight on the links between housing and health in Australia, with the launch of two new reports this month.

'Precarious housing and health inequalities: what are the links?' And the 'Precarious Housing and health: research synthesis' show a clear link between inadequate and unstable housing and poor health.

Launched on 4 August, the reports are now available for download from the VicHealth website.

Findings include:

• 10 per cent of Australian households live in unaffordable housing


• Around 12 per cent of people reported difficulties paying their mortgage/bills


• One in four people aged 18 to 24 and half of people older than 64-years-old in private rental experience housing stress


• Unemployed people are 15 times more likely to live in unaffordable housing than full-time employed people


• Women, Indigenous people and people born in non-English speaking countries are more likely to experience housing affordability stress


• People with poor physical and mental health are more likely to experience forced moves from rental properties;


• Around 4 per cent of the Australian population live in unsuitable housing.

Manager of VicHealth’s Health Inequalities program, Kellie Horton, says these reports aim to raise awareness of housing as an important factor in health and signal VicHealth’s entry into this area.

“This research shows there is a clear link between housing conditions and both physical and mental health. We now know that in order to maintain good health, it’s essential for people to live in affordable, adequate and stable dwellings,” she said.

Ms Horton added the reports show a need for integrated housing and health policy and services and better collaboration within the housing and health sectors to address poor housing conditions for disadvantaged groups in particular.

“There are ways to promote good health through housing and these reports provide a great starting point for investigating the options.”

The research was led by Hanover Welfare Services, a leading Melbourne based agency providing services to people experiencing homelessness or housing crisis.

Chief Executive of Hanover Welfare Services, Tony Keenan, says the report has important implications for academics, policy makers and those working in the health and homeless sector.

“Housing and health are both significant and priority areas of government expenditure and service delivery. This research provides hard and direct evidence for what common sense tells us,” Mr Keenan said.

“This research will form the basis of an important movement where housing playing an integral role in improving the health and wellbeing of marginalised Australians.”

Other research partners included the University of Melbourne, the University of Adelaide and Melbourne City Mission.

Interviews with report researchers Shelley Mallet and Rebecca Bentley and VicHealth’s Kellie Horton will be loaded on to VicHealth’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/user/VicHealthMedia

Thoughtful support from Qantas staff

A huge thank you to all the Qantas staff who collected and donated hundreds of packs of toiletry items – enough to fill two Missionbeat vans – for distribution through our homelessness services.

The toiletry packs, along with financial donations collected from Qantas offices around the country, were presented to Mission Australia’s Missionbeat at a homeless week event held at Qantas’ Mascot headquarters on Friday.

The lunchtime event featured a performance by the Sydney Street Choir and warm meals on sale to staff, with all money going to Mission Australia’s homeless services.

Mission Australia’s CEO, Toby Hall, welcomed the generous contributions by Qantas’ staff and the organisation’s commitment to tackling homelessness.

“Homelessness remains one of Australia’s biggest social problems – around 105,000 people are homeless on any one night in this country,” said Mr Hall.

“We each have a role to play in tackling the problem – by making a donation to the homeless charity of your choice, by volunteering, or participating in a fundraising event.

“It’s terrific to see Qantas and its staff take that message to heart and really get behind an initiative that will make a difference in the lives of many homeless people around the country.

“It’s often overlooked, but essential toiletry items such as toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, sanitary napkins, hair brushes, etc, play a crucial role in helping homeless people – particularly those sleeping rough – maintain their hygiene and self-confidence.

“Homelessness is an extremely isolating experience made even worse if you’re unable to clean your teeth or run a comb through your hair.”

Georgina Gaussen, CEO of Qantas Foundation said, “This Mission Australia appeal is a great initiative to get involved with and our people are very keen to throw their support behind the campaign.

“The simple act of donating toiletry items is a small effort that has big benefits for those who don’t necessarily have those day-to-day items that many of us take for granted. It is a stark reminder that we can all do our little bit to help Mission Australia make life for our homeless more bearable.”

Thanks again, Qantas, for your wonderful support!

Helping young offenders turn their lives around

A new Townsville service run by Mission Australia is helping to change the lives of young people just released from youth detention.

The Supervised Community Accommodation pilot opened its doors last November and has already helped prevent youths from reoffending or ending up back on the streets.

The pilot was officially launched on Friday by Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Carers Senator Jan McLucas, Member for Townsville Mandy Johnstone and Mission Australia’s Queensland State Director, Penny Gillespie, during National Homeless Persons’ Week.

Ms Gillespie said the program is a Queensland first, aimed at reducing rates of homelessness and recidivism.

“This program provides 24 hour, seven day a week supervised accommodation for young males who have just come out of detention and don’t have anywhere to go,” Ms Gillespie said.

“It’s about helping those young people to transition back into the community and get a fresh start in life – so they don’t become homeless, and don’t become repeat offenders heading back to detention.

“We know that young people coming out of detention face real challenges and without the necessary support many can end up homeless or return to a life of crime.

“Through this service, our staff work with the young people to help them make positive decisions about their future, to find secure long-term accommodation and to get back to school or into work.

“We also place a great focus on reconnecting with families and support networks, which will help the youths stay on track in the future.

“The program is already achieving great results, with a number of young offenders who have accessed our service now back at school or starting new jobs – making a positive contribution to their community.

Ms Johnstone said the Queensland Government was pleased to be funding this important service, with $3 million committed over three years.

“We know that there is genuine concern about youth homelessness in Townsville and young people coming out of detention are particularly vulnerable,” Ms Johnstone said.

“The Mission Australia staff who work at this service are dedicated individuals with the experience and knowledge to help these young people get the support they need to get their lives back on track.

“This is not only helping to build a better future for these young people, it is also helping to make our whole community safer by preventing homelessness and youth crime.”

Senator McLucas said the service is playing an important part in the Gillard Government’s efforts to reduce homelessness around Australia, through the Homelessness National Partnership Agreement.

“This pilot is a great example of how grass roots community services can make a real difference to reducing homelessness across Australia,” Senator McLucas said.

“Ensuring these young people have a safe place to call home is an essential part of helping them turn their lives around.

“The service is providing a roof over the heads of some of our more vulnerable members of the local community and helping them to stay connected and lead productive, healthy lives.”

The Supervised Community Accommodation service targets primarily 16-18 year old young males who:

• Are residing in Townsville catchment areas 


• Are leaving detention on either a Supervised Release Order or bail 


• Are homeless or at risk of homelessness 

The service can support up to 4 young people at any time and Mission Australia works intensively with them for up to 6 months.

Mission Australia is working collaboratively with the Queensland Department of Communities, Youth Justice, and Cleveland Youth Detention centre to deliver the pilot under the State Government’s Youth Housing and Reintegration Service (YHARS).

Photo: From left, Senator Jan McLucas, Service Manager Judy Paton, State Director Penny Gillespie and Member for Townsville Mandy Johnstone.

Media coverage - Western Advocate: Getting homeless men off the winter streets

There are 30 fewer people sleeping rough in Bathurst tonight, thanks to a new program being run by Mission Australia.

The Central West Homelessness Action Plan (HAP) targets single adult men who are homeless – or at risk of being homeless – in Bathurst and Orange.

“The program was implemented in response to the significant number of single men presenting to services who were in need of support,” Mission Australia’s service manager for the Central West Luke Butcher said.

“It targets single men over the age of 18 who are either homeless and sleeping rough, or people who are in need of support to maintain accommodation.”

Team leader Darren Hunter said the plan had already assisted 30 people.

“We have put a roof over these people’s heads and, in addition, we have found long-term accommodation for seven men in Bathurst and Orange,” he said.

Among those who have been assisted is a man who has been sleeping in Machattie Park for five years.

“We have also helped a number of people who have been sleeping in their cars, one for five years,” Mr Hunter said.

“There are people sleeping out throughout Bathurst, not just in the CBD, and there are also people couch surfing each night.”

Mr Hunter said homelessness is a significant problem in Bathurst.

“If you walk through Hyde Park in Sydney you expect to see homeless people on the park benches, dressed in tattered clothing, and with three stripey bags or a shopping trolley.

“When you come to the Central West, just because you don’t have the visual reminder doesn’t mean the problem doesn’t exist.

“The number of homeless is yet to be clarified, but we are maintaining a database now that should give us reliable figures in six to 12 months.

“The leading causes of homelessness are financial management, debt, domestic violence, mental health issues, drug and alcohol problems, and a tight rental market.

“There is a growing number of people from Sydney looking for accommodation in this area and first home buyers moving into the market are reducing the number of houses available.

“We have also had a number of victims of domestic violence seek assistance.
“Traditionally, men are usually seen as the perpetrators of domestic violence, but this isn’t always the case.”

The HAP program aims to break the cycle of homelessness.

“The program breaks new ground in providing a range of support services as well as brokerage money to fund such things as medical appointments,” Mr Butcher said.

People can self access the service by calling in to 161 Rankin Street, or phoning (02) 6331 5603.

Above photo: Pictured at the Mission Australia office opening are Darren Hunter, Carol McManus and Luke Butcher. Courtesy of The Western Advocate.

This article was originally posted in The Western Advocate

Counting the homeless on Census night

On the last Census night in 2006, the homeless population in Australia was recorded as being 105,000 people.

However, the ABS has recognised that because homeless Australians face a unique set of circumstances they have been, in the past, undercounted. As such, special procedures have been put in place to help address the transient nature of homeless people and ensure they are included in the Census.

An accurate count of homeless people on Census night will enable government and community services organisations to improve and target homeless services.

Questions for the homeless population
It’s important that all people who have no usual permanent address write ‘None’ in the ‘Suburb/Locality’ box for the usual place of residence question on the Census form, regardless of where they are staying on Census night.

This is especially important for people who are staying in temporary accommodation, including emergency accommodation, refuges or hostels, caravan parks, motels, or even staying with family or ‘couch surfing’ at friends’ homes.

Help spread the message
You can help raise awareness of the Census and the importance of Australia’s homeless population writing ‘None’ in the ‘Suburb/Locality’ box for the usual place of residence question. This ABS page also features downloadable posters and brochures to help make sure that everyone is counted on Census night.

For more information call the Census Inquiry Service on 1300 338 776 between 8:30am to 8pm, seven days a week from until 5 September 2011.

The ABS has been promoting the Census using a social media campaign that’s already attracting a lot of attention – visit www.abs.gov.au/...

Further reading:

• Discussion Paper: Methodological Review of Counting the Homeless, 2006, released by the ABS on 31 March 2011 - it followed the Census – Beyond The Count conference.
• Listen to Sally Pritchard, Census Director in Queensland, answer questions on ABC 612.

North and South Queensland staff connect with homeless

Mission Australia staff on the Gold Coast and Cairns have marked National Homeless Persons’ week at two community events that offered people in need support, advice and supplies.

Staff from our Employment Solutions services on the Gold Coast dug deep for Wednesday’s Homeless Connect event at Broadbeach, donating a ute-load of supplies – including clothing, towels, toiletries, blankets and even kids' toys - that were handed out to people in need.

Coordinated by the Gold Coast Homelessness Network and the Gold Coast Youth Service, the event brought together all the major services and agencies involved in providing assistance to people living rough on the Gold Coast.

Now in its third year, the event was created in response the Gold Coast having one of the highest rates of homelessness in the state. According to 2006 Census figures, each night more than 2,200 people don't have a home to sleep in.

Crystal Jousovec (pictured right), one of our employment advisors at Palm Beach who organised the donation drive, also did a great interview with ABC 91.7FM ABC as part of a live broadcast.

Our staff also provided advice about employment and other services offered by Mission Australia.

Mission Australia Employment Solutions State General Manager Phil Schultz thanked staff for making “such a valuable personal contribution”, in addition to the work they do each day to help people looking for employment.

Connecting in Cairns
Today, the team from Mission Australia’s Going Places homeless support service in Cairns joined other local agencies in providing advice and support to locals at Homeless Connect at Munro Martin Park.

Local Service Manager Natalie Musumeci said hundreds of items of clothing and blankets had been donated by community members, local businesses and Mission Australia staff themselves for the event, which also featured a barbecue and entertainment.

“It’s great to see the community getting behind an event like this and we’re very grateful to all the businesses and individuals that have made a contribution,” said Ms Musumeci.

“By helping people who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of losing their tenancy, not only can we assist the individuals to improve their circumstances, but the whole community also benefits, she added. “These are complex issues and no two cases are the same, so by working together with other community organisations and government services to provide a holistic approach to reducing homelessness we can all make a difference.”

The program, funded by the Queensland Government, aims to provide local people who are living rough with the support they need to find secure accommodation and to make the positive changes in their lives that will allow them to stay off the streets.

When this service started, staff were mostly working with single people looking for accommodation. But in the past three months, they have seen an increase in the number of families with children seeking help from our service.

Since our Going Places program started in Cairns last November, Mission Australia has already assisted 113 people who were experiencing homelessness, including 34 families.

Media Release: Worrying trend in homeless deaths reveals vulnerability of life on Sydney's streets

Daniel Strickland, Manager for Mission Australia’s homeless transport service, Missionbeat, says an estimated 10 homeless people have died in the last two months alone from a range of issues. In the last 12 months, an estimated 16 homeless people have died while another seven formerly homeless people have passed away. The main causes of death identified are related to substance abuse and chronic disease.

Mr Strickland said the deaths were concerning given the mortality rates of homeless people relative to the general population. He said the deaths reflected the vulnerability of homeless people, the increased risks associated with their situation and the impact long-term homelessness has on a person’s health.

“I’ve been working at the coalface of homelessness for nine years and I can’t recall seeing this many deaths among homeless people – and this is just in Sydney’s inner-city,” Mr Strickland said.

“It’s an extremely concerning development for our agencies and all those involved in providing services and support to homeless people in Sydney’s inner city.

“At an estimate, altogether more than 20 homeless or formerly homeless people have died in the inner city since late last year – it seems a much larger number than normal.

“Given the range of causes of death – from overdose, long term alcohol abuse and cancer as the most frequently occurring factors but also including assault, accident and suicide – it’s a stark reminder of how vulnerable homeless people are and how exposed to range of factors.

“Because of the transient nature of homeless people it’s very difficult to give an authoritative figure on the number of deaths, but based on our experience this seems to be an abnormally high number for a relatively small subset of the population.

“If this was another subset of the population you have to wonder if this number of deaths would go unnoticed. But because homeless people are often disconnected from family and community networks who might speak up for them it’s easy for a trend like this to slip under the radar.

“There’s no particular reason I can give for the apparent spike – it unfortunately seems to reflect what it is to be homeless in Sydney in 2011.

“As we move through winter, it’s a reminder to all of us, not just those on the frontline, but governments, businesses and the general public, just how tough it is out there and how much effort is needed to turn this situation around,” Mr Strickland said.

Media contact: Leanne Budd 0457 505 342

National Homeless Week stories and media coverage:

• Bold approach to homelessness will take 70 most vulnerable off streets
• Mission Australia warns battle for affordable housing continues among the homeless
• Beds to give away in unique project to help homeless South Australians
• Homeless service staff spend more hours assisting people with mental health than homelessness

Community barbecues offer insight into long-grasser life

Two supported accommodation facilities for homeless people in Darwin’s north are today hosting community barbecues as part of National Homeless Persons’ Week.

Operated by Mission Australia, the facilities at Rapid Creek and Wanguri provide much-needed accommodation for single men like Doug. According to the 2006 Census, the NT’s rate of homelessness is four times the national average

Having slept without a roof over his head for almost 20 years, Doug now appreciates a bed, daily shower and being able to have “a decent feed” - something most Australians take for granted.

The 67-year-old has been a ‘long grasser’ in Darwin’s suburbs for the most part of 20 years. In that time he’s lost contact with his family and on several occasions ended up in the critical unit at the hospital.

Doug ended up sleeping rough with his only possessions in the trailer of his bike due to a spiral of unfortunate events. Born in Scotland, he moved to Australia with his parents in the 1940s and spent his early years on Kangaroo Island, SA.

He has worked as a shearer, stockman and a tradesman in welding and engineering. Arthritis and a heart attack, however, forced him to leave the workforce and go on a disability pension.

“Unaffordable rent has put me where I am today,” Doug said. “There is no way a person living alone on a pension can afford to rent.

“I reckon I have slept on every park bench from Rapid Creek to Mindil. I have slept for more than 10 years on concrete, have built humpies in the bush and found buildings where I felt safe and dry. But up here it is the wet that is the killer.”

Doug needs to take a cocktail of medication for his heart disease and arthritis.

“I rattle when I walk, but when you are sleeping out you can’t manage your drugs properly; you don’t have a fridge or can keep track of things. I just ended up chucking them away, which makes matters worse.”

Four weeks ago Doug was invited to join the Mission Australia single men’s supported accommodation program. He now shares a house in Rapid Creek with a mixed bunch of men, of varying ages, education levels and circumstances.

“We have a good crew here, everyone pulls his own weight. We support each other and this house gives us a chance to get our lives sorted out,” he said. “Some people don’t want to leave the long grass, but for those who do there are few options.”

It’s one of two supported accommodation facilities Mission Australia operates in Darwin’s north – and both are funded by the Australian and Northern Territory governments under the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness.

The program assists single men to re-establish themselves in the community and make the transition to longer-term accommodation. They are given assistance with living skills, employment and a range of community services.

For Doug, this has meant getting his papers in order so he can get some identification, sorting out his medical condition and getting glasses so he can read. He has also re-established contact with a sister he hasn’t seen in 40 years and is now helping other long grassers by cooking them meals and making sure they’re okay.

Mission Australia’s Housing Support Initiatives Manager, Ian Murdoch JP said that National Homeless Persons’ Week highlighted the challenges that people like Doug have had to deal with.

“While the accommodation we provide is essential, it’s the work we do to help people get back on their feet as independent members of the community that’s really crucial,” he said.

“We will be holding barbecues at our single men’s supported accommodation houses and would love to have the local community visit and learn about our support programs.”

Help Missionbeat reach out to rough sleepers

This National Homeless Persons’ Week, Mission Australia is launching an appeal to keep our iconic Missionbeat vans on the streets of Sydney.

Patrolling the city’s streets, alleyways and parks in vans and on bikes, Missionbeat outreach staff provide first aid, hand out blankets and swags, and offer support – and a friendly face - to find rough sleepers. They also help to organise a bed for the night and link homeless people with other support services.

With the public’s help, we aim to raise over $100,000 to keep the vital Missionbeat service on the streets this year and support more people like Hayley*.

Hayley turned to drugs as a way of coping when her parents' marriage was falling apart.

The 18-year-old became addicted to drugs and started experiencing severe mood swings. Fearing for the safety of their two younger children, Hayley’s parents kicked her out of home.

Missionbeat met Hayley earlier this year. We keep a look out for Hayley when patrolling the inner city to see if we can help her find a bed for the night. We are encouraging her to seek help to combat her drug addiction and rebuild the relationship with her family.

"Missionbeat is someone to talk to when there’s no one else," Hayley says.

To help Missionbeat reach out to more people like Hayley, please support our Missionbeat Appeal – so we can keep the vans on the street, and homeless people off them

*Name and image have been changed to protect the identity of the people we help.

Media Release: Mission Australia warns battle for affordable housing continues among the homeless

In a sign that the battle for affordable housing is growing, leading Queensland homeless organisation Mission Australia has reported its staff are now spending almost twice as many hours trying to find appropriate permanent housing for people as they were six months ago.

According to the latest data, Mission Australia’s frontline staff working in seven of its homeless services across Queensland, spent more than 420 hours assisting clients to secure permanent housing and tenancy between 1 January and 25 July 2011.

This compares to 241 hours staff had to spend specifically on securing housing for clients in the six months prior.

State Director Penny Gillespie said the increasing challenge in finding permanent accommodation for people experiencing homelessness shows just how essential the push for more affordable and social housing has become.

“Mission Australia has seven services throughout Queensland aimed specifically at helping homeless people to find permanent accommodation and turn their lives around,” Ms Gillespie said.

“Often our work isn’t primarily about finding someone a ‘roof over their head’; it’s about tackling the issues that stop them being able to maintain independent accommodation such as family conflict, mental illness or unemployment.

“But in the last six months, the amount of time our staff have had to dedicate to simply trying to locate and secure permanent housing for eligible clients has almost doubled.

“This demonstrates just how tough the lower end of the housing market has become, and of greatest concern is the impact such a shortage will have on people who are homeless or at risk of becoming so.

“We don’t want to see homeless numbers spiral in Queensland, leading to more young people, adults and families ending up living on the street or sleeping on a friend’s living room floor.

“We know that the demand for public or affordable private housing in Queensland is very high and we acknowledge the significant efforts of the Queensland and Commonwealth Governments to invest more funding than ever before to boost social housing supplies.

“We also welcome the significant contribution of both levels of government to providing better services and support through the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness.

“With National Homeless Persons’ Week starting today, this latest data is a strong reminder of how important this investment is and the risks to our community if such investment doesn’t continue.

“Our staff will keep doing everything we can to support people who have nowhere else to go and we will continue to work with all levels of government and other housing providers to assist clients to get a fair go in the housing market.”

Media Contact: Nicola Hazell – 3394 8114 or 0467 783 421

Media Release: Beds to give away in unique project to help homeless South Australians

Mission Australia - one of Australia’s leading community service organisations - has lots of beds to give away – to the homeless or those at risk of being homeless.

Its unique Sleep Better Project targets children, young people and adults that do not have access to a bed or mattress.

"National Homeless Persons’ Week (August 1-7) is a time to acknowledge that there are thousands of people in South Australia who are not able to tuck their children into a bed or lay their head on their own pillow at night,” said Kim Holmes, Operations Manager at Mission Australia.

"Homelessness is not always obvious or visible on our streets – but that does not mean it isn’t a problem. There are families living in cars, young people hoping to find a friend’s couch to sleep on and people living in overcrowded dwellings.

"Homelessness has many layers, but the ultimate impact is a sense of diminished safety, security and certainty,” she said.

As part of Sleep Better, Mission Australia has a large number of single and double beds with mattresses to be distributed through their own homelessness services as well as through their non-government partners for people in need.

"There's no substitute for a home of your own, but many of the people we help don't even have their own bed.

"A bed of your own brings with it a sense of safety, security and rest. It is more than a piece of furniture.

“Mission Australia’s Sleep Better initiative aims to help provide a good night’s sleep so South Australian children and adults can have a better opportunity to participate in education and employment,” said Ms Holmes.

The project has been funded by Community Benefits SA.

Media contact: Renae Sullivan at Rann Communication – (08) 8211 7771 or 0438 980 636

Mental health in the spotlight this National Homeless Persons’ Week

Mental illness among homeless people has become such a significant problem that Mission Australia frontline staff spent more hours assisting people with mental health needs than homelessness.

From 1 January to 25 July this year, 255 Mission Australia frontline staff across 75 of our homeless services nationally spent 5,896 hours helping people with mental health issues. In the same period, they spent 4,093 hours helping people with homelessness issues and another 1,379 hours in relation to clients at ‘risk of homelessness’ – a total of 5,472 hours.

This illustrates the strong link between mental illness and homelessness and follows on from Mission Australia’s groundbreaking study of homeless men last year that found close to 70 per cent had a diagnosed mental health or substance use disorder, 81 per cent had “very high levels” of psychological distress and exhibited Post Traumatic Stress Disorder at levels 20 times greater than the general male population.

Mission Australia CEO, Toby Hall, said the new data provides an insight into an important aspect of Australia’s broader mental health problem and of the huge demand homeless services face from people wrestling with mental illness in addition to their need for shelter.

“When you look at these figures, there’s no doubting how big an issue mental health is for both the people accessing our homelessness services and our frontline staff,” Mr Hall said.

“And when looked at in combination with Mission Australia’s earlier research on the extent of mental illness among homeless men, we are looking at a hugely significant problem. Through Mission Australia’s data collection we’re able to see exactly the type of supports our homelessness services offer young people, adults and families on a daily basis.

“It tells us that in a little over the first six months of 2011, frontline staff in our homelessness services put in more hours assisting people with mental health needs than with issues directly related to their homelessness. That’s quite extraordinary. That includes conducting health assessments, providing counselling – both formal and informal – and referring clients to more specialised medical care.

“It also reflects the complexity of the support we provide homeless people. Often our work isn’t primarily about finding someone a ‘roof over their head’; it’s about tackling the issues that stop them being able to maintain independent accommodation.

“For example, a debilitating mental illness that, untreated, makes it impossible for an individual to hold down a job or a home. For both homeless people – and the staff that support them – it’s an issue that keeps on getting bigger and bigger.

“This National Homeless Persons’ Week, while it’s important to recognise the downpayment the Australian Government made on mental health in its last budget – at $2.2 billion over five years, a significant amount – we need to keep in mind how huge the demand out there is, particularly among our community’s most vulnerable.

“I suggest that the experience of our frontline staff is just the tip of the iceberg. The government’s mental health funding is going to need to stretch a long way,” said Mr Hall.

For more information see our Media Release.

National Homeless Persons’ Week in SA and Queensland
In South Australia, Mission Australia is giving away a large number of single and double beds with mattresses to our own homelessness services and non-government partners for people in need. Find our more about our Sleep Better initiative here.

In Queensland, the battle for affordable housing worsens. Mission Australia staff are now spending almost twice as many hours trying to find appropriate permanent housing for people as they were six months ago. Read more here.

Further reading:

• Sean Tovey’s ‘treatment’ for sleeping out
• Find out what’s happening during National Homeless Persons’ Week

Media Release: Homeless service staff spend more hours assisting people with mental health than homelessness

National Homeless Persons’ Week – 1-7 August

Mental illness among homeless people has become such a significant problem that staff at one of the largest providers of homeless services in Australia spent more hours assisting clients with mental health needs than homelessness in the first six months of 2011.

According to the data, 255 Mission Australia frontline staff, across 75 of its homeless services nationally, spent a total of 5,896 hours assisting clients with mental health issues between 1 January and 25 July 2011.

In the same period, staff spent 4093 hours assisting clients with homelessness issues and another 1,379 hours in relation to clients at ‘risk of homelessness’ – a total of 5,472 hours.

The data illustrates the strong link between mental illness and homelessness and follows on from a groundbreaking study of homeless men by Mission Australia in August 2010 which found close to 70 per cent had a diagnosed mental health or substance use disorder, 81 per cent had “very high levels” of psychological distress (compared to 3 per cent among males in the general population), and exhibited Post Traumatic Stress Disorder at levels 20 times greater than the general male population.

According to Mission Australia’s CEO, Toby Hall, the new data provides an insight into an important aspect of Australia’s broader mental health problem and of the huge demand homeless services face from people wrestling with mental illness in addition to their need for shelter.

“When you look at these figures, there’s no doubting how big an issue mental health is for both the people accessing our homelessness services and our frontline staff,” said Mr Hall.

“And when looked at in combination with Mission Australia’s earlier research on the extent of mental illness among homeless men, we are looking at a hugely significant problem.

“Through Mission Australia’s data collection we’re able to see exactly the type of supports our homelessness services offer young people, adults and families on a daily basis.

“It tells us that in a little over the first six months of 2011, frontline staff in our homelessness services put in more hours assisting people with mental health needs than with issues directly related to their homelessness. That’s quite extraordinary.

“That includes conducting health assessments, providing counselling – both formal and informal – and referring clients to more specialised medical care.

“It also reflects the complexity of the support we provide homeless people. Often our work isn’t primarily about finding someone a ‘roof over their head’; it’s about tackling the issues that stop them being able to maintain independent accommodation.

“For example, a debilitating mental illness that, untreated, makes it impossible for an individual to hold down a job or a home.

“For both homeless people – and the staff that support them – it’s an issue that keeps on getting bigger and bigger.

“This National Homeless Persons’ Week, while it’s important to recognise the downpayment the Australian Government made on mental health in its last budget – at $2.2 billion over five years, a significant amount – we need to keep in mind how huge the demand out there is, particularly among our community’s most vulnerable.

“I suggest that the experience of our frontline staff is just the tip of the iceberg. The government’s mental health funding is going to need to stretch a long way,” said Mr Hall.

Media contact: Paul Andrews (02) 9219 2080 or 0409 665 495