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.

Do you have The Ultimate Job?

Mission Australia is thrilled to once again be the charity partner for Drake International's ‘The Ultimate Job’ competition.

Launched for the first time last year, the competition is based on real, permanent jobs submitted by employers, with the winning job in each capital city determined by a panel of judges and votes from the public.

Paul Bird, Mission Australia's State Director for Victoria has been selected to be on the expert panel of judges to decide which jobs will be shortlisted in Melbourne.

“I’m looking forward to helping out on the judging panel. It’s a fantastic campaign and a great opportunity for both employers and for job seekers out there,” said Mr Bird.

Melbourne job and candidate entries close on Wednesday 20 July, with entries in other states closing later in the year.

Throughout the competition, Drake International will raise awareness and funds for Mission Australia. The recruiter will donate 30 per cent of job placement fees and 100 per cent of the proceeds from the Gala awards event to Mission Australia – to help services like Charcoal Lane, which give young people the training and skills they need to find a successful pathway to employment.

If you’re an employer with the ultimate job to offer or a job seeker looking for a new challenge, visit www.theultimatejob.com.au to find out more!

Employment Awards
Mission Australia is also running its inaugural Employer Awards, which are open to all local employers of participating Mission Australia Employment Solutions sites who have used our services within the past 12 months.

Employers will be judged based on their contribution to helping unemployed people find work. Local presentations of 2011 awards will take place in October 2011. Local winners will qualify for entry into the national awards and will be invited to a national awards dinner that will be held in November 2011.

Find out more at our Employment Solutions Employer Awards page.

Creative Youth Initiatives fundraise over $2,000 in overnight Winter Sleepout

Sydney's Creative Youth Initiatives (CYI) team are back at work and reflecting on their 15-hour Winter Sleepout late last week.

Since the first Winter Sleepout in 1988, thousands of people have registered to give up their warm beds in the height of winter for one night to fundraise for homeless services.

This year the CYI team decided to arrange their own overnight sleepout at their Surry Hills workshop - with enough fun and games for the team to (mostly) make it through the night without a wink of sleep.

The Creative Youth Initiatives' art and music studio, with access to piano, guitars, electric drums, and facilities for painting, was ideal for the team to remain preoccupied while staving off the slumber.  View photos from the night here.

Games, drinks and food were organised through the night, while an office was turned into a 'chill out' zone where the team could retreat for some well-deserved down-time.

The team managed a tremendous effort, with almost $2,200 funds raised, granting them pole position in Winter Sleepout's leader board of group fundraisers.

At the ground level, CYI provides free creative programs for young people aged 16 - 25 who are facing varied challenges in their lives, such as homelessness, mental health issues or family breakdown, and have been reflecting on their Winter Sleepout experience.

Team member Melissa Fenyo said "Winter Sleepout is there to raise awareness of what it must be like to be homeless...but there is nothing trivial about not having a home."

"For many being homeless means sleeping on the streets, in parks or bus shelters - exposed to the elements.

"Many young people who are homeless would be couch surfing, never quite sure how long it will take before they outstay their welcome.

"Then there are the homeless who are in boarding housing or caravan parks with no lease to give them long term security and not knowing when they might get booted out. No ongoing stability and security can exarcebate any mental health issues and make life even tougher.

"The CYI winter sleepout was an opportunity for staff to appreciate their work place, their homes, raise awareness in the general community and also to develop a greater understanding and deeper empathy for many homeless young people who access their services. Lack of sleep made life the next day very difficult.. whatever goes up must come down.

"Being homeless would often mean not having a good nights sleep, making it hard to stay focused and motivated. The Winter Sleep out is a fantastic Mission Australia initiative and one which CYI will continue to be involved with.

"CYI staff would like to thank everyone who donated to our winter sleepout. We are proud to say we have raised $2,195 and are still open to take donations until the end of August."

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View the photo album from the event at the link below.  Updates were provided througout the night by the team on Twitter and Facebook.

http://www.facebook.com/MissionAust?v=photos&ref=sgm#!/album.php?aid=247652&id=17311508507

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Who's got The Ultimate Job?

Mission Australia is thrilled to be the charity partner in Drake International's new competition to find 'the ultimate job'.

'The Ultimate Job' competition was launched last Wednesday at Melbourne's Charcoal Lane restaurant with Premier John Brumby, Mission Australia CEO Toby Hall and a panel of celebrity judges.

The panel included Mal Walden (Network Ten), Peter Blunden (Herald Sun), Bernie Brookes (Myer), Eddie McGuire (Austereo), Andrew Swallow (AFL), Linda Brown (Swinburne University), Russel Howcroft (George Patterson Y & R) and The Victorian Government.

Following the launch, Sydney will follow in August and eventually all major cities of the world including New York and London.  Throughout the campaign Drake International is generously raising funds for Mission Australia.

The competition details are provided below, or visit www.theultimatejob.com.au

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How The Ultimate Job Competition works:
(Information provided by Drake International)

Each capital city of Australia will be picking it's own Ultimate Job. Each campaign runs for 3 months.

1. Companies submit their applications
2. The Expert Panel from each city chooses their Top 10 jobs. (Note: If Companies have representatives on the panel, they can not vote for their own Companies.)
3. Drake will place candidates in all positions advertised throughout the competition.
4. Each Company that makes the Top 10 shortlist will be able to compile a video (Up to 5 minutes) of their Ultimate Job.
5. The public votes via text/SMS on their favourite job from the Top 10 list, with the winning Company being decided by the highest number of votes from the public.
6. A Gala Evening will announce the winning Company of The Ultimate JobT campaign for Melbourne, and there will also be a winning Employee (Placed into The Ultimate Job), who will be rewarded with a host of prizes including: A Myer Wardrobe and Fosters Grange Fridge, filled with Fosters Grange wines.

Further Points

• The Expert judges (listed above) will choose the top 10 jobs out of a list of real/vacant jobs that are submitted by Companies.
• On www.theultimatejob.com.au  Companies will have their logo and 200 words or less, to advertise their vacant positions to the public. The public can apply for all positions advertised, as these are real jobs.
• Mission Australia will receive revenue raised by public texting,  for The Ultimate Job, 30% of job placement fees, and all monies raised from the Gala Event.
• Companies with vacant jobs will be encouraged, through multiple sources to submit their applications to be short listed for The Ultimate Job.
• All Company applications, are real jobs that the public can apply for. Some companies are actually creating jobs specifically for this competition.
• The Ultimate Job will be announced at a Gala Event with the Top 10 companies in attendance (October 5 2010). All jobs will be introduced, No. 10 right down to the winner. The celebrities participating in the judging will be in attendance.
• The winning job applicant will be showcased on the Gala Evening.

You can check out the competition website here, or follow us on Twitter here.

Last chance to become a fan of Domino’s on Facebook to raise money for HUSH for Homelessness!

The Domino’s Pizza Facebook fundraising initiative to help support Mission Australia’s HUSH for Homelessness 2010 campaign will finish at midnight this Friday 30th April.

For every fan that joins www.facebook.com/DominosAustralia, Domino’s will donate 50cents toward HUSH for Homelessness.

Domino’s is aiming to raise $10,000 and is not far away so please continue to spread the word and help combat homelessness in Australia.

If you have not become a fan yet, make sure you visit: www.facebook.com/DominosAustralia before midnight on Friday, then send the link to all your friends and help support HUSH for Homelessness 2010.

On any given night in Australia, almost 105,000 men, women and children are homeless with a staggering 43% aged under 25 years*.

Mission Australia’s HUSH for Homelessness campaign aims to help combat homelessness in Australia by challenging people to be silent for an hour or more on 14 May and organising sponsorship for their efforts.

*ABS 2008. Counting the Homeless, 2006. Australian Census Analytic Program.

Domino’s launches Facebook fundraiser

In an Australian-first, Domino’s Pizza has today launched a Facebook fundraising event to help support Mission Australia’s HUSH for Homelessness 2010 campaign by donating 50cents for every new fan that joins at www.facebook.com/DominosAustralia

Domino’s is aiming to raise $10,000 for HUSH for Homelessness by encouraging 20,000 people to join Domino’s on Facebook to help raise awareness and combat the issue of homelessness in Australia.

Domino’s Public Relations Manager Sarah Morgan said the Facebook event was part of Domino’s ongoing commitment to leading the way in Social Media within the Australian fast food industry.

“Social media plays a huge role in our overall marketing communications strategy here in Australia and we are always looking for innovative ways to connect with people online,” Sarah said.

“However, we wanted to take it one step further and use our presence to support and raise awareness of a worthwhile cause.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for us to support Mission Australia’s HUSH for Homelessness 2010 campaign by raising funds and awareness of homelessness in Australia.”

On any given night in Australia, almost 105,000 men, women and children are homeless with a staggering 43% aged under 25 years*.

Mission Australia’s HUSH for Homelessness campaign aims to help combat homelessness in Australia by challenging people to be silent for an hour or more on 14 May and organising sponsorship for their efforts.

Mission Australia Community Fundraising Manager Jennifer Cramond said they were thrilled when Domino’s approached them with the idea of a Facebook fundraising event for HUSH for Homelessness 2010.

“We are so grateful for the support Domino’s has shown us in dedicating their Facebook fundraiser event to our HUSH for Homelessness 2010 campaign,” Jennifer said.

“With our focus being on preventing homelessness from occurring, the money raised through this event will go towards financial counseling, family and individual support programs, mental health support and employment and training assistance to name a few.”

The Domino’s Facebook fundraising event kicks off Monday 22 March 2010, so visit www.facebook.com/DominosAustralia to join and help support Mission Australia’s HUSH for Homelessness 2010 campaign.

For more information about Mission Australia’s HUSH for Homelessness 2010 Campaign please visit hushforhomelessness.com.au

*ABS 2008. Counting the Homeless, 2006. Australian Census Analytic Program.