Pictured: Hand painting at Lockyer Community Centre as part of Homelessness Week
On any given night, 122,494 people in Australia are experiencing homelessness. Neighbourhood Centres are on the frontline of the housing crisis, offering a wide range of supports for people without a home, starting with a warm welcoming space and wrapping around with connections to warm food, emergency relief, assistance with housing applications, access to computers and specialised health services.
Finding safe and suitable spaces for people is becoming increasingly challenging, and some Neighbourhood Centres are working with their communities to develop local housing solutions that can help meet need. Nambour Community Centre established ‘Meanwhile Use Housing’ in their local area (retrofitting a building that was to be developed into housing), whilst Maroochy Neighbourhood Centre now has two sleep buses running, funded by community. Hervey Bay Neighbourhood Centre created a kindness garden with safe places to sleep, while Centres in Far North Queensland are buying land and seeking developer investment.
Neighbourhood Centres hosted a range of events in support of Homelessness Week (5-11 August).
Maroochy Neighbourhood Centre and Sunny Coast Dental collaborated to hold a free dental clinic offering teeth examinations, cleans and fillings to people experiencing homelessness.
Lockyer Community Centre hosted a Community Check In Day with freshly brewed coffee, sausage sizzle, support service providers and giveaways.
The Bowen Neighbourhood Centre ran a “Buy a Pie to Keep Them Dry” fundraiser, aimed at raising funds for those experiencing homelessness in Bowen.
Encircle Community Services partnered with Community Bank Samford to run a Collection Drive for essential living items. A BBQ event will be held at Pine Rivers Neighbourhood Centre to distribute the packs to those in need.
New Farm Neighbourhood Centre and partners supported the Brisbane Zero Homelessness Week Forum last week which included training sessions, panel discussions and workshops covering the myriad of complex issues currently faced by the housing sector.