Stopping Homelessness Before it Starts
Did you know that every single month, 10,000 additional people become homeless in Australia? That represents hundreds of families and individuals at the tipping point of homelessness who have been unable to access the right kind of support to stay housed. This is a stark reminder of just how entrenched our homelessness system is in a crisis response, rather than a preventative approach.
We know that the continuing housing crisis and cost of living pressures mean more people are reaching out for support for the first time in their lives, often turning to their local neighbourhood services for help. With the limited resources available needing to be spent on those most in need, preventing homelessness for those who are at-risk becomes unachievable for frontline organisations, which in turn leads to growing numbers of people in full-blown crisis. Our community-based frontline organisations are overwhelmed to the point where support can often only be given after a crisis has struck.
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Imagine if the vast majority of those 10,000 people had access to the right support at the right time, before they started to experience homelessness? It would not only prevent countless families, children, and individuals from experiencing the hardship, disruption, and trauma of homelessness but it would also help alleviate the mounting pressure on frontline organisations.
Intervening early to prevent crisis when people are at the tipping point of being without a safe place to call home is the best way to end homelessness. That’s why this festive season, we’re focused on doing just that.
Homelessness is worth preventing
Homelessness is highly stressful, and undermines your social networks, employment, study and relationships. People become decoupled from society and often, health and wellbeing takes a hit, with a rapid decline in people’s capacity to navigate support systems effectively. The reality is – allowing homelessness to eventuate is hugely costly, both on an individual and societal level.
”Every person sleeping rough, every family in temporary accommodation, every young person couch-surfing represents lost productivity, lost education, and lost economic potential. - Kate Colvin, CEO Homelessness Australia
On the flip side, homelessness is also worth preventing because of what we lose when we fail to do so. Homelessness not only places huge burdens on our public systems like justice, health, and emergency services, but it’s also a significant barrier to immense productivity gains.
Be part of the solution and support those on the Tipping Point
Our model is to act collectively, focusing support on smaller grassroots organisations, targeting areas of high need. When you donate to our End of Year appeal, you’ll be joining a collective, community-driven response that results in quick, and tangible change for those on the tipping point of homelessness.
Donations will support an early intervention approach and provide preventative support to those at risk of experiencing homelessness. This will help provide support such as; legal and rental advice, financial relief to stay housed, ongoing casework, access to training and employment opportunities, emergency accommodation, and healthcare .
We work collaboratively, and encourage corporates, businesses and philantropists to join us for collective action and impact. Please reach out at partners@streetsmartaustralia.org if this sounds like you.
Without housing, ending homelessness is impossible.
