News
Melbourne's Road Home Forum
August 24, 2010
Homelessness is a 24/7 issue in Melbourne
Homelessness is still a critical issue for Melbourne according to Swinburne University’s Associate Professor David MacKenzie, who was a guest speaker at ‘Melbourne’s Road Home Forum’ in Melbourne today.
Organised by the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation, this year’s ‘Melbourne’s Road Home Forum’ addressed the life stages of homelessness with a strong focus on youth, family and ageing, and the benefits of early intervention.
Three hundred representatives from across Melbourne’s business, philanthropic, community and government sectors attended the Forum. Guest speakers included Wayne Kayler-Thompson, CEO VECCI; Bryan Lipmann AM, CEO Wintringham; Danny Blay, Executive Officer Male Family Violence Prevention Association of Victoria; Janet Jukes, Executive Director Youth Development Australia; and Andrew Pegler of Andrew Pegler Media.
The Foundation’s CEO Andrew Chappell, said, “In 2008, we launched ‘Melbourne’s Road Home’ to address the issue of homelessness. We also made the commitment to provide funding of $7 million to charities and welfare agencies who are working to reduce homelessness in Melbourne.
“Since then we are pleased to have funded the Salvation Army’s 24/7 program and Sacred Heart Mission’s Journey to Social Inclusion and both programs are having significant impact.
“Approximately 15,000 people are homeless across Melbourne. This means that they don’t have a permanent, safe place to live,” said Mr Chappell.
Over the past year the Salvation Army’s 24/7 team has assisted 143 people who are rough sleeping in inner Melbourne. The number of people rough sleeping decreased between 2001 and 2006 from 206 to160, but is expected to increase again due to the current housing crisis.
According to Professor MacKenzie the type of person rough sleeping has also changed.
“Our research from 24/7 challenges the commonly held stereotype that most homeless are either young or over 50. Sixty per cent of people rough sleeping is aged between 21 and 40 years, and 70 per cent are male,” said Professor MacKenzie.
“About 40 per cent of people rough sleeping have become homeless within the last three months. They are not chronically homeless and they find themselves rough sleeping because nothing else was available when they experienced a crisis they could not resolve.
“A form of early intervention in these cases can lift people out of the cycle of homelessness before it begins.
“Early intervention programs need to be further developed and this includes reconnecting people back into their communities, early intervention is very important,” added Professor MacKenzie.
Professor MacKenzie’s 24/7 research showed:
· 40 per cent of people were rough sleeping for a short time (up to three months)
· 30 per cent had been homeless for a much longer period with rough sleeping a new experience they found very stressful
· 30 per cent of rough sleepers assisted by 24/7 were chronically homeless and spent several months rough sleeping.
· 143 people were assisted by 24/7 over the past year, and 25-30 of these people had been rough sleeping for more than a year.
Andrew Chappell said a ‘whole of community’ collaborative approach to ending homelessness was needed and forums such as Melbourne’s Road Home would keep homelessness at the top of the social issues agenda.
“Today we asked What can we do to help? What role we can all play to reduce homelessness? These are questions that the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation will continue to ask and work towards ending homelessness not only in Melbourne but across Australia,” added Mr Chappell.
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