The Victorian Homelessness Media Awards, launched earlier this year, aim to recognise and encourage outstanding journalism in relation to homelessness in Victoria.
Homelessness is a complex issue affecting more than 25,000 across Victoria and respectful and ethical reporting by media is critical to the community’s understanding about the issue.
The inaugural Victorian Homelessness Media Awards were presented at the Victorian Homelessness Conference.
The Foundation has made preventing homelessness and increasing the supply of affordable housing a priority for more than ten years.
Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation provided a grant to Council to Homeless Persons to create and launch the inaugural awards to support excellence in ethical and accurate reporting about homelessness, its causes and the effects on the lives of people experiencing homelessness. Good reporting by media can help shape a positive narrative to find solutions and influence policy.
The Foundation’s Chief Executive Officer Catherine Brown said, “The Homelessness Media Awards are an important vehicle to facilitate ethical and appropriate reporting and community conversations at all levels and in all sectors about homelessness.
“Congratulations to Council to Homeless Persons for their vision and drive to launch the homelessness awards program. It has certainly highlighted and celebrated the impact of important work by great journalists reporting on homelessness.
“There are many causes of homelessness and in addition to people sleeping rough, we are concerned about the increased number of older women without stable housing and young people experiencing homelessness. These are important issues that media can highlight and continue to report on.”
Recipients of the inaugural Victorian Homelessness Media Awards.
Homelessness and affordable housing are priorities for Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation. In the last financial year, the Foundation provided $3 million in grants to not for profit organisations who are working to prevent entry into homelessness and increasing the supply of affordable housing.
Recent completed projects include the redevelopment of VincentCare’s Ozanam House and Melbourne City Mission’s Frontyard Youth Foyer for young people.
Victorian Homelessness Media Award Recipients
Gold Award (selected by a panel of judges with lived experience) Melissa Heagney (Domain/The Age),
Working but homeless: Higher rents hitting Victorians with jobs Long lead and Investigative Journalism Award RMIT ABC Fact Check,
Without a home Opinion and Comment Award Zoe Wundenberg (Freelance),
Forget 'us' and 'them' - for many, homelessness is just a few steps away News and Short Deadline Journalism Award Miki Perkins (The Age),
No more referrals to dodgy crisis housing, warn homelessness services Student and Early Career Journalism Award Imran Ariff (The Citizen),
Down and out in Deakin: The word on the street on the homelessness crisis Victorian Homelessness Media Award Finalists »