Embedded Files
Websites
Lighthouse Foundation's vision is to end youth homelessness, together. They do this by supporting homeless young people to take their rightful place in the community, by providing them not just with a home, but with a family and a therapeutic model of care that is individually tailored and proven to work. Through their Lighthouse experience, young people can heal, learn again to relate to other and start to rebuild their lives.
The Vinnies CEO Sleepout is an annual event run by the St Vincent de Paul Society to help raise awareness of homelessness by encouraging top business leaders to sleep rough for one night. CEOs and Managing Directors receive sponsorship from employees, colleagues, friends and family. The funds raised to go support Vinnies homeless services and initiatives across Australia.
StreetSmart supports local government, grassroots community projects, helping people experiencing homelessness or at risk. The projects supported are varied and innovative, and provide critical services for people in their local community. DineSmart unites restaurants and diners to help people in their local community by asking diners to donate $2 to their bill in the lead up to Christmas, and for CafeSmart on one day of the year all cafes donate $1 per coffee sold.
Backpack Bed by Swags for Homeless
The Backpack Bed by Swags for Homeless is used as emergency relief bedding for homeless without shelter by over 400 homeless services across Australia and the world. The Backpack Bed keeps people alive while they are on the street, gives dignity to homeless people, improves health, warmth, comfort and safety for people without shelter and connects them to their local welfare agency for further assistance. It is also sold to the general public as a means to fundraise for further production of the bed.
Melbourne City Mission supports and links young people, adults and families to housing, education, training, employment and social support. Across the state of Victoria they are the biggest provider of homelessness services to young people under 24. They are also the biggest provider of homelessness services to adults and families (aged 18-45) across the northwest metropolitan region of Melbourne. Their role is to meet the needs of each individual and provide a service that helps them break the cycle of homelessness.
Homelessness Australia is the national peak body for homelessness in Australia and provides systematic advocacy for the homelessness sector. HA does not provide or manage accommodation or deliver direct client services. HA was established with a joint vision to proactively research, develop and promote national policy and action to reduce homelessness and its image on the diverse range of people it affects, and achieves this by consulting with homelessness agencies nationally, undertaking research and policy development and educating the community about homelessness.
HomeGround's vision is to end homelessness in Melbourne. Their mission is to get people housed and to keep people housed. This is done by providing housing and support services across Melbourne, developing innovative housing models, advocating for systems change and researching the causes and solutions to homelessness. They work in partnership with public, private and community sector organisations with the support of philanthropic and individual supporters.
Kids Under Cover supports vulnerable young people between the ages of 12 and 25 who are either already homeless or at risk of homelessness. Their solution is to build one or two bedroom studies (with bathrooms) in the backyards of homes to keep young people connected to family and a healthy home environment, and to provide scholarships to ensure ongoing engagement with education. They believe shelter and education help young people stay connected to their family, to education and with their community in order to build a brighter future.
The Red Cross prevents people from becoming homeless as well as supporting people who are homeless to access and maintain housing by providing programs and services. Red Cross seeks to persuade decision makers and opinion leaders to address the causes of homelessness so that improved systems support people to remain housed. Red Cross has multiple programs that support people to maintain their housing and avoid homelessness, to support people experiencing homelessness, to build people's life skills and community networks, and to provide information, resources and a meal.
Mission Australia's integrated services work together to reduce homelessness and strengthen communities across Australia, by helping people secure jobs, receive an education, find housing an develop important life skills. Early intervention and prevention is at the hear of their work. They begin by taking a close look at the root cause of a person's predicament and strive to stop problems from spiraling out of control and affecting other areas of life. By addressing issues early, they have the best change of breaking the cycle of disadvantage.
News articles
Victoria to address elderly homelessness
Thousands of people still turned away from homelessness services
ABC podcast: Shining a light on homelessness
ABC podcast: Homelessness amongst Australians on the rise
Homeless women most marginalised in government plans for domestic violence funding
Page updated
Report abuse