By TANIA PHILLIPS
TWEED Shire council and local community groups will come together next week to help raise awareness of the plight of the homeless in the Tweed.
“Bridges to Housing” will be held on Friday 9 August at Vibe Care at 3 Beryl Street, Tweed Heads from 10am to 2pm.
The event, part of Homeless Persons’ Week which begins next Monday, will be hosted by the Tweed Shire Housing and Homelessness Network.
The morning is aimed at providing service information to homeless people, promote the work of homelessness services and raise community awareness of homelessness issues.
“There will be a range of housing and homelessness organisations there from across the Tweed and southern Gold Coast,” Tweed Shire Council’s Community Development Officer – Youth, Sylvia Roylance, said.
These include On Track Community Programs, Vibe Care, You Have a Friend, St Vincent de Paul, St Joseph’s Youth Service, Housing NSW and other government and community service providers.
On Track Community Programs will launch two films: Bridges to Housing, which demonstrates how homelessness services can work with private rental providers and Key to Housing, which informs tenants how to find, apply for and maintain a private rental property.
“There will be entertainment and access to free goods and services such as clothing, personal items and prepared food,” Ms Roylance said.
This year’s Homeless Persons’ Week is based around the theme ‘the hidden homeless’.
“It’s a surprising statistic for most of us to hear that only six per cent of people in Australia experiencing homelessness are on the street. The rest are ‘hidden’ – and could be someone we know,” Mayor of Tweed, Councillor Barry Longland said.
According to figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 20 per cent of homeless people are living in supported accommodation for the homeless, 17 per cent are staying temporarily with other households, 17 per cent are in boarding houses, one per cent are in other temporary lodging and 39 per cent are staying in severely overcrowded dwellings.
Locally, 2011 Census statistics for the Tweed – sourced through the St Joseph’s Youth Housing Service – found that 306 people were classed as homeless, with 46 of these living in improvised dwellings, tents or sleeping out (15 per cent), 60 in supported accommodation for the homeless (23 per cent), 110 staying temporarily with other households (36 per cent), 38 in boarding houses (12 per cent), nine in other temporary lodging (three per cent) and 34 people living in severely crowded dwellings (11 per cent).
“Although the homeless may be out of sight, they should not be out of mind,” Councillor Longland said.
“There is no doubt that homelessness is a major issue in the Tweed and many agencies are working hard in our local area to assist and support the homeless, as well as seeking long-term housing solutions.
“Many of us think of homelessness as having no home, but a home is more than having shelter – a home needs to be secure, safe and connected.
“In 2011, the Tweed Shire Housing and Homelessness Network was established after cross-sector consultation, which brought together agencies working to help the homeless in the Tweed and wider region.
“By working together, we can have a great impact on tackling this vitally important issue.”
To find out more about Homeless Persons’ Week, go to www.homelessnessaustralia.org.au
For more information about Bridges to Housing call Sylvia Roylance on (02) 6670 2736.
