Homelessness Week 2023

Homelessness Week is held annually in Australia to raise awareness outside the sector to encourage the entire community to take action to end homelessness. In 2023, Homelessness Week will take place from Monday August 7 – Sunday August 13. No Limits Perth will be hosting three events during the week to offer a range of services to those in the community experiencing homelessness. Visit ShelterWA for more information on these events as well as other ways you can participate.

Homelessness is a growing issue affecting people in the northern suburbs as well as throughout Australia and the rest of the world. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) defines homelessness as the lack of one or more of the elements that represent ‘home’. These elements include a sense of security, stability, privacy, safety, and the ability to control living space.

The causes of homelessness are complex and include a multitude of individual and social factors such as domestic and family violence, mental health challenges, lack of affordable housing and housing shortages. Homelessness is an extreme representation of disadvantage and social exclusion. Adding to the complexity can be a lack of community understanding through negative stigma or stereotypes which can hinder efforts to address homelessness.

Responding to Homelessness

The Department of Communities are the lead for homelessness in Western Australia but due to the multi-dimensional nature of homelessness, it necessitates involvement by a broad range of organisations, including all tiers of government, the private sector, community groups and organisations, and the wider community. The Department of Communities have produced a 10-year strategy that sets out this whole-of-community approach, titled All Paths Lead to a Home.

The City of Joondalup plays a key role in responding to homelessness by coordinating, supporting, facilitating and advocating for support services that will improve the lives of our most vulnerable residents. Learn more

When the City receives reports of people experiencing homelessness, referrals to community outreach services are made when appropriate. The City has recently published a pocket guide titled, A Hand Up – Free Hardship and Crisis Support Services, which is available from City of Joondalup Libraries. Access more resources

How can you help?

We can all support people experiencing hardship by doing the following:

• Be respectful – A person should not be discriminated against because of their living situation. Experiencing homelessness and/or sleeping rough is not a crime. It is best practice to use person-first language which puts the person first, followed by their circumstance or condition. For example, we would say a person experiencing homelessness, not a homeless person. Person-first language avoids defining people by their circumstance or condition.
• Learn – Every person’s story is different, and we can learn a lot from those with lived experience. Increasing your awareness of the various factors that lead to homelessness and the lasting impacts, and sharing it with others, will encourage compassion and understanding towards those experiencing hardship.
• Donate – You can assist by donating essential items such as non-perishable food, clothing, toiletries and household items to not-for-profit organisations. Contact The Spiers Centre on 9401 2699 or No Limits Perth on 0490 676 979 to arrange donations.
• Volunteer – Volunteering your time and sharing your skills and experience can make a real difference to people’s lives. There are several organisations that support people experiencing homelessness and hardship with a range of volunteer roles. To find out more, visit the Joondalup Volunteer Resource Centre.

Prevention and Early Intervention

Whilst homelessness is a complex issue with a range of causes, taking early action, such as financial counselling, may help prevent homelessness.
The Spiers Centre offers financial hardship services that support and empower clients to build financial resilience including:

• Financial Counselling
• Accredited financial counsellors can help with financial difficulty by working through the issues with the client to understand the problem, discuss options available and provide support in finding a solution.
• Financial Well-being
• This program assists clients with their financial well-being through increasing financial literacy, budgeting skills and teaching strategies to help improve money management skills.

Bookings are essential via 9401 2699. For more information about The Spiers Centre, see the video below or visit the website