According to the findings of our recently published Homelessness Impact Report, over the previous three years, there has been a 26% rise in demand for our homelessness services.
When I lay my head down for the night, my thoughts frequently drift to the many people whom Mission Australia assists who are putting their heads down in housing that is either unsafe, insecure, or insufficient. This brings up feelings of sadness and fear in me.
People who call out to us for assistance are assisted throughout the country by the kind and knowledgeable personnel at Mission Australia and other organizations that give services to people experiencing homelessness. Their goal is to help these individuals in finding accommodation and supporting them.
According to national data sources, 3,000 persons in Australia seek help from homeless programs like the ones provided by Mission Australia every hour. Mission Australia provides these services.
But the fact is that there is only sometimes a lot for us to work with.
When people come to see us early – when they are aware that they are having problems but before they lose their homes – we can assist nearly all of them (94%) in stabilizing their housing situations and preventing them from becoming homeless. This is because we can intervene before the actual loss of their homes.
However, things take a different turn when folks visit us after they have already been kicked out of their homes. We can only locate a safe and permanent home for around one-third of the persons currently suffering from homelessness. This very same scenario plays out in homeless services all across the country, and the reason for this is that there aren’t enough social and cheap housing units available for everyone who needs them.
Too frequently, the only housing choice we can connect individuals with is a crisis and emergency shelter that is only available for a short period. This is, at best, a band-aid solution, and it is still technically a type of homelessness.
Some emergency housing is of a high standard; it is cosy, appealing, and friendly; it provides a secure environment for people to reside in while they search for more permanent housing. However, some aren’t fit for purpose, and sleeping in them can be just as harrowing as sleeping outside. Imagine a scenario in which a mother and her children are fleeing domestic violence and are forced to stay in a motel, far from their social support network and their children’s school. They begin to wonder whether it would be safer for them to live in their vehicle.
We all deserve the dignity and opportunities to have a safe and secure place to call home. Nobody wants their parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, coworkers, or neighbours to be forced into sleeping in their car, bunking down with three other families, couch surfing, or trying to get a few nights’ rests in a hotel or boarding house because they have nowhere else to go. Everyone in Australia wants to see an end to the problem of homelessness.
The shortage of available homes has evolved into a catastrophe, including homelessness.
To end it, we need a support system that is sufficiently funded and helps people before they lose their houses. We need a significant increase in social and affordable housing units. According to our most accurate estimations, the next twenty years will require the development of around one million new homes to meet the demand for safe and affordable housing.
This can be achieved, but only if it will require collaborative leadership from all levels of government and a willingness to make commitments that extend over a longer period. The housing legislation debated in the Senate is an imperfect but crucial first step towards ending homelessness in Australia. This is because every journey begins with the taking of the first step. The Parliament will be able to work together in good faith to make the most of this opportunity to start fresh together.
If Australia were to construct a sufficient amount of social and affordable housing to satisfy demands, this would assist Mission Australia and other homelessness agencies in ensuring that, in due course, everyone will have a secure place to call home.
