Homelessness is increasing across Australia and in Boroondara. You may see people sleeping on streets, in parks and tents, but this visible homelessness is only the tip of the iceberg.
Many more people experience hidden forms of homelessness, such as living in severely overcrowded housing, temporary accommodation or sleeping on couches (couch-surfing).
Homelessness can happen for many reasons, including loss of employment, family breakdown, mental health and family violence. The current housing crisis and increased cost of living also contribute to homelessness rates.
Find out more about homelessness and social housing on our Housing Statistics page.
Our response to homelessness
Our response to homelessness is to ensure the safety of all community members, manage amenity and coordinate referrals to support services.
People who are experiencing homelessness have the right to be in public spaces and should be treated like any other member of the public. It's important to note that there is no enforcement in relation to homelessness.
Our Homelessness Protocol provides a framework for our staff to respond to homelessness and support people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
If you want to know more about our response to homelessness, contact the Safer Communities Planner (Homelessness) by calling (03) 9278 4326 or emailing [email protected].
Download our Homelessness Protocol
Advocacy
The Victorian and Australian governments fund housing and homelessness services. We recognise there isn't enough social housing or funding for homelessness service providers to meet demand. We regularly advocate to the Victorian and Australian governments for more housing and funding for homelessness services.
School presentations
We partner with Servants Community Housing to present talks on homelessness at primary and high schools across Boroondara. These talks aim to encourage students to think critically about homelessness.
To book a class presentation, contact the Safer Communities Planner (Homelessness) by calling (03) 9278 4326 or emailing [email protected].
National events
Each year we recognise Homelessness Week in August and Youth Homelessness Matters Day (YHMD) on the third Wednesday of April. Both national events aim to raise awareness of the causes and impacts of homelessness.
Learn more about homelessness and what you can do
Donate
If you would like to donate to a local community organisation, the following organisations accept donations:
Please contact the community organisation before dropping off food or donations.
Volunteer
If you have time, you can give back to the community by volunteering.
The Boroondara Volunteer Resource Centre (BVRC) is a local service that supports both volunteers and organisations that need volunteers. Visit the Boroondara volunteering opportunities website to explore current volunteering opportunities. You can open a free account with the BVRC and log in to express interest in any of the positions.
You can also volunteer locally at:
Learn
Youth Bloom podcast
Listen to the homelessness episode of the Boroondara Youth Bloom podcast on Soundcloud. Hosts Hayley and Nia talk to Belinda and Brea, 2 amazing young people who work and volunteer in the homelessness space.
Resource guide for young people
We’ve created a resource and education guide to help explain the complex causes of homelessness, reduce stigma and to support young people at risk of or experiencing homelessness. You can download this below.
For more information about homelessness, visit the Homelessness Australia website or the Council to Homeless Persons (CHP) website.