Helping homelessness in Australia
factors. Unfortunately, people experiencing homelessness in Australia do not have secure access to adequate housing, which leaves them extremely vulnerable.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, this includes people whose living arrangement:
- is in a dwelling that is inadequate.
- has no tenure, or if their initial tenure is short and not extendable.
- does not allow them to have control of, and access to space for social relations.
On a recent Census night, they recorded that more than 122,000 people in Australia experienced homelessness, an increase of 5.2% from 2016.
Homelessness can affect anyone, but In Australia, a significant portion of the homeless population includes children and young people between 12 and 24 (23%) and Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people (20%). Older women experiencing homelessness has also risen, increasing by 7% in the last five years.
Homelessness in Australia continues to be a major issue and more needs to be done to support those in need of shelter. Fortunately, if you want to help the homeless community, you’ve come to the right place.
Let’s look at some of the most effective ways to make a difference.
Ways to help homelessness in Australia
The Australian Bureau of Statistics found that the rate of homelessness increased to 48 per 10,000 in 2021, from 45 in 2006. This alarming statistic reveals the worsening trend of rising homelessness in Australia, which means the support of generous Aussies is more important than ever before.
Here’s how you can help.
Volunteer your time
Volunteering is an excellent way to help reduce homelessness and strengthen communities across Australia. By generously donating your energy and time, you can use your skills and knowledge to make a positive difference in people’s lives.
Voluntary roles to help the homeless could include:
- Working at homeless shelters.
- Serving meals or distributing food.
- Teaching practical skills.
- Working in charity shops.
- Helping with temporary housing programs.
- Participating in a community outreach initiative.
- Supporting educational programs or workshops.
Here are some of the organisations in Australia that welcome volunteers:
Not only does volunteering help you to improve self-esteem, confidence and wellbeing in others, but you’ll also benefit from a sense of purpose and achievement.
Stop for a chat
Homelessness can be an isolating and alienating experience. Often it’s the simple things in life that mean the most and a friendly chat could massively improve someone’s day.
It might not seem like much, but stopping to ask someone who’s homeless how they are and keep them company for a while is a great gesture. You could even offer to buy them a warm drink or some food.
Donate essential supplies to your local homeless shelter
Homeless shelters always need help sourcing basic supplies, so why donate some essentials to your local shelter? Mission Australia offers a service directory to help locate a good local cause. Simply find a homeless shelter close to you and get in touch for more information on what items they need.
Some basic supplies a homeless shelter may need include:
- Clothing
- Food
- Toiletries
- Sleeping bags/blankets
You can also donate new sanitary and period products. Women made up 44.1% of homeless people in Australia in 2021, which was an increase of 10.1% from 2016.
Check out the amazing work being done by Share the Dignity, who distribute hundreds of thousands of period products to vulnerable Australian women.
Create an online fundraiser
In our digital world, an increasingly popular way of helping the homeless is to start an online fundraiser. Crowdfunding empowers people to come together and financially support a cause they care about, using social media and the internet to reach a huge amount of potential donors.
To help the homeless with an online fundraiser, simply follow these steps:
- Choose a cause close to your heart that tackles homelessness in Australia.
- Create your fundraiser using a reputable online platform and tell your story. The right crowdfunding platform should champion trust and safety, offer advanced tools and share proven fundraising tips.
- Share your fundraiser via social media, emails, at work/school and with family and friends. Try to target as many different networks as possible.
- Start accepting donations and monitor the progress of your fundraiser.
- Keep everyone in the loop with regular fundraiser updates and reminders to donate.
- Send donations directly to your beneficiary.
Also, make sure you send thank you messages to make each donor feel appreciated. Not only is recognising someone who does a good deed respectful, but it also helps long-term relations should you wish to make your homelessness fundraiser annual.
Financial donation to a homeless charity
For those who want to make a valid contribution to ending homelessness but are short on time, sending a donation to a well-established charity is an excellent option.
Whether you want to support a charity that helps homeless people on a local, national or international scale, there are hundreds of worthy causes out there.
Here are some notable charities that help the homeless in Australia:
- Australian Red Cross
- End Street Sleeping
- The Footpath Library
- The Foyer Foundation
- Kids Under Cover
- Lighthouse Foundation
- Mission Australia
- Orange Sky
- StreetSmart Australia
- Will 2 Live
- We Are Mobilise
- Youth Off The Streets
Help someone find shelter
In Australia, several organisations provide food, housing and accommodation for people who are homeless. If you see someone who is in need, then you might be able to support them with finding shelter should they be unable to do so themselves.
Here are some organisations that can help:
- AskIzzy: Free and anonymous website to search for housing, food, health care and legal help.
- Australian Red Cross: Helps people look for suitable shelter. Also gives meals to people with low incomes or housing problems.
- Homelessness Australia: Helps those who are homeless or at risk of being homeless.
- Mission Australia: Manages community housing across Australia and can help people look for a home.
- The Salvation Army: Assists people across Australia in finding housing and support services.
Ready to be a part of the solution?
In 2022-23, 274,000 people were assisted by specialist homelessness services in Australia, but there is still so much more work to be done to help the homeless across all six states.
If you want to help make a difference in the lives of vulnerable Aussies, the best method for doing so is to start fundraising using GoFundMe. With our easy-to-use online platform, you can simplify the fundraising process and create an even bigger impact.
Our trusted and reliable fundraising platform ensures all of the donations you receive will go straight to those who need it most – contributing to the end of homelessness in Australia.
Join thousands of Australians by using the world’s #1 crowdfunding platform today.