Homelessness isn’t just sleeping on the street, and it’s because of this that the majority of the population don’t realise how bad the Australian homeless situation is.
It’s also classified as those who are couch surfing, living in an overcrowded or an inadequate dwelling, sleeping in your car, or relying on short-term accommodation fixes.
There is no typical human who is susceptible to homelessness, it can affect any person, from a single male to families, of any race, age or gender; and the leading cause currently in Australia of homelessness is domestic violence.
As of the Mission Australia’s findings, in 2018/2019, approximately 40% of people searching for accommodation at specialist homeless centres were experiencing domestic or family violence and had to leave with no where else to go.
The most direct way to tackle homelessness in Australia is prevention and early intervention – as Mission Australia do; however another key is supporting those who need transitional or long term accommodation that is sustainable.
Supporting factors that affect tenancy is a major plus – like mental health issues, or drug and alcohol problems.
This is where Sanctuary Place, and our partner program, SPL Care, come in. Sanctuary Place is able to offer long or short term accommodation for those in need, with SPL Care as the support program to work in with exiting carers and make sure every Australian has a safe, secure, and dignified home.
