Street to Home team at Homeless Connect 2016

November 17, 2016

Foundation Housing’s Street to Home team were at this year’s Homeless Connect event in Northbridge to talk with people experiencing homelessness about how the service can help them into accommodation and stabilise their life.

Homeless Connect is coordinated by Volunteering WA and brings together a big range of services for homeless people in one place in an environment that is friendly and welcoming.  Organisations like Street to Home have information stands, while volunteers run a ‘shop’ which offers free clothing and toiletries. Free dental and health care, as well as food and entertainment, are also offered to all those in need.

The Street to Home service in Perth is a program funded through the National Partnerships Against Homelessness to support people who are sleeping rough or at risk of becoming homeless again.   Foundation Housing is one of several organisations who are partners in its delivery here in WA,  along with other social services organisations such as  St Patricks, Ruah, Uniting Care West and 55 Central.  For Foundation Housing the emphasis is on supporting our lodging residents who are at risk of becoming homeless again. Staff work with residents to understand what issues are impacting on their ability to stay living at the lodge and then connect them with the right help so they can avoid eviction and becoming homeless again.

Street to Home worker, Gareth said the Homeless Connect event was a good opportunity for people to meet them and get to know about what services might be there for them, in a situation that wasn’t stressful.