Homelessness Week 2020
2nd – 8th August
Homelessness Week 2020 Overview
Homelessness is still prevalent in 2020
and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples continue to experience higher levels of housing disadvantage than other Western Australians, including more homelessness, more overcrowding, lower levels of home ownership and higher levels of housing stress.
It is estimated that over 9,000 Western Australians experience homelessness every night, a third of whom are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people. This number is expected to grow, not just for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, but across the whole population once Federal government Covid-19 income support payments finish and the State’s six month moratorium on evictions ends.
Homelessness Week is a national week to shine a spotlight on homelessness. Shelter WA, with support from the Department of Communities and Beyond Bank and in partnership with the WA Alliance to End Homelessness, is hosting a series of events to discuss actions needed to end homelessness.
Spotlight of Homelessness Week 2020
This year has a focus on Aboriginal homelessness as the week is coinciding with the 2020 Danjoo Koorliny Walking Together Social Impact Festival and the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Childrens day. Under the leadership of Mr Gordon Cole Chair of Noongar Mia Mia and Shelter WA board member, Shelter WA is working with the Festival to deliver a broad housing and homelessness stream. Key developments in homelessness and First Nations initiatives from Australia and overseas will also be showcased during the week, along with a discussion on the impact of COVID-19 on the potential for a new wave of homelessness.
Homelessness week 2020 will have an emphasis on how culturally informed and led and design and delivery will create a housing and homelessness system that empowers Aboriginal people, one that builds on cultural strength, focuses on people and provides access and choice, linking homes with well-being and support where and when it is needed.
Where’s my mia mia?
Our Homelessness Week Artwork is by Nerolie Bynder. A contemporary artist, proud Badimia – Noongar – Yamajati woman.
Danjoo Koorliny Social Impact Festival
The upcoming Danjoo Koorliny Walking Together Social Impact Festival, will take place throughout the season of Djilba (August and September). The Festival Opening Week will take place August 3-9, with an number of key events.
‘The system is broken’
Gordon Cole explains the reasoning behind the focus of homelessness week 2020.
Aboriginal Housing Forum
Housing was highlighted as a key concern in virtually all community consultations around the Noongar Native Title Settlement process
Social Housing Pledge
- There are almost 120,000 Australians without a home every night.
- The number of Australians experiencing homelessness is growing every year because of skyrocketing rents and a social housing shortage.
- The lack of social housing means more people end up homeless because they can’t find an affordable home, and those who are already homeless have no way to escape it.
- The COVID crisis has increased pressure on millions of Australians and is pushing even more people into rent stress and homelessness.
- There has never been a better time to invest in social housing. Everybody’s Home and our partners have developed the Social Housing Acceleration and Renovation Program (SHARP) that would deliver urgently needed jobs and provide an immediate boost in social housing.
- We’re asking you to show your support to address the biggest issue causing homelessness by signing the pledge to build more social housing.
Our thanks to Beyond Bank
For the second year in a row Homelessness Week has been sponsored by Beyond Bank. Shelter WA would like to thank Beyond Bank for their commitment and ongoing support of Homelessness Week.
