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.
Homelessness Week 2020 Communiqué
Building on the Housing First theme of Homelessness Week 2019, Homelessness Week 2020 focused on how a culturally informed, led, designed, and delivered housing and homelessness system will empower Aboriginal people and deliver great housing outcomes by placing culture, communities and people at the centre.
A system built on cultural strength, and centered within an Aboriginal community-controlled framework, will providing housing access and choice, linking homes with well-being and support where, how, and when it is needed.
Webinars
Missed an event or looking to review the content presented?
Watch the complete catalogue of events.
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.
