Homelessness Week 2021
1st – 7th August
Housing Solutions to End Homelessness
Since the lifting of the moratorium on rental increases and evictions in March 2021 and a shortage of suitable housing options, more Western Australians than ever before have been or felt at risk of homelessness.
WA has a first class strategy All Paths Lead to a Home: Western Australia’s 10-year Strategy on Homelessness 2020-2030, which provides the road map to end homelessness in the state. State Government investment into housing first homelessness initiatives are making an impact as will the two new Common Ground facilities and the supported accommodation for up to 100 people who sleep rough.
Homelessness Week closes for another year
A challenge we face at the moment in WA is a shortage of appropriate crisis, social and affordable housing options as well as support services, not only for the estimated 9,000 people experiencing homelessness but also for tenants that have faced or experienced homelessness as a result of the rental shortage.
Homelessness Week is an important annual event to shine a light on homelessness, to learn from the voices of people with lived experience of homelessness and collectively reflect on what we need to do to change perceptions and stigmas, and to end homelessness.
This year the focus was on solutions, that can be adopted, in both the short-term and long-term and to also take a moment to reflect, reground and look at where to from here. We were humbled to hear from lived experience advocates each day and we were honoured to have the launch of the Hear of My Experience Lived Experience Engagement Framework and Toolkit during the week. We were also immensely grateful to the numerous architects and Community Housing Providers that gave their time at the Charette to develop a range of pragmatic solutions that could be developed on existing vacant land – a summary report of this event will be released shortly.
Thank You
Shelter WA and the WA Alliance to End Homelessness would like to thank everyone that participated in 2021’s Homelessness Week. It can only exist with collaboration from the lived experience advocates, community sector, government, industry and the corporate sector.
Shelter WA would like to give special thanks to the Fleetwood Australia, Department of Communities and Beyond Bank for their support of the week.
Also thank you to those that have donated to the fundraiser this year and for those that haven’t you still can. Ground+Co are doing amazing work.
The week’s over
but there are still things you can do
You can still donate
Your donation will help to break the cycle of homelessness through providing meaningful training and employment for women and young people.
Email your local member
Downloadable resources
Shelter WA have created a wide range of digital resources and factsheets for use during and after homelessness week.
Download them here
Missed an event?
View recordings, resources and articles from each of the Homelessness Week events hosted by Shelter WA
Where to from here
During Homelessness Week we welcomed the opening of Boorloo Bidee Mia, which is being operated by Wungening Aboriginal Corporation and Noongar Mia Mia. WA has a first-class strategy to end homelessness, and new government initiatives in partnership with the community sector are making a significant difference to the lives of many people.
Shelter WA and the WA Alliance to End Homelessness look forward to working in partnership with government, the sector, industry, the broader community in partnership with people with lived experience to drive evidence based solutions to end homelessness.
Thanks to our sponsors
