Fleurieu Homelessness Awareness Forum

The Fleurieu Community Foundation hosted its 6th annual Homelessness Awareness Forum on Wednesday the 16th of August at the Port Elliot Bowling club. The forum was attended by more than 70 passionate community members who listened intently from a number of speakers representing service organisations who work in the homelessness sector on the Fleurieu.

Each speaker detailed their organisations experience of what Homelessness really look like in the Fleurieu region and how this might be different to other metro or regional areas.

Mary McInnes from Whalers Peninsula Community Association detailed how their organisation operates on a shoe string budget without government support and yet still managed to provide vital support to people in our community who experience homelessness or are simply under financial stress. In a like manner Nathan Hodges from the Salvation Army detailed how their local organisation had significant contact with both the homelessness of all ages, those under financial stress and a growing cohort of struggling youth. Nathan implored the attendees to find a local group who aligned with their values and commit to supporting that group.

The other speakers on the night included Glenda Hutchinson rep[resenting South Coast Christian Community Care and Alice Worral from Junction Australia in Goolwa. Both speakers provided examples and accounts of the unique Fleurieu dynamics of the Homelessness problem.

Junction Australia provides Homelessness support to the Fleurieu as well as domestic violence support to women, children and young people living with, or leaving domestic violence on the Fleurieu.

Alice Worral is the Regional Manager for Junction Australia for the Fleurieu and Kangaroo Island. She provided a clear and concise presentation with supporting data to the community raising specific cohorts that they hold concern about.

You can download the Junction presentation here - Junction Presentation

Thanks to generosity of the community the The Fleurieu Community Foundation was able to provide grants on the night to organisations that are working at the font line but have gaps in their funding, especially around emergency responses to homelessness.

Treasurer Paul Shinkfield was thrilled to distribute $15,000 in grants to local organisations but also informed the meeting that there were other grants that would be released shortly to would hopefully continue to support those experiencing homelessness.

The Fleurieu Community Foundation is currently relaunching its website, which provides additional details on how our community can continue to work positively and collaboratively in the homelessness space.