INTERACTIVE: The Border’s hidden homeless
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HOMELESSNESS on the Border may not be immediately visible – but it exists.
It’s in the streets and it’s on the couch next door and it’s a prominent issue despite many people being unaware of the extent of the problem.
YES Youth and Family Services, located at The Hub in Albury, is an organisation that is only too aware of the local situation.
Client service manager Jonathan Park said YES had about 20 crisis beds across Albury-Wodonga yet the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics census data showed there were 800 homeless people across the Border.
Mr Park, who was speaking about the issue for Homelessness Prevention Week, said YES provided crisis and temporary accommodation.
“We use refuges or help people with hotel rooms,” he said.
“We provide a full range of support for people and link them with a case managers to work on their goals and resolve their homelessness.”
But Mr Park said those who couldn't be placed in crisis accommodation had to rely on couch surfing or shelter elsewhere.
He described homelessness as “not having a safe, stable place to call home” and said it did not discriminate.
“It has broad-reaching effects, from those experiencing housing stress to others sleeping at the river,” he said.
"People are staying in refuges – that's different to the inner city where homelessness is really obvious.
"Here it's more invisible and people don't know it's actually happening."
Mr Park said YES did not just provide accommodation but also counselling and other services to those who were sinking.
He said they had a significant number of new clients presenting themselves to YES every week.
He said about 40 per cent of those clients were under the age of 25.
“They have a broad range of housing issues from people struggling to pay rent and struggling to find private rentals to people who are rough sleeping,” he said.
“Full-blown homelessness is much higher than we expected.”
“We need a spectrum of housing and support options for people.
“There is no one-size-fits-all, we need crisis beds and we need cheaper housing because there is an affordable housing problem in Australia and it’s getting harder and harder.”
It’s also time for the community to step up.
“It’s a community problem, not just a problem for people who are experiencing homelessness,” Mr Park said.
“People need to take responsibility and if you see somebody you think might be experiencing housing stress – support them and link them in with a service.”
