Homeless Week 2023

The week highlights the collective actions needed by community, together with all levels of government to help break the cycle of homelessness.

Homelessness Week 2023 is a time to raise awareness of people experiencing homelessness or sleeping rough in our community.

CFSS WA LTD has partnered with the Shire of Carnarvon to lead a Homelessness Week Challenge and this year the theme is it’s time to end homelessness, with a focus on place-based solutions particularly for the Carnarvon Community.

The challenge provides opportunity to acknowledge the remarkable service providers who selflessly put other needs before their own to support people within the community facing homelessness.

These providers have organised a challenge - Rough Sleeper Coordination sites at Carnarvon PCYC

Managing Director CFSS WA LTD Andrea Musulin “We organised this challenge to acknowledge the important work of our sector partners and to say a huge thanks to workers supporting people experiencing homelessness or sleeping rough in their region,”

Andrea went on to say, "Breaking the cycle of homelessness requires everyone working together to achieve our collective aspiration to end homelessness. The passion, commitment and the role workers play in establishing trust, building relationships, reducing harm, and helping people who are sleeping rough or experiencing homelessness feel more comfortable to seek broader assistance, support and referrals – is truly inspiring. It's their work that will ultimately help people who are sleeping homelessness on their pathway to housing," Andrea said.

An annual event aimed at raising awareness of the issue, this year’s Homelessness Week is especially poignant given the amount of people driven into poverty by the cost-of-living crisis, housing shortage and repeated interest rate rises.

It’s estimated that more 9,729 people are currently homeless, including a growing number of women over 50.

Western Australia now has the highest proportion of all states and territories of people living in improvised dwellings, tents, sleeping out (aka rough sleepers). People sleeping rough now account for one quarter (23.8 per cent) of the total homelessness population – up from 12 per cent in 2016.

A Carnarvon Sleep Out Challenge will be held at Carnarvon PCYC from 5pm Thursday the 10th of August 2023 until early morning Friday the 11th.

Andrea Musulin went on to say, every contribution, no matter how small, will make a difference.

“Everyone benefits when we support our most vulnerable community members”.

“If you can, please donate an item, your time, or if you just want to learn more about the issues, please join in the Challenge this week."