Homelessness Week done well by Rockingham charities
A clothing drive, rental advice, group meals and free haircuts were among the ways charities and services pulled together to assist those most in need.
The Salvation Army Rockingham held a clothing drive with Thread Together, as well as a tenancy workshop to help with queries about the rental market. National organisation Thread Together provided a clothing drive for the event. Credit: Supplied
Salvation Army Rockingham corps officer Chelsea Wilson said the primary aim was to bring together key support services — there were 18 involved — in one accessible location for people who were experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless.
'While we recognise that there are no quick or simple solutions to the housing crisis, it is always encouraging to witness organisations and individuals working collectively to provide the best possible support to those in need,' Ms Wilson said.
'The Rockingham area continues to be significantly underfunded in addressing the growing needs of the community, and we are seeing the effects of this shortfall on people's wellbeing — particularly in regard to physical and mental health.' The CREW held a group meal where attendees, staff and volunteers could come together for conversation and questions. Credit: Supplied
Rockingham emergency relief centre The CREW held a 'Combatting Loneliness' event with free haircuts, goody bags, fruit and vegetable hampers and free ice-creams from Pink Panther's van, all shared over a hot meal. The CREW provided a range of products and services, including free haircuts. Credit: Supplied
CEO Kendall Sowerby said the event was about making people feel seen, welcomed and valued.
'I think the biggest takeaway from the week was just how powerful simple human connection is,' Ms Sowerby said.
'A meal, a chat, eye contact, a listening ear … it all makes a difference. It reminds people they're not alone, they're worthy, they're enough and they're deserving of that.'
The CREW also ran a smaller event later in the week where chaplains held a discussion and questions activity around loneliness, which Ms Sowerby said sparked some really honest and meaningful conversations among guests, staff and volunteers.
St Pats Rockingham offered Walk with a Worker, where attendees enjoyed a short stroll to their partner agencies, heard from experts about homelessness in the Kwinana and Rockingham regions and enjoyed morning tea at Anglicare WA.
With over 150 attendees on the day, St Pat's chief executive officer Michael Piu said it's vital to work closely together and provide people with the support they need, when they need it.
'These events have given us an opportunity to connect, educate our community about the services we provide and highlight some of the challenges people experiencing homelessness are facing, in particular, the growing number of families in our region,' he said.
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Homelessness Week done well by Rockingham charities
Rockingham continues to be underfunded when it comes to homelessness support, according to a Salvation Army officer involved with just one of last week's local National Homelessness Week events. A clothing drive, rental advice, group meals and free haircuts were among the ways charities and services pulled together to assist those most in need. The Salvation Army Rockingham held a clothing drive with Thread Together, as well as a tenancy workshop to help with queries about the rental market. National organisation Thread Together provided a clothing drive for the event. Credit: Supplied Salvation Army Rockingham corps officer Chelsea Wilson said the primary aim was to bring together key support services — there were 18 involved — in one accessible location for people who were experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless. 'While we recognise that there are no quick or simple solutions to the housing crisis, it is always encouraging to witness organisations and individuals working collectively to provide the best possible support to those in need,' Ms Wilson said. 'The Rockingham area continues to be significantly underfunded in addressing the growing needs of the community, and we are seeing the effects of this shortfall on people's wellbeing — particularly in regard to physical and mental health.' The CREW held a group meal where attendees, staff and volunteers could come together for conversation and questions. Credit: Supplied Rockingham emergency relief centre The CREW held a 'Combatting Loneliness' event with free haircuts, goody bags, fruit and vegetable hampers and free ice-creams from Pink Panther's van, all shared over a hot meal. The CREW provided a range of products and services, including free haircuts. Credit: Supplied CEO Kendall Sowerby said the event was about making people feel seen, welcomed and valued. 'I think the biggest takeaway from the week was just how powerful simple human connection is,' Ms Sowerby said. 'A meal, a chat, eye contact, a listening ear … it all makes a difference. It reminds people they're not alone, they're worthy, they're enough and they're deserving of that.' The CREW also ran a smaller event later in the week where chaplains held a discussion and questions activity around loneliness, which Ms Sowerby said sparked some really honest and meaningful conversations among guests, staff and volunteers. St Pats Rockingham offered Walk with a Worker, where attendees enjoyed a short stroll to their partner agencies, heard from experts about homelessness in the Kwinana and Rockingham regions and enjoyed morning tea at Anglicare WA. With over 150 attendees on the day, St Pat's chief executive officer Michael Piu said it's vital to work closely together and provide people with the support they need, when they need it. 'These events have given us an opportunity to connect, educate our community about the services we provide and highlight some of the challenges people experiencing homelessness are facing, in particular, the growing number of families in our region,' he said.
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