Corps comes clean on shower project
Corps comes clean on shower project
10 November 2021
Captain Nathan Hodges checks out one of the cubicles that are part of a new shower and laundry ministry the Victor Harbor Corps is starting to support rough sleepers.
Victor Harbor Corps is tapping into a community awash with interest in improving services to people sleeping rough in the seaside South Australian town.
Corps Officer Captain Nathan Hodges said upgraded shower and laundry services for those experiencing homelessness had been a pipe dream, but that was about to become a reality thanks to community support.
Nathan said showers at the corps were sometimes offered on a Friday to clients of its Doorways program, but he now wanted to make that available on other days.
When the shower initiative was started earlier this year, the corps had hoped to give each person a towel as part of the service but realised that would be costly if the program grew, so the plan to introduce a laundry was explored.
A washing machine and dryer were bought, and one of the dormitory rooms in the complex is being renovated into the laundry. Funding from community sources is paying for the plumbing, painting, and other conversion work. The work is expected to be completed in the next fortnight.
Victor Harbor Corps relocated from Crozier Road earlier this year to the redeveloped former Encounters Conference Centre, a dormitory-style, group-accommodation facility the Army owned.
Nathan said it was difficult to “repurpose a campsite into a corps”, but programs were now being introduced to utilise the facilities.
“What we’re doing is taking the existing space we have and saying, ‘How do we use this to reach out into our community’,” he said. “The ideas just keep coming.”
Complimentary shower packs for clients are available as part of the program. Many of these have been put together by community groups or through monetary donations.
“There is a lot of community motivation to see showers and laundry set up for people sleeping rough,” Nathan said. “The community is putting money into these things saying, ‘This is what we want’ or ‘We think this is a really good idea and we want to support it’. That’s one of the ways we know we’re heading in the right direction [as a corps].”
“For us, we’re going to do this free,” Nathan added, explaining that other community services sometimes charged people experiencing homelessness up to $5 to shower.
The corps is working on building its volunteer base to run the expanded program.
Making a difference
Nathan said he was part of the Southern Fleurieu Housing Roundtable, which was set up to raise awareness of homelessness in the region, and Fleurieu Homelessness Working Group, which were keen to support the corps program.
“[Those groups] are making a difference in the community and see the issues and want to get on board and see things change,” Nathan said.
“We’re building towards being able to do more to support our community ... to bless people.”
Comments
Well done team :) what a difference this will make to your community