Tasmanians bed down to put homelessness to sleep
Tasmanians bed down to put homelessness to sleep
30 August 2022
Salvos, politicians and community members took part in the Salvos SleepOut across Tasmania last week to raise funds for the Army’s Street2Home program. (Polaroids top to bottom) Dean Cocker, of JAC Group, sleeps from a hanging platform at Launceston’s sleepout at the Penny Royal, a panel discussion in Hobart, Doorways Regional Manager Anita Reeve sleeps out in Launceston; (Main photo) Ezra Davidson and Launceston Salvos SleepOut participants during the street tour.
A night on Tasmania’s streets can be cold, wet and uncomfortable – but this is a daily reality for more than 300 people experiencing primary homelessness across the state.
However, the tide is turning after the 13th annual Salvos SleepOut, with four locations across the state raising more than $118,000 for The Salvation Army’s Street2Home community outreach programs across Tasmania.
Governor of Tasmania, the Honourable Barbara Baker AC (red beanie, left), speaks with Street2Home worker Anne Carr (in yellow) during a tour of popular rough-sleeping spots in the area.
More than 100 people participated and 80 people slept out when Hobart, Glenorchy, Kingston and Launceston hosted individual events last Thursday night as part of the biggest Salvos SleepOut to date.
In addition, Scotch Oakburn College and Calvin Christian School hosted sleepouts in the week before or after the event. And through local tours, guest speakers and expert panels – not to mention a windy night spent on the cold ground – students, community members and politicians all received first-hand experience of the reality of homelessness.
“The Salvos SleepOut raises vital funds to keep the Street2Home program running in both Hobart and Launceston. It is also an important opportunity to help educate the public about the challenges people experiencing homelessness face and the work the Salvos do,” said Amelia Natoli, Public Relations Manager for Tasmania.
“People could go around and actually see what conditions our workers are supporting people through. The next day you can see how much of an impact this has [on people]. It’s not often you need to figure out how to shower, arrive at work and still be in a good mood! You’ve got to put yourself in someone else’s shoes.”
Dean Cocker, of JAC Group, preparing to spend the night sleeping at new heights at the Penny Royal in Launceston.
This year signals the first time the Salvos SleepOut was held in Launceston, where a Primary Homelessness Support Worker was officially hired to run the Street2Home program in the state’s north last November.
The team in Launceston saw 25 people participate in the Salvos SleepOut at the Penny Royal Adventures site – the perfect place to make a dangling statement, considering the venue hosts rock climbing and a flying fox.
“Penny Royal Adventures was a great location for staff from the JAC Group to be suspended sleeping thanks to Spidertech!” said Aux-Lieutenant Roderick Brown, Launceston Corps Officer. “Both the JAC Group and Penny Royal showed great collaboration and willingness to be part of the event.”
All up, contributors from Launceston raised a significant part of the state tally, with the JAC group raising $26,000 alone. Local Federal Member Bridget Archer took part, while Deputy Premier Michael Ferguson arrived to help pack up the following day due to parliamentary sitting dates.
Roderick said the motivation for participating came from the prevalence of rough sleepers in the area – many of whom the Salvos interact with daily.
Kingsborough-Huon Corps Officer Captain Roz Edwards (left) and Divisional Commander Captain Kim Haworth at the Kingston Beach Surf Life Saving Club with other volunteers for the Salvos SleepOut.
“We are involved from a corps point of view through our community breakfast six days a week – at least half of our community members who attend are in current situations of primary homelessness [rough sleepers or in tent dwellings], so we are building relationships, working to understand their current situation and are building commitment to do whatever we can to support our Street2Home worker,” he said.
“This personal identification with people has brought the commitment and collaboration across the community that is directly [making a difference]”.
Glenorchy Corps participated in the sleepout for the third year in a row and participants spent the night sleeping in front of the Glenorchy City Council Chambers, which backs onto The Salvation Army Street Mission Centre.
Joined by Mayor Bec Thomas and Deputy Mayor Steven King for the night, the Governor of Tasmania, Her Excellency the Hon. Barbara Baker AC also participated in a tour of the area, where Corps Officer Captain Jeff Milkins highlighted where many sleep rough.
The Woolworths Group Finance Shared Services team get rugged up for the SleepOut at the Hotel Grand Chancellor in Hobart.
“Being a street mission, we’ve got a pretty good idea of what primary homelessness looks like here. Glenorchy is a more impoverished and lower-class area of Hobart – we tailor it around that. We keep our activities as local as possible,” Jeff said.
“It’s not just about money. It’s about awareness and getting this issue front and centre to the people who can make decisions about it in government and have an impact on it.”
In Hobart, a solid turnout of 30 people slept in front of the Hotel Grand Chancellor, the original location of the now annual event. Participants visited The Salvation Army Housing Campbell St, the Street Teams and Hobart Corps, where they learned about the Street2Home program and other supports offered by The Salvation Army.
They were also treated to a discussion about homelessness in the region with Cr Bill Harvey, representing the Lord Mayor, Ben Moroney, Homelessness and Housing Manager for The Salvation Army Street2Home program, and Divisional Commander Captain Kim Haworth.
Of note, community member Tyson, who the program had supported, shared his story. They were joined overnight by the Hon Rob Valentine MLC, who has taken part since the first event in Hobart over a decade ago.
In Kingston, Captain Roz Edwards helped lead the sleepout in collaboration with the Kingston Beach Surf Life Saving Club, where participants packed bags for people sleeping rough and participated in a community barbeque.
To donate to the Salvos SleepOut, visit salvossleepouttas.salvationarmy.org.au/.
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