Did you know that over 4,400 Melburnians have now joined the movement to make Melbourne a world-leading city in ending street homelessness? Having you on board really helps to show we’re a caring city committed to making a difference!
Did you know that over 4,400 Melburnians have now joined the movement to make Melbourne a world-leading city in ending street homelessness? Having you on board really helps to show we’re a caring city committed to making a difference!
We’re pleased to also welcome our newest Melbourne Zero Network members - Mobilise, a charity focused on providing practical care, conversation and connection to people experiencing homelessness, and Orange Sky Australia – a for-purpose organisation providing free mobile laundry and shower services for people experiencing homelessness and hardship, with a welcoming space for genuine, non-judgemental chats.
Every month we’re committed to providing you with tangible actions you can take to help end street homelessness in our city, sharing big ideas from interesting people, and keeping you up to date with the progress being made in LGAs right across Melbourne. In this edition, Beth shares her lived experience of sleeping rough and the hopeful future she’s now making. Read how architecture can make Melbourne a kinder place. Listen to a podcast series that unpacks the relationship between homelessness and our changing climate. And learn how close some LGAs are to reaching ‘Functional Zero’ homelessness in their local area.
Readings’ recommendations - good reads for June
Readings is not only our city’s most iconic bookstore but a treasured Melbourne Zero Network member too. Looking for a good read? They’ve curated a special list of books for us to inspire change and help build an understanding of homelessness - compelling stories in fiction and non-fiction, young adult, children’s books, hardback and paperback. Take a look at their recommendations today.
A rough sleeping snapshot from the inner city & outer suburbs
Prahran Square. Photo by Victor Lu
Each month our website shows updated By-Name-List numbers of people experiencing rough sleeping across five Local Government Areas in Melbourne.
The latest data shows a continued declining trend in rough sleeping across the inner city. The number of people on the City of Melbourne and Port Phillip’s By-Name-Lists have fallen to historically low levels (209 and 51, respectively), and the City of Stonnington now has a very small list of 8 people actively homeless. But as we head into our coldest months, we’re seeing a different story in the outer Cities of Frankston and Dandenong, with persistently high numbers of people actively homeless (83 and 62).
Homes + healthcare + support = ending homelessness.
Do you know what your local council is doing to help end homelessness? Here is a useful guide to start conversations with decision-makers in your local area about how ending homelessness is possible.
Living with courage; starting new lives
“The week that I got evicted, I found out I was pregnant. I had a big choice to make, and I realised there was something more important than me.”
Beth experienced homelessness and rough sleeping in Melbourne for three years, but now she is home.
Hear Beth tell her story, from sleeping in Melbourne’s laneways to living with the fragile security of housemates to now experiencing the joy of settling into her own place and getting ready for the arrival of her baby.
Designing a more generous city
Andrew Tilleyman, Director of ARM Architecture, believes that social housing should inspire a sense of pride and place.
The architect behind Viv’s Place in Dandenong – where women and children are given the chance to thrive – tells us how Melbourne can create affordable housing that shakes off the stigma of austerity and imagines a more generous and kind city that can end homelessness.
Looking for more actions to take in June?
Listen to the podcast Under One Blue Roof where University of Melbourne student, Maroushka Saldanha, talks with representatives from Network member organisations Launch Housing, Infoxchange, Big Issue and HoMie about the intersection between #climate and #homelessness. Find the full series on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Amazon Music.
Read about the Victorian Labor Government’s recent funding announcement giving close to $10 million to support four organisations providing mental health support to people experiencing homelessness in Melbourne. This funding acknowledges the vital link between homelessness and healthcare.
Keep the warm feelings flowing this Winter. Whether you’re one person or part of an organisation, tax time and the chilly season is the perfect time to make a donation to help end homelessness. One-off donations, or regular monthly gifts, make a big difference to specialist homelessness service providers across Melbourne.
Want more ideas?
There’s lots that you can do to help end homelessness in Melbourne - no matter how much time you have.