We can end homelessness in Melbourne, starting with ending rough sleeping by 2030
There are many practical actions you can take to support change in your community. Help build the momentum for change by encouraging your friends and family to join the movement, too.
Know what to do in the moment
Seeing someone sleeping rough in your local area can feel confronting, especially when you're unsure how to help.
While there's no one right action, the kindness of strangers (that means each of us) can make the world of difference to someone experiencing homelessness.
Stop
See the person. Simple actions from making eye contact or a warm smile can be the start of acknowledging someone's humanity and dignity. Acknowledge the person is there and part of our community. If it feels appropriate, consider pausing to share a friendly comment.
Share
If it feels appropriate, consider asking how the person is and if there's something they'd like. Sharing a hot coffee, voucher, food, money or socks can brighten someone's day – but do ask them first. If they have an animal, share kind words about it or ask what their pet's name is. Be sure to keep your own expectations in check. And be mindful that some people don't want to be approached.
Care
While you've just shown that our community cares, know there's more you can do as you walk away. Contacting your local council can help connect someone with the immediate and longer term support they need. Read on for other actions you can take to help.
Be part of change in your community
Advocate for change to your local council
There are two key ways to advocate to council: through public meetings and advocating for individual councillors to champion change. Download our Grassroots Action Guide today to support your local council advocacy.
Build empathy and bust stigma with our Conversation Pack
Use our helpful Conversation Pack as a guide for holding conversations at home, work, or school to:
- Help reinforce that there are known solutions to end homelessness
- Say positive things about public housing in your community
- Words matter, replace the phrase ‘homeless person’ with ‘person experiencing homelessness’ to reflect that it's a temporary experience rather than someone's permanent identity
Listen to people with a lived experience discuss the things you should know about homelessness in this short video and share it with others.
Pay it forward
We’ve all got it, so let’s use it. Use your purchasing power by ‘paying it forward' when buying your next coffee, catering, clothes, good read, cosmetics or interior design. Our Melbourne Zero partners include a host of social enterprises and are all actively addressing homelessness across Melbourne. Show them some love in return. Why not buy one extra for someone else doing it tough?
Donate or volunteer
Donate or volunteer to support a community organisation working to end rough sleeping homelessness in your area. A one-off donation helps run local services and solutions, and regular gifts (like monthly donations) provide stability to enable even deeper impacts. Many of our Melbourne Zero partner organisations rely on donations and volunteers from people like you to deliver services across Melbourne.
Switch to an ethical real estate for property management services
Consider switching to an ethical real estate agency for the management of any Melbourne-based investment properties you own, or are aware of (maybe family or friends have a property they’re renting out?). HomeGround Real Estate is a social enterprise real estate agency where 100% profits help end homelessness in Melbourne. It offers premium property management services enabling property owners to rent out their investment at standard market rates, or offer affordable or social rental rates (with special tax-deductible benefits!) for an even greater impact.
Encourage inclusivity at work
Take steps in your workplace to become a more inclusive employer for people at risk of or experiencing homelessness.
The Body Shop implemented Australia's first Open Hiring practice in 2021 seeking Christmas casual staff based on their potential not their past. They gained loyal permanent employees and started changing lives. Ikea and Dan Murphy's have since come on board - open Hiring can be a game-changer.
Find out more and consider the steps you could take at work.
Spark change across our Melbourne
Vote for systemic change
Vote for policies that end homelessness (more housing + healthcare + support). Local, State and Federal elections come but every few years and when they do it's a moment to reflect on the policies and platforms candidates and parties offer to end homelessness in Melbourne.
Policy-fueled problems require policy-change solutions. See the handy summary on VCOSS website. Spread the word. Every vote counts.
Amplify advocacy
Help amplify advocacy campaigns that address the root causes of homelessness. Follow, engage with and share Melbourne Zero's Instagram and Facebook content, order campaign stickers (contact [email protected] to arrange collection).
And please do also show your support for these powerful campaigns from our friends:
- Everybody's Home is a national campaign to fix the housing crisis
- Raise the Rate, a national campaign to increase JobSeeker & Rent Assistance to keep people out of poverty permanently
- YIMBY Melbourne advocates for housing abundance across Melbourne's inner-city councils on behalf of the voices of people who'd like to live in an area but can't
- The Australian Alliance to End Homelessness is an independent champion and catalyst, supporting and amplifying community efforts through driving the Advance to Zero movement to demonstrate it's possible to make homelessness rare, brief and once-off
Share the movement to help end rough sleeping by 2030
Send Melbourne Zero to someone you know who wants to be part of the change. Together, we can make sure no one is left behind.