Every night in Australia up to 116,000 people are homeless. Homeless Persons Week, running from August 6 to 12, aims to raise awareness across Australia about homelessness and the support options available to people needing assistance.
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To mark Homeless Persons Week local support provider New Horizons will be hosting an event on Friday 10 August.
The event will bring together Specialist Homelessness Service providers to provide information for the local community, businesses and those who might need support.
New Horizons is a not-for-profit organisation that provides support for homeless people or people at risk of homelessness.
They have supported around 2,500 people to find and secure accommodation over the past 12 months.
Judi Higgin CEO of New Horizons said: “Homelessness has increased around 14 per cent Nationally over the past five years, so it’s a really important issue to discuss. We see people at risk of homelessness for a number of reasons.
“In Kempsey, almost a third (30 per cent) of people coming to us do so because of financial stress or affordability issues. A further 11 per cent are living in temporary accommodation.
“But importantly, support is out there. We provide a range of services including advocacy, life skills programs, tenancy support, referrals to financial counselling and budgeting, as well as negotiations and referrals to specialist support services such as domestic violence and mental health support.”
New Horizons has a number of successful programs across NSW, such as the Supporting and Securing Tenancies program for people experiencing homelessness, which focuses on supporting people to find and maintain appropriate, affordable and sustainable housing.
They will be driving an awareness campaign during Homeless Person’s Week, providing information and resources for the community and for those doing it tough.
