Understanding the Impact of Homelessness in Australia

Homelessness is a reality for many Australians, with some sobering statistics from Homelessness Australia that highlight the scale of the problem:

• 122,494 people in Australia are experiencing homelessness on any given night (ABS Census 2021).
• One in seven individuals experiencing homelessness are children under 12 (ABS Census 2021).
• Nearly one in four homeless individuals are children and young people aged between 12 and 24 (ABS Census 2021).
• One in five people experiencing homelessness are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people (ABS Census 2021).
• Only 6.2% of homeless individuals are sleeping rough. The majority are in crisis accommodation, rooming houses, insecure housing, overcrowded dwellings, or couch surfing.

Homelessness is often misunderstood as “rooflessness”—an older person on a park bench with a shopping trolley. However, the real picture is much broader and includes people living in temporary accommodations, sleeping on a friend’s couch, or even in their cars.

There are multiple reasons why individuals may experience homelessness including: affordability of rent, family violence or abuse, family relationships, and other issues such as substance abuse, mental health conditions, or unemployment.

At The Personnel Group, we see firsthand how homelessness affects the most vulnerable and disadvantaged members of our community. Stable housing is crucial for maintaining employment; without it, finding and keeping a job becomes nearly impossible.

Fortunately, there are wonderful organisations in our region working tirelessly to address homelessness, including Vinnies, Uniting Care, YES Emergency Services, Beyond Housing, Homes Out West, Carevan, among others. We encourage everyone to support community organisations like these, whether it’s volunteering, a donation, building awareness, or supporting community initiatives that work towards a future where everyone has a safe and stable place to call home.