St Vincent de Paul Society champions ‘Collective Impact’ to eliminate homelessness in Tasmania by 2025

St Vincent de Paul Society’s State President, Mr Mark Gaetani, said that combating homelessness in Tasmania required thought leadership and greater collaboration between government, not-for-profits, and the wider community to potentially eliminate street homelessness in Tasmania by 2025.

Speaking after the conclusion of the St Vincent de Paul Society’s CEO Sleep-out, Mr Gaetani said that while 57 dedicated community leaders participated in the CEO Sleep-out to build awareness of homelessness – and raise over $150,000 to fund critical programmes – the whole community could do more to help those in need.

“Now that we have built awareness of homelessness in Tasmania via the CEO sleep-out, we have a responsibility to bring the community together and use the momentum to tackle homelessness once and for all. Homelessness cannot and must not become an issue we think about every winter or once a year when we hold the CEO sleep-out. As a community, we owe each other more than that,” Mr Gaetani said.

“As a community, we must adopt the ‘Collective Impact’ approach; a framework within which the private sector, not-for-profits, and governments collaborate to solve the multi-dimensional issue of homelessness in all its forms. The framework requires five key elements: a common agenda, a shared system of measurement, mutually reinforcing activities, continuous communication between organisations, and robust infrastructure to coordinate the initiative,” he added.

“Collective Impact has worked successfully to end veteran and chronic homelessness in 75 US communities; and serves as the foundation of the Adelaide Zero Project – focused on eliminating street homelessness in Adelaide by 2020.

“Many in our community equate the number of homelessness in Tasmania to those sleeping rough on the streets, in our parks, and under bridges. These are just the ‘visible homeless’; who represent just eight percent of those in need. The invisible 92 percent live in insecure, temporary, overcrowded, and unsafe places.

“There is a disturbing trend of increased homelessness from 2006 to 2016. Homelessness increased by 41 percent, from 1,145 to 1,622 people. The number of people at risk of homelessness also increased. 57 percent are in the south, mainly in Hobart.  23 percent are in Launceston and the North East, and 20 percent in the West and North West. On any given night, around 140 men, women, children and families will be sleeping rough in cars, tents, boats, under bridges, and in parks across Tasmania.

“Lack of affordable housing, loss of employment, family breakdown, mental health issues and substance abuse, all contribute to homelessness. It does not just effect individuals, their families, friends, and the wider community are all affected.

“Sometimes I think we treat the symptoms of homelessness instead of the causes. We lack a vision for homelessness in Tasmania, which means we are destined to tread water in improving the lives of Tasmania’s homelessness,” Mr Gaetani said.

Mr Gaetani said the whole community, from CEOs to everyone who shares Vinnies’ vision to improve the lives of the homeless can contribute, through:

• Education – helping to dispel the stereotype of a homeless person and learning about the reasons for homelessness;
• Advocacy – it is critical that governments understand that housing and homelessness affect everyone;
• Respect – remembering that people who are homeless are part of our community too; entitled to the same consideration, respect, and courtesy we extend to our family and friends;
• Donations – every donation of money, toys, clothing, and food helps to restores the dignity to those in need; and
• Volunteering – Vinnies always welcome those who wish to donate their time, skills, and expertise.