Faith & Mission Reflection
Homelessness - A Social Justice Response
In Australia, every night there are around 116,000 people experiencing homelessness. For some, homelessness is a one-off occurrence. For others, it is a prolonged experience that may be intermingled with periods of being housed. The experience of homelessness in Australia can also vary greatly – from sleeping on the streets or moving between temporary situations, living in a crowded or unsafe dwelling, to living in caravan parks or cars.
Having a safe, permanent and affordable home provides the stability an individual or family needs to meaningfully participate in their community. This is often the first need that has to be addressed when people access social services. Without a place to call home, people will struggle to work, support their families and contribute to society.
Having adequate shelter is a basic human right; a right that the Church affirms as a key part of respecting and recognising our uniqueness. Ensuring everyone is able to access a safe, stable and adequate home is one part of working for the common good. This means that social, economic and political structures must reflect making home ownership or rental equitable for all, rather than being structured in restrictive, unjust ways.
Human dignity is the starting point and central concern of Catholic thinking about human rights. Each person is created in the image and likeness of God and therefore has a God-given dignity. Each member of the human family has equal rights because we are all children of God. Homelessness is a challenge for all levels of society: for government, for Church and community, and for us as individuals. Each one of us can make a difference and, when we join with others, we can be a real force for change that ensures everyone has a place to call home.
Presentation College Winter Sleepout
To support the work of St Vinnies in the services they provide individuals and families experiencing homelessness, Presentation College will be holding the PCW Winter Sleepout. Sleepouts give students a glimpse into the realities of homelessness by ‘sleeping rough’ for a night to raise awareness and funds for Vinnies' homelessness services. This experience challenges our sense of home and offers unique insights into the complex issues faced by people experiencing homelessness.
The PCW Winter Sleepout will be held at the College on Thursday, 5th September, beginning at 5.30pm. Students have been asked to register their attendance online by Wednesday, 28th August. Families are asked to donate a blanket for the St Vinnies Soup Van and sponsor the participant; a link for our fundraising page will be shared with students and their families in the coming days.
Josie Dilettoso
Director of Faith & Mission
Year 11 Street Retreat
On Tuesday, 20th of August, the Year 11s took part in our annual Street Retreat. This year, we focused on assumptions society has about homeless people, and even those around us. My group first did a workshop where we worked in small groups to guide a friend in building a design; we worked up to the point where both the instructor and the builder were blindfolded, so neither were able to see the design. This helped us build our empathy skills, which was a vital element of the day; we were able to work calmly with the builder as we knew how they felt in being blindfolded. A majority of the workshop was focused on getting to know those we would not normally talk to, and how to break assumptions we have about each other. Later on in the retreat, we formed groups and walked around the city, listening to the stories of those who have experienced homelessness in their lives. This was an eye opening experience, learning how no-one's story is the same and that homelessness is viewed in many different ways. After a warming lunch, we gathered in a group to walk around the city to discuss: is Melbourne the most livable city?, topics such as ‘anti homelessness devices’, and how homeless folks have been treated in their situation. While the day was cold and tiring, it was fascinating to learn about how we think of others, and why some people end up in difficult situations.
Zoe Molloy
Year 11 Student
Student Reflections
‘The retreat was eye-opening and informative, raising views about homeless people. There was a strong emphasis on values and empathy.’
‘I liked the stories the leader told us. The story about the man who dressed up as homeless and how he was treated was interesting.’
‘Why are there anti-homeless devices in the city? Why was Melbourne the most liveable city in the world?’
‘Why are the homeless treated so badly in Melbourne?’
'What is being done to stop this crisis?’
‘We saw parts of Melbourne we wouldn’t usually see.’
'Now, I wonder truly what the homeless people have to deal with as they go through this on a daily basis just to get food, water and necessities.’