Year 11 Salvation Army Excursion

Our Year 11 VCAL class recently attended the Salvation Army Homelessness workshop. The purpose of this program is to heighten the awareness and understanding of homelessness and poverty in Australia. Students are given an overview of the issue including statistics, causes and the impact on people when they are disadvantaged. Additionally they are educated on the reality of homelessness and the program aims to challenge stereotypes and foster empathy for those who are experiencing difficult circumstances.

Our presenter, Grace started her workshop by defining homelessness: “Not having access to secure, long term and safe accommodation”. She then outlined the causes, statistics, facts and myths related to homelessness. We watched media clips and completed practical activities which initiated discussion on the challenges and hardships on those dispossessed, with special emphasis on the young.

The students learnt that there are 116,437 homeless people in Australia. The majority of these are male, under the age of 25, and that the main cause of homelessness is domestic violence followed by lack of affordable housing. A surprising fact was that of those who are homeless, 1 in 4 have a mental condition in which 60% developed this condition as a direct result of becoming homeless.

The class was then taken on a guided city walking tour, highlighting the alleyways and public places where the homeless “sleep rough”. This part of the excursion was an eye-opener. We visited a number of locations where people try and find some temporary shelter, including Parliament gardens (where, ironically, the backdrop is 5 star hotels and the Paris end of Collins St). The distinction between rich and poor is evident. Grace told us real stories about real people at each location. She discussed the challenges the homeless faced on a nightly basis and how fear from violent attacks is uppermost on their minds.

The Salvation Army excursion is a confronting one for our students. It exposes them to people who have had challenging lives – some, through no fault of their own. In addition to understanding the homelessness issue, we feel this experience highlighted the need for tolerance and compassion towards those less fortunate than ourselves.

Ms Vicki Handris.

VCAL Coordinator