28 March 2008

Helping the homeless in the ACT and QBN

| stereo henry
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Does anyone know of any services (either volunteer or otherwise) that help homeless or disadvantaged people in the ACT and QBN?

I know about the Vinnies night patrol, home in qbn and anglicare on Northbourne, but are there any others? or any places that provide meals, emergency accommodation, etc.?

Any info would be appreciated,

cheers.

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Nemo those are some pretty sweeping assumptions made given that stereo henry has only asked for information. Maybe he wants to volunteer. Maybe he has a job! The ’emergency’ part of ’emergency accommodation’ lends itself to a short-term need, not long-term free accommodation. Seriously.

canberra men’s centre does a lot for the homeless or those at risk of homelessness

some choose crack over paying rent

the point is that i’m not giving one cent to those that beg at the bus interchange

Quite a lot of support services out there depending on what your situation is. The CEAS line and Anglicare Housing are good starting points. There is a range of refuge accommodation but it is generally full although many services have outreach support which can support people during the process of finding accommodation. There is the Early Morning Centre at the Churches Centre in Northborne Ave which is also an excellent resource as well as being a good breakfast.

Any relationship between these unfortunates and the wheelchair bound toerag in an accompanying thread?

Probably a diference of degree.

I agree Ant. But, many of these services are directly aimed at people under 25. People who still have a choice about the direction of their lives.
Instead of soup kitchens and the like, enforce residential drug rehab and job training.

Many of the people who use these places have some form of mental disability, behavioural problems or on-going substance dependancy (often interlinked with the previous two issues also). They can’t “pull themselves together” or “just be normal” so there does need to be places that cater to them.

Deadmandrinking, thanks for your insightful comment.

All the handouts in the world don’t help if one isn’t willing to help oneself. People can go to soup kitchens and homeless shelters until the cows come home. They should put their energy into doing something proactive.

Disclaimer: I haven’t come from a privileged background – i know what it is like to be homeless with a child in the middle of a Canberra winter.

Spare me your bleeding heart philosophies.

Ainslie village has been the major home for many homeless/itinerant/welfare dependant people for decades. It’s up behind the CSIRO place on Limestone Avenue. From memory, there’s also Havelock House (I think it’s for youngies only though), the Salvos have a temporary shelter too.

Deadmandrinking2:09 am 29 Mar 08

Nemo, you are f-king gobsmackingly stupid. Most jobs require you to have an address, for starters.

How many beds does Ainslie Village usually have available?

Canberra has a lot of Big Issue sellers in Civic.

Ainslie Village provides accomodation and subsidised hot meals.

I’d suggest the job section of the Canberra Times.

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