Catholic Leader
Rosies offers a helping hand to gather accurate census information
ROSIES – Friends on the Street is encouraging anyone who is homeless – or living in insecure and uncertain housing – to complete next Tuesday’s census form.
Despite the difficulties of the COVID-19 lockdown, the charity’s chief executive officer Jayne Shallcross said Rosies outreach volunteers had been talking to patrons on the streets of Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast about the importance of providing accurate information to census gatherers.
“It helps ensure that everyone is counted and therefore it assists the government assesses services for those who are struggling with homelessness or other needs,” Ms Shallcross said.
Experts say as many as 20 per cent of homeless people weren’t counted in the 2016 census, which recorded 116,427 people were without a safe, secure place to sleep that night.
Rosies, with its familiar outreach vans manned by volunteers, is one of many welfare organisations that has been working with the Australian Bureau of Statistics to encourage homeless people to complete census documents since it is the only national record of their living conditions.
“We’re in a very challenging time because COVID has really heightened the issue of homelessness and social isolation,” Ms Shallcross said.
“We’re certainly seeing more newly homeless – people who have been impacted by loss of employment, financial stress or higher rental costs.
“Rent subsidies have not kept up with the increases in rents.
“Our outreaches are very much about connecting with people and creating a safe space they can come and get information, where they can talk and feel they are safe and heard,” she said.
Ms Shallcross said the ABS Census field officers to be sent to collect information at outreach centres had been selected because they had experience in the welfare sector.
The ABS has asked those filling out census forms at home next Tuesday to include unrelated housemates, flatmates or boarders visitors or friends who spent census night in the dwelling, including those with no fixed address.
“We don’t have sufficient social and community housing to fill the need and therefore we continue to have challenges around homelessness.”
Rosies has witnessed an increasing number of women, and particularly older women, looking for services and support.
– By Mark Bowling
