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Homelessness Week Series

3 - 7 August 2020

With housing issues at the forefront of people’s minds and unemployment levels rising, 2020’s Homelessness Week is as important as ever. In the midst of this global pandemic, we facilitated a series of dynamic online articles, events and videos to ensure this important week was highlighted. There was a special global focus with homelessness expert, Dr Nonie Brennan, who joined us live from Canada. A progress update was also given on the Adelaide Zero Project and its goal of reaching functional zero street homelessness in the inner city.

This week was brought to by our generous major event partner, Capital City Committee.
Presented by the Don Dunstan Foundation. Thank you to Foundation’s major partners University of Adelaide and Flinders University.

 

Opinion Editorial with Dr John Falzon

Sociologist and poet Dr John Falzon is an inspirational speaker and social justice advocate. Dr Falzon’s opinion editorial for Homelessness Week 2020 contains a commentary on the current state of homelessness, why a Housing First approach is critical and how appropriate support is essential for people experiencing homelessness.

Read Now.

Dr John Falzon - Speech - 2019 Homelessness Conference

Adelaide Zero Project Community Briefing: Making Progress during COVID-19
Online Dunstan Dialogue (public and sector)

This webinar discussed how we can use data and collaboration to drive positive solutions.

The Adelaide Zero Project is a nation-leading initiative that aims to end street homelessness in Adelaide’s inner city.  The Adelaide Zero Project’s collaborative approach played a critical role in supporting people sleeping rough in the city during the COVID-19 time. This session also shared the latest progress, data, research and solutions from Adelaide Zero Project partners and delved into the current state of street homelessness in Adelaide.

More information.

Health, Housing and Homelessness Papers
News article and Papers release on website

Partner organisations of the Adelaide Zero Project have been working collaboratively to apply a public health framework of prevention, to consider the opportunities for preventing homelessness through addressing its root causes. A series of papers have been developed that aim to articulate the structural and systemic changes, and the range of preventative approaches, that may be required to ‘turn off the tap.’

Read the papers and find out more about how this collaborative piece came together.

Read here.

Global and Local Perspectives on Homelessness in a Pandemic
Online Dunstan Dialogue

Our most recent Thinker in Residence (2019), Dr Nonie Brennan discussed how COVID-19 has impacted people experiencing homelessness across the globe. Dr Brennan was joined by leading South Australian homelessness researcher, Professor Chris Leishman, University of Adelaide  as he shone a light on affordability in the Australian housing market.

More Information.

Student Challenge: Creative responses to homelessness
Digital Conversation/ Online challenge

University of Adelaide and Flinders University students have delved into the complex issue of homelessness and what it might look like in 2030.

The students were provided with a brief and the objective to raise awareness of homelessness as a social issue while identifying the current knowledge base and perspectives from students or the community.

The project is a mixed media approach, responding to the question ‘What will the state of homelessness be in the future?’

Read the brief here.

View the submissions here.

Homelessness, Housing and Children Interview, Article and Presentation

Dr Yvonne Parry of Flinders University’s Caring Futures Institute (CFI), has recorded a special presentation to share with Don Dunstan Foundation supporters.

‘Children living in housing instability/homelessness often fall through the gaps in service delivery. They represent the invisible face of homelessness. Homeless children lack access to health services.’

Dr Parry’s 2019, six-month scoping study identified the impact of barriers to current health service delivery models, including low immunisation rates and high rates of preventable health conditions. Embedding a Paediatric Nurse Practitioner has directly addressed the needs of children attending homelessness services. Watch the presentation, or read the articles to find out more.

Watch Presentation here.

Listen to the ABC Radio Interview.

Read online article here.

 

 

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