Whole of community approach needed to address homelessness

That is the message from Jamie Van Haren who found himself living on the streets after a series of traumatic family and personal events that shaped his young life.

The 25-year-old has just found his own home and is now studying. But many like him, he admits, do not have the support or inner strength to make it out the other side.

"I helped myself first and foremost because I had to realise no-one was going to do it for me. I had to take responsibility for myself," Jamie said.

Alcohol played a big role in his life. It was his way of coping.

Jamie's story: Together Home program turns the key and breaks homelessness cycle

"For a long time, from about 13 years old, I'd go and stay with friends but would still go home. At 16 I would bounce around with my cousins and at 18 I just left home. I'd been homeless from about 18 through to the time I was 24.

"Eventually, I ended up in Newcastle and got to 21 and lived fully on the street. It was the worst point. I was using drugs and alcohol.

"I've never had a problem with drugs, but it was always alcohol that brought me down. I regret doing alcohol.

"I spun out of control, became a bad alcoholic. I couldn't put it down."

Jamie admits while he was alone, he also resisted support. The system, he says, is falling short and a 'one size fits all' approach will fail.

"We need to start focusing more on the individual rather than the community at large. When you focus on society alone, you forget the individual. We need to put more emphasis on individual care."

It's time to start listening. Jamie says he was fortunate he had self awareness and the motivation to change and is thankful for the direction and guidance from services such as New Horizons.

"I had to jump so many hoops. I had to fill in the forms, I had to find myself a home. I had to break the cycle of addiction, violence and homelessness. When we have a success story, society doesn't celebrate the efforts of that individual enough," he said.

Jamie is now on the road to recovery.

"Are we supporting each other, are we going to help each other? They are the questions we need to ask and focus on."

In Port Macquarie and Taree, the current wait list for social housing (as at December 2020) is five to 10 years for one or two bedroom accommodation.

For three bedrooms, the wait jumps to 10-plus years in Port Macquarie and Coffs Harbour, according to the latest figures by NSW Department of Communities and Justice.

There are 711 applicants on the wait list in Port Macquarie with 93 registered as a priority.

Across NSW, there are more than 46,000 applicants on the housing register.

Jamie joined the Brothers In Need and other service providers at Kooloonbung Creek reserve on Saturday, May 29 for a community breakfast and as an opportunity to start conversations about homelessness as a national crisis.

Read more: Housing crisis deepens amid rental shortage and exodus to the regions

The Port Macquarie-Hastings Homeless Committee will run a series of events later this year to raise funds and awareness of homelessness in the community.

The committee hopes to fundraise enough money to provide lockers in Port Macquarie for rough sleepers, with the long-term goal to create a 'drop-in centre' that will provide a place where people without a home can come and take a shower, wash clothes and have easy access to services. Additionally, funds are being used to support weekly breakfasts at Kooloonbung Creek.

This year, radio personality Jason Bodger is the ambassador for Homelessness Week in August. Jason brings his own experience on the streets to the table and uses his insight to help guide the conversation about solutions and care.

He says homelessness is the responsibility of the whole community and without a united approach, providing people with help and finding solutions will remain challenging.

A Homelessness Awareness Festival is planned for Port Macquarie Town Green, on Wednesday August 4.

And for the second year in a row, the Surf@Home Campaign will raise money for the rough sleepers in the area.

This year, the committee is asking people to commit to sleeping on their couch for one night only between August 1-7 as a part of the national campaign.

It will be matched by a Give a Card campaign where residents can donate a shopping gift card to any Lifeline Shop or New Horizons and service providers will distribute them to people who are doing it tough.

Support services driving homelessness awareness are New Horizons, Lifeline Mid Coast, Community Housing Ltd, Hastings Neighbourhood Services, YP Space, Mid North Coast Legal Centre, Neami National, The Hope Shop, Port Macquarie Clinic 33, NSW Health, NSW Police and Life without Barriers.

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