Safe Harbor’s Post

The violence in Alice Springs this week is a symptom of much deeper social drivers we should all be paying attention to. Alice Springs has 12 times the rate of homelessness nationally, high levels of overcrowding, and completely unaffordable rents for adults on good incomes. Young people trying to compete with adults in this context don’t stand a chance at securing a safe and stable place to live. Without this, it’s hard to finish school, further training or studies; get a job; support your family; and be active, thriving members of the community. Responding with a youth curfew is like putting a plaster cast on a person with a chronic health condition. We need solutions that go deeper than this to address the many and varied root causes of this violence. Youth Foyers offer 16-24 year olds with a safe and stable place to live for up to two years while they engage in education and work. They are not a silver bullet, but will enable more young people in Alice Springs to set themselves up for thriving futures. That’s why many in the community, including the #AliceSprings Mayor, Matt Paterson, and Annie Taylor from NT Shelter, were calling for Federal Government investment in a Youth Foyer in Alice Springs last week before we saw this violence erupt. In case you missed it, watch the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) News story here: https://lnkd.in/gkMeX8GD Tyrah Chan-Hampton Liz Cameron-Smith Myles Houlbrook-Walk Jim Chalmers Linda Burney #FoyerNetwork #BuildMoreFoyers #YouthFoyers #50FoyersBy2030 #housingcrisis #housingsolutions #youthhomelessnessmatters #YouthHomelessness #LifeSkills #YouthEmpowerment  #EndYouthHomelessness #JulieCollinsMP #HousingMinister

What types of support services are effective for families experiencing homelessness? A shelter stay should address a family’s immediate needs while laying the groundwork for long-term stability through comprehensive social services, early education, and job training. Visit https://bit.ly/icphFAQ for more. #NYC #FamilyHomelessness #Homelessness

At The Other Side Village, we're saving and transforming lives through our peer-led permanent supportive community-centered solution for those transitioning out of chronic homelessness, rather than relying on temporary fixes. While emergency shelters play an essential role in providing immediate short-term relief and act as a stopgap until permanent housing or supportive services can be accessed, our approach emphasizes lasting transformation and sustainable change. The Other Side Village is built on a "human-first" model, offering not just housing, but a peer-led democratic therapeutic community where individuals can rebuild their lives. It focuses on long-term transformation that includes: personal accountability and shared values, trusted peer relationships, safe and affordable housing, community assignments, job training, employment opportunities, physical and mental health resources, individualized coaching from lived experience experts, financial coaching, life skills, and personal growth programs that promote self-reliance and dignity—creating pathways out of poverty and homelessness. We believe that everyone deserves more than a bed for the night. They deserve a future. The Other Side Village offers that possibility. #TransformingFutures #EndHomelessness #HumanFirst #SocialImpact #ChangeStartsHere #TogetherWeThrive

Today’s #homelessness statistics are deeply concerning. The figures are clear that homelessness in England is soaring, and they echo what we are hearing from frontline workers – the people tackling this issue head on – across the UK. Every person deserves a safe place to call home, but these statistics show us that instead, more and more people are being pushed into homelessness. This is putting pressure on an already strained sector, made up of frontline workers who are fighting day-in-day-out to achieve better futures for people. Read our full statement on the latest figures here: https://loom.ly/MLiCqUE

It’s National Homelessness Week, and I'd like to take this opportunity to encourage you to learn more about the social and systemic factors contributing to homelessness and housing access. A common misconception is that homelessness results from individual failings or moral shortcomings, basically suggesting that those experiencing homelessness should feel ashamed — or even worse, it’s just ‘laziness’. This viewpoint is tied to the just world theory, which claims that ‘good things happen to good people and bad things happen to bad people’, leading to victim-blaming behaviour. In reality, homelessness does not discriminate and can happen to anyone. Do you believe housing is a fundamental human right? If you're interested in learning more about housing and other social determinants of health, I recommend the following books in my recent video from Instagram 🏡♥️ #housing #publichealth #socialdeterminantsofhealth #homelessness

Let's rewrite the rules!

Homelessness is a widespread issue affecting both rural and urban communities across the United States, with over 650,000 people experiencing homelessness on any given night, and many more that remain uncounted. This population includes a disproportionate number of veterans, youth, minorities and individuals with disabilities, underscoring systemic failures that contribute to homelessness. This crisis is fueled by various factors, including the lack of affordable housing, stagnant wages, and systemic inequalities. Missouri mirrors other states grappling with the housing affordability crisis, where only 44 affordable units are available for every 100 extremely low-income renter households. Even with a state minimum wage of $12.30 an hour, that minimum wage worker needs to work 50 hours a week to afford a modest 1-bedroom apartment. You can learn more by reading the rest of our newest Weekly Perspective blog post here: https://lnkd.in/gmXbwnpb And in case you missed our previous 2 blog posts on other facets of Homelessness in Missouri, you can find our Weekly Perspective archive here: https://lnkd.in/gyGpBFVz Image description: blue text reading "New Weekly Perspective on the Blog! Homelessness in Missouri: The Criminalization of Poverty and Homelessness, A Human Rights Crisis" with a photo of tents along a street #EmpowerMOperspective #WeeklyPerspective #Blog #Missouri  #HousingJustice #Homelessness #HousingCrisis #AffordableHousing #HousingIsAHumanRight

How to avoid becoming homeless

"The new, unlikely face of homelessness: Working Americans with decent-paying jobs who simply can’t afford a place to live." Unlike many of the negative narratives surrounding homelessness, which often exclusively attribute its causes to substance abuse or mental health, the reality is that the number one cause of homelessness is the inability to afford housing, which is affecting working people all over the county. A recent Washington Post article sheds light on the experiences of employed Americans who are unhoused and the millions of working Americans who are at dire risk of losing their homes due to the high cost of living. https://lnkd.in/e4vQEgrK

"Why Don’t They Just Get a Job?" It's a question many of us have asked when we see someone struggling with homelessness. With "Help Wanted" signs everywhere, it seems like jobs should be easy to find, right? But for people living on the streets, the road to employment is filled with roadblocks: No fixed address for job applications No phone or email to get call-backs No clean clothes or shower access for interviews Gaps in work history and sometimes a criminal record for minor offenses No transportation, no driver’s license, no ID documents And most of all: the stigma of homelessness itself. At Vita Nova Village, we’re committed to removing these barriers, offering real pathways to employment, self-sufficiency, and a livable wage for those who want to work but just need a chance. If you’re passionate about lifting others up and believe in second chances, we need your support. Together, we can provide the tools, resources, and opportunities that are so often out of reach for people experiencing homelessness. Let’s make a difference. Support Vita Nova Village today and be part of the solution. #AffordableHousing #SecondChances #EndHomelessness #LivableWage #SupportVitaNovaVillage www.vitanovavillage.org