Doing It Tough

Overview

Shoalhaven City Council actively works towards making Shoalhaven a great place to “live, work, stay and play”.

Included in this vision is the aim to work collaboratively with the community to prevent, reduce, and manage homelessness in Shoalhaven and improve the wellbeing of those who are ‘doing it tough’.

Do you or someone you know need help?

Southern Cross Housing are the community housing provider for Shoalhaven and can assist with applying for social or affordable housing or rent support.

If you need to find somewhere safe to sleep tonight, contact Southern Cross Housing’s ‘Access and Demand team’ on 1300 757 885 (business hours) or 1800 152 152 (after hours). No phone credit required.

Link2home is the state-wide homelessness information and referral telephone service. It is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year.

For information, assessment or referral to homelessness services and support anywhere NSW, call Link2home on 1800 152 152. No phone credit required.

Doing It Tough Directory

If you need support with a crisis, housing, food, clothing or other support in the Shoalhaven visit this directory of relevant service providers:

Community organisations can print hard copy versions of the Doing It Tough Directory book through Ulladulla Printing & Signing (UPS). The following are the specifications:

  • Doing It Tough Directory (For external printing)
  • Size: A6 portrait books
  • Spine: PUR perfect bound
  • Page count: 104 pages plus covers.
  • Colour: Full colour.
  • Paper type: Covers = 350gsm art board with matt laminate to outer.
  • Internal pages = 130gsm satin art board.

Contact print@ulladullaprinting.com.au to arrange a quote.

Would you like to help?

2023 Thrive Together Campaign

Shoalhaven Council is working in partnership with government agencies, community organisations and members of the community to help more people doing it tough access the support they need to thrive. This includes the Mayoral Relief Appeal, Thrive Together Donation Drive, Thrive Together Fair and Mayor’s Giving Box.

Follow the link to the Thrive Together Campaign to find out how you can support our community to “thrive together”.

Shoalhaven Community Led Plan for Homelessness

Does your organisation want to help people doing it tough but do not know where to begin? The Shoalhaven Community Led Plan for Homelessness provides a background on the experience of homelessness in Shoalhaven, and includes focus areas, actions, desired outcomes, and resources brought together by the collaborative efforts of the homelessness sector.

The community led plan helps us to direct our community efforts to identified areas of concern that are in much need of support. The four focus areas of the plan are:

  1. Early intervention and collaborative support
  2. Community awareness and education
  3. Advocacy and lobbying
  4. Housing and accommodation

Organisations are encouraged to get involved with the plan’s action items or direct their projects to meet the pre-identified desired outcomes of the plan.

Supporting rough sleepers

'Primary homelessness' is a form of homelessness where people sleep in nonconventional shelters or public spaces such as cars, parks, deserted buildings or on the streets. People who are experiencing primary homelessness are often referred to as ‘rough sleepers’.

To ensure people who are experiencing homelessness are treated with dignity and respect and without discrimination, Council has endorsed the Department of Communities and Justice Protocol for Homeless People in Public Places.

The protocol outlines that a person sleeping rough has a right to seek shelter and does not need to be approached unless:

  • They ask for help or appear to be in need of assistance
  • Their belongings are disrupting the functioning of the place they are in (such as play equipment) or they become hazardous, excessive and unsightly, are dumped or are deemed hazardous
  • Their behaviour threatens their safety or the safety of people around them, or may have a negative impact on the property or environment around them
  • An official, such as ambulance or police officer, seeks to assist them or exhange information
  • They are sheltering in circumstances that place their or others’ health and safety at risk (for example, staying in derelict buildings)
  • They are a child who appears to be under the age of 16 or a young person under 18 who may be at risk of significant harm

!SAFETY FIRST! Do not approach anyone behaving dangerously. Call 000 if someone is in immediate danger or requires emergency medical treatment.

If you would like to support someone in your neighbourhood who is sleeping rough there are a number of local outreach service providers you can contact who will reach out to the individual and offer assistance:

Salt Care

  • Area serviced: North and Central Shoalhaven
  • Referral Process / Contact Details: Contact 4480 5028 with location and name/description of individual(s) and their belongings.

Southern Cross Housing

  • Area serviced: All of Shoalhaven
  • Referral Process / Contact Details: Call 1300 757 885  or email info@scch.org.au with location and name/description of individual(s) and their belongings.

Vinnies Outreach Case Management

  • Area serviced: All of Shoalhaven
  • Referral Process / Contact Details: contact 4428 6207 for any questions or email referral@vinnies.org.au
  • Target Group: Men aged 21+

How we provide support

Council aims to help ease the related issues that affect people who are experiencing homelessness in our community.

Shoalhaven Community Led Plan for Homelessness

The community led plan for homelessness aims to address homelessness in Shoalhaven through a range of collaborative actions that will be implemented by the community and homelessness sector, and with support of Council.

The desired outcomes and actions included in the plan are based on ideas identified through two community workshops for homelessness which were hosted by Council in 2022. The five focus areas of the plan include:

  1. Early intervention and collaborative support
  2. Community awareness and education
  3. Advocacy and lobbying 
  4. Housing and accommodation.

Find out who and what is involved in Shoalhaven Community Led Plan for Homelessness.

Shoalhaven Homelessness Taskforce

The Shoalhaven Homelessness Taskforce is a strategic advisory committee established in March 2017. Its role is to:

  • Provide Council with strategic advice on homelessness and related issues that can be dealt with at a Local Government level
  • Work with Council to address issues, develop options and assist with the identification of preferred solutions as part of Council’s decision-making process
  • Advise on the development and application of a Homelessness Strategic Plan
  • Provide comment on relevant Council policies and strategies
  • Advocate community views on homelessness issues

Through the Homelessness Taskforce, Council has passed numerous homelessness response initiatives, including the development of the community led plan for homelessness, the Doing It Tough Directory, Thrive Together Fair and the internal Council staff protocols for responding to people experiencing homelessness in showgrounds and public spaces,