Ruah was proud to be one of the sector sponsors and contributors of the Council to Homeless Person’s special edition of Parity – “Ending Homelessness in Western Australia”.
This edition of Parity includes articles, opinion pieces, studies and lived-experience accounts of the fight to end homelessness during a time of overwhelming demand and crisis-level housing shortages.
It’s also a reflection of the commitment and endeavours of the many people and service organisations in the health, housing and community sectors in WA who are working to make a difference in the lives of some of our most vulnerable people.
Among the many informative articles sharing expertise, learnings and experiences of working with people experiencing homelessness, you’ll find one from our CEO, Debra Zanella, who reflects on the impact of housing shortages on the relationship between client and service staff.
Based on a moving letter received from a Ruah Centre Support Worker it powerfully describes the challenges our team experience daily when faced with the reality of ever-increasing demand, diminishing housing supply and over-stretched support services.
In the opening paragraphs of an article, co-authored by Zero Project Manager Michala McMahon and Business Development & Service Design Project Officer Cate Pattison, which charts the evolution of Housing First’s progress in WA, we read:
“WA Sandgropers are keen to boast the ‘fantastic lifestyle’ enjoyed by living in this state, even though some 9,000 of its people are homeless… Life is not so sunny for all.”
Check it out and learn more about the 50 Lives 50 Homes project, the development of the Zero Project and the many challenges and successes they have experienced in their work to end homelessness.
Download the full edition of Volume 34 Issue 10, Parity: Ending Homelessness in Western Australia here.