Groups in Context
The homeless to safe and secure housing if the only housing to which the person has access:
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damages, or is likely to damage, the person’s health or threatens the person’s safety marginalises the person through failing to provide access to adequate personal amenities or the economic and social support that a home normally a ords places the person in circumstances that threaten or adversely a ect the adequacy, safety, security and a ordability of that housing.
Figure 1 Homelessness can be short- or long-term
Social definition
Society considers a person as homeless if they do not have access to safe and permanent housing. ey may live on the streets in: refuges cars, caravans, tents or garages squats una ordable private rental accommodation other forms of temporary accommodation (such as with friends).
Homelessness is not just a lack of shelter – it is also the lack of a safe and nurturing home environment; a private place where people feel comfortable and settled and where they feel they belong. A person may become homeless during a single short episode in their life, or homelessness may be a condition into which individuals enter and exit repeatedly over the course of their lives. People may become homeless due to changes in their income, mental or physical health, or in their ability to maintain social networks. The number of Australians experiencing long-term homelessness is unknown. The ‘real’ statistics may be unavailable simply because of the transient nature of a homeless person’s circumstances. Issues relating to the homeless are discussed in detail below. See chapter 5 (Researching community groups, pages 161 162) for an explanation of the headings used in this section.
• • • • •
Characteristics of the homeless
While homelessness itself appears to be simply de ned, the degree of homelessness can vary. Homelessness is divided into three di erent segments. Primary homelessness: Refers to people without conventional accommodation who
• • •
damages, or is likely to damage, the person’s health or threatens the person’s safety marginalises the person through failing to provide access to adequate personal amenities or the economic and social support that a home normally a ords places the person in circumstances that threaten or adversely a ect the adequacy, safety, security and a ordability of that housing.
Figure 1 Homelessness can be short- or long-term
Social definition
Society considers a person as homeless if they do not have access to safe and permanent housing. ey may live on the streets in: refuges cars, caravans, tents or garages squats una ordable private rental accommodation other forms of temporary accommodation (such as with friends).
Homelessness is not just a lack of shelter – it is also the lack of a safe and nurturing home environment; a private place where people feel comfortable and settled and where they feel they belong. A person may become homeless during a single short episode in their life, or homelessness may be a condition into which individuals enter and exit repeatedly over the course of their lives. People may become homeless due to changes in their income, mental or physical health, or in their ability to maintain social networks. The number of Australians experiencing long-term homelessness is unknown. The ‘real’ statistics may be unavailable simply because of the transient nature of a homeless person’s circumstances. Issues relating to the homeless are discussed in detail below. See chapter 5 (Researching community groups, pages 161 162) for an explanation of the headings used in this section.
• • • • •
Characteristics of the homeless
While homelessness itself appears to be simply de ned, the degree of homelessness can vary. Homelessness is divided into three di erent segments. Primary homelessness: Refers to people without conventional accommodation who