All night long the flood light outside the Beaudesert Showgrounds toilet block shines right in my face, providing a beacon of security while illuminating a sleepless, hyper-alert feeling of solidarity with people experiencing homelessness.
I am at the inaugural Scenic Rim Regional Council Under the Same Stars sleepout, raising awareness and funds to help with homelessness.
I won’t pretend choosing to spend one night being mildly uncomfortable makes me an expert in homelessness, but it is meaningful to hear from a panel of people about the serious lack of services available locally and the need to treat the complex matter with humanity.
Solidarity
The night has attracted a cross-section of local leaders, service providers and groups and supportive individuals from across the Scenic Rim, some who choose to stay for the sleepout.
Scenic Rim Council staff, led by Community Development Health and Wellbeing Officer Drift Ishter, facilitate the event in a way that shows their own solidarity, and guests are made welcome by Mununjali Ngari dancers while local singer Susanna Colley adds to the warmth of the evening.
Mayor Tom Sharp and Councillors Steve Moriarty, Amanda Hay and Kerri Cryer turn out to show their support, and Cr Cryer stays for the full sleepout experience.
“The Under The Same Stars Sleepout, while raising funds for homelessness, gave us as community leaders a tiny insight into how someone affected and displaced by life-changing situations, such as domestic family violence, abuse, and mental health, spends the night without a roof,” Cr Cryer said.
Learning
Thanks to my rather illuminated choice of sleeping location (some people smarter than I slept in swags or tents further away from the well-lit toilet block) I am awake for much of the night and able to spend restless hours reflecting.
Plenty from the night has left me feeling unsettled, as it should.
There’s the harrowing first-hand account from guest speaker Danii Tutt of childhood abuse, homelessness, domestic violence, meth addiction and recovery through the Salvation Army’s Moonyah service after years struggling to access help.
Then there is the panel discussion which ultimately highlights a dire lack of services locally.
Beaucare Community Support Manager Ainsley Hinkins, who is on the panel, says homelessness cannot be handled in isolation.
“I think it is bigger than just housing – having a bunch of social housing here is not the solution to the issue at all,” she says.
“Families are in crisis, people are experiencing significant financial hardship, mental health… alcohol and drug use, so if we’re to put people in houses, we need services to provide wrap-around supports so there’s sustainability around the housing solution.”
