people sleeping rough is just the tip of homelessness in australia

Homelessness is what we call it when people don’t have safe, secure and ongoing accommodation.

The small but highly visible six percent of Australia’s homeless people who sleep rough are often the public face of the homelessness issue. However, for most people experiencing homelessness their struggle is usually less public.

What homelessness looks like for the overwhelming majority of people who experience it and who access cohealth services is couch surfing – short-term stays with friends or family; use of improvised dwellings or tents, cars, or squats; stays in Government-funded supported accommodation, and use of rooming or boarding houses.

Homelessness can happen to anyone and no matter what form it takes, the impact of not having secure and safe housing dominates a person’s ability to manage their health, wellbeing, and day to day life.

cohealth’s specialist health services and support in Melbourne’s CBD, inner Northern and Western suburbs for people experiencing homelessness have qualified and experienced staff who work with clients to improve their health and housing conditions.