StreetCare videos: voices from the street

A new project of the Homeless Persons’ Legal Service and its consumer advisory group, StreetCare, uses video interviews as a way for StreetCare members to share their stories of homelessness. Called In their Words, the project will be included in training programs for people who work with homeless clients. The videos can also be shown to policymakers and politicians to improve their understanding of individual experiences of homelessness.

HPLS will also distribute the interviews via the PIAC website, YouTube and Facebook.

StreetCare members including Veronica, Kevin, AJ, Ken, Mary and Tony talk about how they became homeless, the challenges associated with being homeless, the services that assisted them, and the importance of having government, policy makers and service providers take account of homeless peoples’ opinions.

The stories reflect the diversity of homelessness in NSW and breaks down the stereotypes that persist regarding homeless people.

Each member of StreetCare has their own story of facing homelessness. Some of them have been able to secure some form of housing, but some are still homeless, or at risk of falling back into homelessness.

These interviews also show that involving homeless consumers in advocacy, training and service design is a significant resource and a benefit for government and homeless agencies.

PIAC is grateful to the Law and Justice Foundation of NSW for its support of In their Words.

Source: Public Interest Advocacy Centre