Raising awareness about homelessness, one coffee at a time

Narrabri and District Community Aid Service (NDCAS) will be raising awareness about homelessness through cups of coffee from local cafes.

As part of Homelessness Week, which runs from August 5 to 11, 3000 cups will be distributed to 15 coffee outlets in Narrabri and Wee Waa as part of the initiative run by NDCAS in conjunction with Summit Community Services.

Each cup will feature facts and myths in the hope of alerting people to the issue as well as raising awareness about support services available locally.

As part of this year’s awareness raising campaign, posters will also be distributed to local cafes and some outlets.

There is often a misunderstanding by the public, generally, that homelessness relates to sleeping out on the streets. However, the issue of invisible homelessness is also a concern locally and nationally.

That is people who may not have permanent accommodation and resort to measures including couch surfing to keep a roof over their heads and have somewhere to sleep.

In the last year, more than 400 people have been supported through the range of services available from NDCAS and Summit.

Cost of living pressures, including the cost of rent, also means that individuals and families experience financial hardship.

This now includes mid-income earners who may struggle with rent, bills, higher cost of groceries as well as emergencies. This is leading to an increase in the number of people experiencing a risk of homelessness.

“Many people in Narrabri are unaware of the situation,” homelessness support team leader Amber Burgmann said.

The issue of homelessness is also not just confined to the adult population, with teenagers also requiring support.

Last year, NDCAS distributed 2000 coffee cups as part of the initiative. With the numbers increasing again, they hope the facts raise awareness and generate a community conversation about homelessness.

The graphics on the cup serve as an important reminder about the local services available.

“People mightn’t realise what NDCAS does or the level of homelessness in our shire,” homelessness support caseworker Kylie Rood-England said.

Kylie said people were often familiar with homelessness through cities and people sleeping outdoors in public spaces. However, homelessness often looks different in the country as it is more hidden from public view.