Missionbeat patrols the streets and responds to calls from police, ambulance officers and the community. They provide immediate care for homeless people who are in distress.
In this new blog series, we’ll hear stories from the Missionbeat workers – direct from the streets.
It’s about more than shelter
A story from Community Services Worker, Phillip
Late one evening I was patrolling the area around Star City Casino in Pyrmont. I noticed a group of people sitting in the park just opposite the casino. I parked the Missionbeat van and went over and introduced myself.
Only a couple of people in the group knew about Missionbeat, so I ended up speaking with the rest of the group for about an hour to explain how we could help them.
It was also a good opportunity to have a chat to them about their issues and concerns, why they ended up homeless and what sort of help they might need.
The thing about homelessness is that it’s not just a question of having a roof over your head. Usually, people have many different issues and challenges that lead to them ending up in their situation.
Just within that small group of homeless men and women, I discovered a range of different challenges and issues.
One of the women had lived with a mental illness for most of her life and had recently stopped taking her medication. This led to her becoming very unwell and in need of assistance.
Another person in the group had a serious medical condition and was 3 months pregnant, but had been unable to attend medical appointments due to lack of transport.
The others in the group faced a range of serious alcohol misuse issues.
To help address their immediate needs, we provided them with food, clothing and sleeping bags. We then arranged for I-CHOSS (a mobile outreach service operated by both Mission Australia and the Haymarket Foundation) to look into their longer term needs.
I-CHOSS were able to help them out with applications for housing and we also engaged a Drug and Alcohol Counsellor to meet with the group about their alcohol misuse issues.
Meanwhile, Missionbeat kept up regular contact with the group to monitor their situation and to continue to provide support when they needed it.
Sometimes, it’s just very simple acts that help people access the support and treatment they need to make a real change in their lives.
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