Ending and preventing homelessness in Australia 

How, together, we can end homelessness 

We believe it is possible to end homelessness, and, when we all work together, we can. The Salvation Army is a leading provider of homelessness services in Australia however, we need to work together with other service providers to meet the needs of people at risk of or experiencing homelessness. We need the government to make societal and structural changes towards ending homelessness. And we need the support of the community to drive awareness about homelessness. When we rally together, we can end homelessness — for good.

Advocate with us to end homelessness

We’d love to hear your thoughts about the housing crisis and homelessness, and what you think can be done about it. We will create a report for local Members of Parliament using your answers along with those from other people in your area.  
 
Find out more and share your thoughts 

How does The Salvation Army help people who are homeless? 

The Salvation Army believes in good for all people. Our first step towards supporting people who are experiencing homelessness is to meet their basic needs. This may involve a hot meal, a bag of groceries, or a safe place to stay.

Experiences of homelessness are complex and dynamic, so The Salvation Army takes a wraparound approach to homelessness, and we tailor our response to meet people’s individual needs. This means we work alongside people to identify their goals then guide them with appropriate services on a long-term journey. We do this for people who are already experiencing homelessness, and for those at risk of losing their home. Our goal is to see everyone living in a safe, secure and affordable home — and achieving lasting ‘good’ in their lives, whether that’s participation in a community, improved employment opportunities or an increased sense of wellbeing. 
 

In practical terms, this wraparound – or holistic – support may include: 

• Empowering victim survivors of family violence 
• Working with people to address substance use 
• Supporting people’s mental, emotional and spiritual health 
• Financial counselling, money management and debt repayment strategies through our Moneycare service  
• Tenancy advocacy to keep their current living situation 
• Help with contacting agencies for new properties 
• Placing people into our Salvos Housing program for crisis, transitional or long-term housing 

We will also refer people to many other Salvation Army and external services. Everything is delivered with dignity, without discrimination, in collaboration and to a high standard, with the goal that everybody feels supported and respected through their journey with the Salvos.

How can Australia end and prevent homelessness? 

Ending and preventing homelessness is dependent on addressing both the root causes of homelessness and the barriers that may get in the way of a person overcoming (exiting) homelessness. 

A report from Launch Housing in 2022 showed housing affordability is the most rapidly growing cause of homelessness in the past four years. 

Although The Salvation Army is passionate about supporting people who are at risk of or experiencing homelessness with our wraparound approach, we firmly believe societal and structural change — particularly in relation to housing affordability — is how we can end homelessness. Preventing homelessness means we can eventually end homelessness in Australia. 

With this in mind, The Salvation Army partners with other agencies to advocate to the government to: 

• Increase family and domestic violence programs and policies  
• Introduce solutions for rental availability and pricing 
• Address the general cost of living crises in Australia  
• Increase the amount of affordable/social housing available to people on low incomes 

By partnering with other service providers and working with all levels of government, we believe that together we can end homelessness.
Learn more about our recent policy submissions

How can you help to prevent and end homelessness?

There are many ways you can help people who are experiencing homelessness. 

• Increase your empathy: Learn more about what it means to be homeless by reading people’s stories of struggle through to hope.  
• Get informed: Read our homelessness statistics articles and understand who is affected by homelessness in Australia.
• Stay informed: Sign up to the Everybody’s Home campaign to learn more about homelessness and get involved in campaigns. 
• Break down stigmas: Talk to your family, friends and colleagues about homelessness. Share the information you’ve learned on this page or ask them how they are affected by the housing and cost-of-living crisis.  
• Reach out for help early: The lack of affordable housing, cost of living challenges or a sudden crisis can make anyone vulnerable to experiencing homelessness. If you — or someone you know — is worried about losing your home, we encourage you to reach out early as there is a lot we can do to support you before you become homeless, or shorten the duration if you already are experiencing homelessness. 
• Offer practical support: If you have some time to share, spend time volunteering at a local Salvos service that supports people experiencing homelessness or facing other challenges. 
• Donate: Your generosity to our homelessness services can provide warm meals, safe beds and case management sessions. 

Every person deserves dignity and respect, and a safe, affordable and secure home. Together, we can all do something to end homelessness.