Homelessness 2022 (1-7 August) is an annual campaign coordinated by Homelessness Australia. It seeks to raise awareness around people experiencing homelessness, the issues they face, and the action needed to achieve long-lasting solutions, including increasing the supply of social housing.

Homelessness awareness among Australians is key to driving change as it deepens understanding, which stirs people to action. We encourage you to use Homelessness Week Australia, and the resources on this page, to learn more and see how you can help people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. 

The Salvation Army’s focus for National Homelessness Week 2022 is: ‘The keys to home’. We recognise there are a variety of reasons why Australians are at risk of or experiencing homelessness, and many key ways to helping them find a secure home. Scroll down to learn more.

We also understand there are people already at risk of or experiencing homelessness. We want to use Homelessness Week to highlight how the Salvos can support people in finding their way back to a more positive and hopeful life.

Homelessness is a growing crisis in Australia, in part because of the lack of affordable and social housing. We can see this in increasing interest rates and rising house prices leading to an unstable rental market. Low-income groups are squeezed out of the homebuyer market and landlords need to put up rental fees or sell – leaving people unable to afford the rent rise or unable to find a new home to rent. The various natural disasters – from fire to flood – in the past few years have destroyed homes and further intensified the pressure in the rental market. Less social housing for a growing population also increases the demands on affordable housing and fuels the homelessness crisis.

But that’s not all that’s contributing to Australia’s growing homelessness crisis. During COVID-19 lockdowns, a ‘shadow pandemic’ emerged: more women experiencing family and domestic violence, which is a leading cause of homelessness. Additionally, reduced incomes from COVID, unexpected job losses and failed businesses, plus the rising cost of living – from petrol to power bills to the weekly grocery shop – are making times tough right now.

A survey of Australians in June 2022 shows 63 per cent are very or extremely concerned about rising grocery costs. Additionally, 45 per cent are extremely or very concerned about the cost of rent, with the same proportion extremely/very concerned with house prices rising.*

Individuals and families of all ages and walks of life are finding themselves stressed, struggling and at risk of losing their home. Home should be a place of refuge and security, but instead, when it's hard to pay the bills or there is a family crisis, it can quickly become unstable, uncertain and unsafe.

*Source: Australia Now Report, June 2022.

During Homelessness Week 2022, The Salvation Army wants Australia to know there is a solution for the 116,000 Australians currently experiencing homelessness – and the thousands more who are at risk. 

In fact, there are many solutions that are key to supporting people with finding a safe, secure home. One is supporting people before they become homeless. According to Australia-wide research* with the Centre for Social Impact, only 1 in 10 people at risk of homelessness end up experiencing homelessness at the end of the support period with a homelessness service. That’s 9 out of 10 people remaining housed.

The Salvation Army is one of those services. We are the leading provider of homelessness services across Australia, offering meals and accommodation to people experiencing a homelessness crisis.

In 2020-21, The Salvation Army's homelessness services supported more than 37,000 people who were experiencing homelessness, provided more than 887,500 crisis beds and more than 1.7 million meals.

We also have a range of services to help individuals and families avoid homelessness. The Salvos can help with emergency costs such as putting food on the table, support with getting on top of finances and advocacy for tenants. We have employment agencies to help people looking for work. We also have services for family and domestic violence victim-survivors so they don't end up homeless. Accessing professional help early can have a big impact on avoiding homelessness or shortening the duration.

*Source: Ending Homelessness in Australia: An evidence and policy deep dive, Centre for Social Impact, 2021

Just as there are many reasons why people become homeless, and many ways to support them with finding a way out, there are also many key ways The Salvation Army is working to prevent and end homelessness.

During Homelessness Week, and throughout the year, The Salvation Army partners with National and State Homelessness and Housing peak bodies and government agencies to find sustainable solutions to end homelessness. For instance, we believe that everyone should have access to safe, secure and affordable housing. When communities invest in social and affordable housing, we can end homelessness.

We have made calls to the government to:

• Increase social housing stock (the amount of housing available to people on support payments) and case management support
• Increase family and domestic violence programs and policies
• Introduce solutions for rental availability and pricing
• Address the general cost of living crises in Australia

You, too, can help someone find the keys to their safe and secure home this National Homelessness Week.

This may include self-education about homelessness, writing to your local member of parliament, donating to The Salvation Army to support our work, or getting involved as a volunteer at your local Salvo service. Read on to find out more about how you can help people experiencing homelessness.