Council to Homeless Persons

Every day, women come to homelessness services seeking help.

“This this is not just a system issue – it is someone’s life,” says John Cullen, Homelessness Manager at The Salvation Army Australia.

John will be joining the conversation next Wednesday 1 July in Whitehorse at the exhibition and community forum, discussing how we strengthen responses to homelessness.

You’ll also hear from Michelle Thompson from Family Access Network, Aiv Puglielli MP, liberal candidate Sally Houguet, and lived experience advocate Annerliegh Pappos.

We’d love to see you there!

🗓️Wednesday 1 July, 6:30pm
📍Box Hill Community Arts Centre
👉 Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/walk-in-her-shoes-exhibition-and-forum-whitehorse-tickets-1988737177433

Big thanks to Whitehorse City Council for supporting us to bring this event to the area and our partners CISVIC and Municipal Association of Victoria.

Family Access Network does incredible work providing support to young people, including young families and LGBTIQA+ youth.

As CEO, Michelle Thompson strives to ensure young people feel seen and valued.

Michelle is joining us for the next community forum, on Wednesday 1 July at the Box Hill Community Arts Centre.

Come along to hear more from her, in a conversation that brings together homelessness workers, local MPs and people who have lived through homelessness, discussing how we can end homelessness in the local area and beyond.

Big thanks to Whitehorse City Council for supporting us to bring this event to the area, and to our partners CISVIC and the Municipal Association of Victoria.

🗓️Wednesday 1 July, 6:30pm
📍Box Hill Community Arts Centre
👉 Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/walk-in-her-shoes-exhibition-and-forum-whitehorse-tickets-1988737177433

When someone gets the right support, they can thrive.

Annerliegh Pappos knows this firsthand. She received homelessness support as a young person and it changed the course of her life.

On Wednesday 1 July, Annerleigh will be joining us in Whitehorse, for a conversation that considers what we can do to end homelessness in the local area and across the state.

The next community forum brings together speakers from The Salvation Army Australia, Family Access Network local MP Aiv Puglielli and liberal candidate Sally Houguet.

Book your spot now:

🗓️Wednesday 1 July, 6:30pm
📍Box Hill Community Arts Centre
👉 Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/walk-in-her-shoes-exhibition-and-forum-whitehorse-tickets-1988737177433

Big thanks to Whitehorse City Council for supporting us to bring this event to the area.

Fantastic for the CHP team to sit down last week with Victoria's new Minister for Housing, the Hon. Nick Staikos. We discussed achieving:

🏠 a long-term building blitz of public and community housing in Victoria;

🤝 a Housing First uplift of increased assertive outreach and supportive housing to support more people sleeping rough into long-term housing; and

💡a strategic approach to achieve better delivery of support within the homelessness sector and better integration between the homelessness sector and other intersecting sectors such as health, education and justice - with particular focus on expanded homelessness prevention and tailored youth homelessness responses.

The evidence is clear as to how we can end homelessness, but it takes us all lifting together. CHP looks forward to continuing to work with the State Government - and all parties - to transform Victoria into a State where everyone has a home that keeps them safe and gives them the opportunity to thrive.

Wathaurong Aboriginal Co OP does amazing work providing support as a homelessness entry point for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members.

This Wednesday night in Geelong we’re lucky to be hearing from two Wathaurong workers – Violet Pearson and Elyssia Graham – at the community forum.

They’ll be sharing a bit about their work and why we need to do much more to tackle systemic injustices.

Register to come along and hear more from them on the night!

You’ll also hear speakers from Meli and local representatives Christine Couzens MP and Sarah Mansfield MP.

🗓️Wednesday 10 June, 6:30pm
📍Wurriki Nyal Civic Precinct
👉 Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/walk-in-her-shoes-exhibition-and-forum-geelong-tickets-1987800077542

Big thanks to City of Greater Geelong for helping us bring the event to the region.

Experiencing homelessness as a young person can be a huge disruption at a formative stage of life.

Lived experience advocate Jessie Moore has spoken before of the toll it takes.

We’re grateful to have Jessie joining the conversation at next Wednesday's community forum in Geelong.

Jessie says they’re looking forward to taking part because:

"I want people to understand not just what happened, but how it affected me – my mental health, my physical health, and the way it disrupted my life ... Just to give them a feel of what people on the streets actually go through."

Jessie found support through Meli, living in transitional housing in Geelong.

We’ll also be hearing from Meli's Josephine Taylor, Violet Pearson and Elyssia Graham from Wathaurong Aboriginal Co OP and local representatives Christine Couzens MP, and Dr Sarah Mansfield MP.

Big thanks to City of Greater Geelong for helping us bring the event to the region.

Book your spot now:

🗓️Wednesday 10 June, 6:30pm
📍Wurriki Nyal Civic Precinct
👉 Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/walk-in-her-shoes-exhibition-and-forum-geelong-tickets-1987800077542

Next Wednesday night in Geelong, we’ll be hearing from Josephine Taylor, Director Youth, Housing and South West at Meli.

Josephine says she’s noticed how “the face of homelessness is changing” as more people feel the pressures of the housing crisis.

She’ll be joining the conversation at the forum night, discussing how we can end homelessness in Geelong and beyond.

“We need community and all levels of government to be part of the conversation and the solutions and look beyond the assumptions that are made about homelessness,” says Josephine.

“Community is our eyes and ears to intervene early and try and prevent homelessness.”

Come along to hear more from Josephine, plus Violet Pearson and Elyssia Graham from Wathaurong Aboriginal Co Op, local representatives Christine Couzens MP, and Dr Sarah Mansfield MP, and lived experience advocate Jessie Moore.

Book your seat now!

🗓️Wednesday 10 June, 6:30pm
📍Wurriki Nyal Civic Precinct
👉 Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/walk-in-her-shoes-exhibition-and-forum-geelong-tickets-1987800077542

Walk in Her Shoes is heading to Geelong in less than two weeks!

Come along on Wednesday 10 June and catch the exhibition and community forum at Wurriki Nyal Civic Precinct, from 6:30pm

Book your spot here: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/walk-in-her-shoes-exhibition-and-forum-geelong-tickets-1987800077542?aff=oddtdtcreator

On the night, we’ll hear a community question from Salma Gul of Cultura, who has deep reflections on the meaning of home, after arriving in Geelong as a refugee from Afghanistan.

“Home is not just a place to sleep; it is a place to exist with dignity,” says Salma.

“Yet for too many, the walls they seek are beyond reach, and the doors remain closed.”

You’ll also hear from:

● Dr Sarah Mansfield MP – Member for Western Victoria
● Christine Couzens MP – Member for Geelong
● Josephine Taylor - Meli
● Violet Pearson – Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative
● Elyssia Graham – Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-Operative
● Jessie Moore - Lived experience advocate, Meli

Big thanks to City of Greater Geelong for supporting us to bring the event to the region.

Today marks the start of National Reconciliation Week 2026!

This year’s theme “All In” reminds of the fact that “reconciliation is not a spectator sport” – but something that all Australians can all actively work at.

Pushing for reconciliation is not the sole responsibility of First Nations people but rather something for all of us to strive for together.

At Council to Homeless Persons, we aim to embody this every day in our work.

We're committed to working alongside communities to address the disproportionate number of First Nations people who experience homelessness in Victoria, as a direct and ongoing result of colonisation.

Our vision for reconciliation is an Australia where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures are valued and respected, where self-determination is meaningfully achieved through Treaty, and where the structural forces that lead to homelessness are eliminated.

We’ll be deeply reflecting on this for the next seven days – and asking how we, and the specialist homelessness services sector, can commit even further to going “all in” on reconciliation each and every day.