The Frontline Response to Health and Homelssness John Willis

In this episode we talk to Toby Hall, Group CEO of St Vincent’s Health Australia and discuss the key issues around homelessness in Australia and what we can do to improve our response to this issue. The key message is human connectedness and having a community you connect to no matter if you are homeless or not. We also touch on issues such as the likely increase of the homeless population during the COVID-19 pandemic and how we might need to change our response to those that become homeless during this time.
Follow this link to download the March 2020 edition of Parity Magazine.
https://securemail.svha.org.au/message/ddslA6DZdtFFfnYSNbtnaS

In episode two we chat to Karyn Walsh who holds two hats, one as CEO iof Micah Projects in Brisbane and also Chair of the Australian Alliance to End Homelessness an independent organisation for preventing and ending homelessness in Australia. In this interview Karyn talks about how homelessness in Australia is both preventable and solvable. She also talks about the wonderful collaboration that has developed between the health and homelessness sectors with the key to success, the provision of healthcare on the streets and in community where homeless people are and not in hospitals.

In this episode we interview the editor of Parity Magazine, Noel Murray, who has been at the helm of the magazine for over 20 years. Noel reflects on his time as editor and explores his passion for the need to address the inequalities and discrimination associated with homelessness. We discuss the role of Parity since 1988 as the journal of record on the national response to homelessness and the problems facing homeless people now is the same as they have been for many years but the issue is solvable.

In this episode we chat with the artist Conrad Clark whose artwork is featured throughout this edition of Parity. We discuss his personal experience of living in squats and how his art has developed over the years into many different expressions. Conrad shares his hope that his artwork brings colour, movement and joy in between all the words and sometimes tragic stories this edition includes. For more information on Conrad’s work please see www.conradclark.com.au

If you listen to this podcast episode I guarantee you will be inspired with hope. We are joined by John the Peer Support Worker for the St Vincent’s Homeless Health Service in Sydney who shares some of his personal experience of homelessness and the generosity he shares this with those homeless people he works with to assist them in finding a way out.

In this episode, we chat with Erin Longbottom, who talks about one of her passions, the Homeless Assertive Outreach team (also known as HART). The work of this team involves a number of agencies and brings health, support and housing services to where homeless people are with a focus not just on providing a service, but real care.