CONTINUING to provide their essential crisis support throughout the COVID-19 emergency, Uniting Ballarat has experienced a rise in people needing help due to homelessness and family violence.<\/p>\n
The organisation\u2019s team has been delivering phone and direct face-to-face services as safely as possible, distributing material aid, and running the BreezeWay meal program, but an \u201cinflux\u201d of new clients is elsewhere.<\/p>\n
Acting coordinator housing and homelessness, Adam Liversage said there\u2019s been a 75 percent increase of people contacting Uniting Ballarat as an \u201centry point\u201d to homelessness and a \u201cmassive\u201d rise in family violence cases.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve assisted over 137 households in hotels and motels…since the pandemic has begun. We\u2019ve seen a lot of phone calls coming through from people fleeing family violence, or wanting to seek services regarding family violence,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur Street to Home team…has been dropping off hampers to homeless people at hotels and motels who have no support whatsoever, and touching base with them.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey still provide outreach to rough sleepers on the streets or out in bush areas, and have contact with them. We\u2019re an essential service and required by State government to provide these things, mindful of social distancing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Liversage said vulnerable people are even travelling from outside of Ballarat to make contact with his team, who are finding it \u201creally difficult\u201d to fully connect to clients remotely.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of homeless people are coming from Melbourne because they may be paranoid, or they\u2019re scared to be around a lot of people.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s also hard to get a take on a client via phone contact if you\u2019ve never met them. You lose that personal response and can\u2019t get the full story,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
BreezeWay has been giving individuals two or three meals to take away at one time, to reduce crowds as there can be up to 75 people gathering each day.<\/p>\n
Material aid demand has slowed slightly, but is running as normal as possible, with pre-prepared packs and vouchers collected quickly and safely by clients.<\/p>\n
As restrictions ease, Uniting Ballarat will \u201cpick up the pieces,\u201d ensuring everyone who has presented as homeless during this period, and those who have been placed in temporary accommodation, continue to get adequate support.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll look at their longer-term housing options. We have our private rental assistance program who are going to be flat out, with people experiencing rental arrears and loss of income.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the last month alone, they spent $70,000 on mostly rental arrears, and rental advances. We have had State government funding into that program, with a boost of an extra $168,000 for three months,\u201d Mr Liversage said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re going to be flat out with every program, across the board. Our alcohol and drug program will probably see an influx of referrals, as well as material aid and welfare.\u201d<\/p>\n