Jasper says change is needed in understanding the displaced We’ve all been there. The guilty moment. Walking faster. Trying to avoid eye contact with a homeless person as we pass them on the street. Think about what’s going on in your mind in those moments. If you’re anything like me, deep down you had lots of unspoken questions. I wondered: Bob explained that material struggles only encompass part of • What is homelessness, really? the varied needs of the homeless. He gave special praise to the • Why do people become homeless? charitable organisation Rough Edges Café for their realisation of • How can I help? his and others’ need for social interaction, a realisation they have responded to by engaging with the guests in conversation. The needs • Can a Newington student really make a difference? of the homeless are more than just food and shelter; they need For the past 12 months I have had the privilege of working with the mental nourishment too. incredible team at Youth Off The Streets, whose volunteer-run food Bob does not identify as homeless. He pays for low-rent van gives nightly meals to the homeless in Kings Cross. I cook to help accommodation himself. But his problems are not eradicated by this. the food van – meals like soups, chillies, salads and slices. In Term I have used the word homeless a lot in my opening, but this is not an 3, I had the chance to visit the food van at night and hear the stories accurate term. The struggles of those on the street are varied, and of this homeless community. None of this would have been possible they may not always be homeless or identify with this term. In many without the help of Nikola Kennedy and Prudence Ashleigh, so I would instances mental health is even more important to these people than like to thank them for all their help. material assistance. To remove the associations of ‘homeless’ and I am going to share their voices with you. Of course, in a short article shelter I am going to use the word ‘displaced’ from now on, which is I cannot do justice to all the people I interviewed, so I will write about more inclusive and understanding. three stories that have helped me to better answer these questions. The story of another man, Jason, addresses the reasons for I would like to thank Luke and Terry, who are pictured, for their great displacement. At a young age, Jason’s brother drowned, his mother help also. died from an overdose and his dad committed suicide. For a long time I talked to a man who wished not to be named, but whose words he has been unable to do anything but, as he expressed it, ‘wallow in address the nature of homelessness. Let’s call him Bob. Bob is [his] own grief’, saying that in a sad way, he even enjoys it. He has not around middle age, and incredibly thoughtful and reflective. He went found success in counselling, and struggles to connect with those he through Sydney’s last enforced isolation period alone and because of speaks to. this he has developed extreme anxiety. When the lockdown ended, he Poor mental health is the root of all of Jason’s pain. His personal found he was unable to function in a work environment and has been battle has robbed him of motivation and courage, and this is shared out of a job since then. by many of his counterparts. Furthermore, he described how poor 18 | Service | News Spring 2022 | Stanmore 7–12