People Planet Profit Podcast – Episode 15 | Give me a home
Welcome to the People Planet Profit Podcast.
I’m Hayley Jarick, CEO of the Supply Chain Sustainability School and today I’m going to be talking about Homelessness. It may be something that will make you feel uncomfortable, or it might be a trigger for you.
So, if you need to, please seek help from a mental health first aid officer, your workplace employee assistance program, a medical professional or contact Lifeline’s 24/7 Australian crisis support by phone on 13 11 14 or text 0477 13 11 14.
Homelessness is not a fun topic to talk about. Most adults have a hard time processing Australia’s confounding homelessness problem. We don’t know how to talk about it with other adults, we feel uncomfortable explaining it to our kids, and we often struggle to find the right action so end up doing nothing.
In this podcast I’m going to share tips for talking about homelessness, easy actions we can all do, and two personal stories.
On 23 June 2022, Australian leaders in business, community and government will sleep without shelter for the Vinnies CEO Sleepout, on one of the longest coldest nights of the year to help change the lives of Australians experiencing homelessness.
The Vinnies CEO Sleepout raises money to provide people experiencing homelessness and people at risk of homelessness with vital access to food, accommodation, education, counselling, employment, and health services to help people overcome poverty in the long term.
For the first time I am going to be one of those CEOs and so I wouldn’t say no to anyone donating using the links in the description.
But, the Vinnies CEO Sleepout does more that raise money it raises awareness so here are some tips from Vinnies about talking about homelessness.
Keep your explanations straightforward
Homelessness is when someone doesn’t have a home, they have no place to sleep, eat or to permanently keep their belongings. Not everyone has friends or family who can help them, so they have to find different places to sleep each night. Not everyone has enough money to own or rent a home. They might not be able to work right now, or maybe their job doesn’t pay them enough money for them to afford a home.
Model compassion and empathy
Show kindness to homeless people by smiling and saying hello. When you buy a copy of the Big Issue, stop to chat with the vendor. If you can afford it, give supermarket gift cards, warm socks, hot coffee, or a meal. I understand that sometime this can be confronting. Indirectly you can give presents to shelters at Christmas and raise money in lieu of birthday presents. One of the easiest inexpensive ways to help is to call out un compassionate and derogatory language towards homeless people in everyday conversations and especially in earshot of homeless people in public.
There are two personal stories I want to share with you. Not because I think I am a perfect example of compassion and empathy but because these two stories keep me honest.
I used to commute home from the Sydney CBD via train to Kogarah and then to bus home. For those that have made that commute will understand that the length of that journey is game of skill and chance.
I thought I was so clever. I knew the fastest walk from my desk and my psychologist’s office to the train station. I knew the exact point on the platform I needed to be at so that when I exited at Kogarah I was right next to the exit stairs. I always smiled when I was at the front of the pack on the stairs and not stuck with the masses at the back. This meant I could walk and not run past the shops and down the stairs to the bus stop. And if you did everything right you would arrive at the bus stop in time to see the bus pull up. This was important because it didn’t wait long and, on the days, when one thing didn’t run to plan you showed up just in time to see it drive away leaving you waiting for 30 minutes until the next bus. In summer this wasn’t so bad but in winter it was dark and cold. The bus stop is in front of an Indian and Nepalese Restaurant, and often on those cold winter nights I would grab a sneaky freshly made naan bread to tide me over until dinner.
You can help keep someone warm this Winter by donating to the School’s fundraiser.
Publisher: Supply Chain Sustainability School Limited.
Presenter/s: Hayley Jarick
Podcast audio: People Planet Profit Podcast – Episode 15 | Give me a home