A person facing homelessness rarely needs help with only one problem.
They may need somewhere safe to stay, but they may also be trying to understand a lease, build a rental history, manage a tight household budget or deal with other problems standing between them and a stable home.
During Homelessness Week, Byamee Support Services is using the national campaign to bring those wider issues into public discussion.
At Byamee in Moree, these connected needs are part of the daily work.
Program Officer Russell Cook said people often came to the service in crisis, sometimes without knowing what help was available locally or where to begin.
Byamee’s work is not limited to finding immediate accommodation. It helps clients build the knowledge and rental record they may need to move towards long-term housing, while connecting them with specialist services when required.
“We don’t only just look at, are they homeless,” Mr Cook said.
“We rely on other services as well to help these clients move forward.”
That work will move into a more public setting during Homelessness Week, when Byamee holds a free Community Soup Day at the front of Moree Memorial Hall on Thursday, August 6.
The event, held in partnership with Moree Plains Shire Council, will run from 10am to 12.30pm, with free soup, coffee and hot chocolate available.
Other support organisations are expected to attend.
Mr Cook said the informal setting could make it easier for people to approach support workers.
“Come down, have a yarn with us,” he said.
“If you feel the need that you need to get support as well, this is a good time to have that conversation with us.”
Building a pathway back into housing
Byamee supports people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
Mr Cook said the service also operated transitional housing, giving clients a chance to build a rental ledger and show they could manage a tenancy.
Clients can also develop practical skills such as caring for a property, keeping in touch with a real estate agent and understanding the rules in a lease.
Through its Rent It Keep It program, Byamee helps clients work through tenancy rules and the wording used in rental agreements.
Mr Cook said rental laws had changed over time, while the documents tenants were asked to sign could be hard to understand.
The program encourages clients to know what they are agreeing to and to speak up early if problems arise, including when they are struggling to pay rent.
Byamee also runs programs covering budgeting, healthy eating and relationships.
The work reflects a wider truth about homelessness support. Finding a roof is important, but keeping that roof often depends on whether the other pressures in a person’s life are also dealt with.
Reaching people without reliable technology
One of Byamee’s challenges is making sure people know the service exists before their situation becomes critical.
Social media helps, but Mr Cook said not all clients had access to the technology needed to find information online.
That makes word of mouth, outreach and cooperation between local services very important.
“We have a lot of socials. We do have our socials on Facebook and Instagram, but we do rely on word of mouth as well because a lot of our community talks,” he said.
Byamee also depends on its partner organisations to help share information and connect people with the right service.
Mr Cook said when Byamee could not provide the exact support a person needed, staff would help them find an organisation that could.
“You come in, you want support, we’ll help you with support,” he said.
“If we can’t help you with support, then we will help you along the way to show you where that support is as well.”
He said the service would stay involved until the person had been connected with another organisation.
A service for the whole community
Mr Cook said Byamee was open to people across the community, no matter their age or background.
He said some people believed the organisation only supported Aboriginal people, but its homelessness services were open to everyone.
“We are an organisation that is open to the whole community,” he said.
Byamee also wants to extend more of its work beyond Moree into smaller communities across Moree Plains Shire.
Mr Cook said talks had been held about how the organisation could support people in communities including Mungindi, Boggabilla and Toomelah. This could involve creating places people could travel to or taking smaller activities and services to them.
More hands on deck
Homelessness Week is one of Byamee’s main chances to bring its work into public view.
After holding a homelessness walk last year, the organisation wanted to change the format and create more chances for people to speak directly with support workers.
Mr Cook said the Soup Day would raise awareness of homelessness and show residents how they could support local services.
“We want people to have awareness around homelessness and how they can support organisations like us to help our communities that are in this crisis situation,” he said.
Byamee is a small not-for-profit organisation and Mr Cook said community support remained important to its work.
People interested in volunteering at the Soup Day can contact Byamee before the event. Volunteers may help hand out soup or prepare coffee and hot chocolate.
“More hands on deck really makes a difference,” Mr Cook said.
He pointed to Moree’s response during floods as proof that residents were willing to help when their neighbours faced difficult times.
People who wish to make a donation can also contact Byamee to discuss what is currently needed and what the organisation is able to accept.
For those who need help, however, the invitation is simple.
They can come for soup, speak with a worker and start a conversation.
The Community Soup Day will be held at the front of Moree Memorial Hall on Thursday, August 6, from 10am to 12.30pm. Entry and refreshments are free, and ramp access is available.
To volunteer, discuss a donation or contact Byamee Support Services, phone (02) 6752 1550 or email admin@byamee.com.au.
