Key findings includes:
- A total of 112 people were counted, 70 per cent were male and 14 per cent female (some people were unable to be identified because of their sleeping arrangements).
- 68 per cent were alone and 15 per cent were couples, 55 percent were aged 26-40 and 24 percent aged 41-60.
- 42 per cent slept on the street and 38 per cent in parks, and 49 percent were located in the CBD.
- 47 per cent of those surveyed had been staying in their current location for less than two weeks, of these 31 per cent stayed in their current location for under a week.
- 63 per cent of those surveyed had been moving around for more than 12 months and 36 per cent reported moving around for over five years.
What about our English service congregation? This could be a good opportunity to breakthrough the 40 psychological barrier for the congregation. Will our current Chairperson & Lay Leader (both from English side) decides to take the challenge?
In other article,
A young big population means a big "fishing" area for us. Our target groups fall into 3 categories (bold coloured). So, let's not miss this opportunity to enlarge God's kingdom! Our church needs to give more back to the community. It's time to step up! It's time to open the door! We'll have to wait until the election on 18/10/08 to see who will take the baton for the next run. The question is, will it be another wasted run or can it turn out to be a race worth remembering?The City of Melbourne is a city of young people. According to 2006 Australian Bureau of Statistics Census Data, young people aged 12 to 24 years make up 37.8 per cent (26,947) of the resident population in the City of Melbourne.
Young people are not a homogenous group. Young people who live, work, visit and/or study in the City of Melbourne include:
Melbourne attracts a variety of overseas students to study at the many leading tertiary institutions available in the city. Almost 55 per cent of those students living and studying in the city are international students.
- Indigenous young people;
- domestic and international students;
- young workers;
- marginalised young people such as homeless young people;
- young people in the juvenile justice system;
- refugees and newly arrived young people;
- young people with a disability;
- gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered and intersexed young people; and
- young people who visit the city.
While students come from around the globe to study in Melbourne, most international students come from South-East Asia and North-East Asia.
Some of my ideas of things that we could do can be found here
4 comments:
I think beyond just asking whether we're willing to help, we have to ask how can we help. Working amongst the homeless often takes a set of skills, knowledge and support that many asian students don't have. For example, what do you do when (this really happened at the Salvo's homeless shelter) someone walks in through the door, covered in blood, and says "I just murdered someone. What do I do?".
Although it's one of the more extreme examples, it underlines the fact that engaging with the underprivileged takes dedication and commitment to the ENTIRE process of getting prepared and doing the work. I think getting half hearted people involved in that kind of work ends up in more people being hurt - perhaps bringing more disrepute than honor to the gospel in the end?
But then again, that's the same for any ministry, isn't it ;).
In any case, I think it much wiser to raise awareness, and get people involved in whatever way they can - most will be probably by finance, which is fair enough (those volunteers who work fulltime with the homeless do need support too!). Those who want to get more hands on experience actually need to be able to set aside to time to work with the people who do this stuff fulltime - it's not just something that can be "added into" our schedule.
my 2 c
Yeah, agree with you. Our standard is way off to even start doing those "heavy commitment" ministries.
It doesn't mean we shouldn't look forward to it. Like you said, we need to raise more awareness NOW. Who knows 5 or 10 years for now, we can? :)
Most of us do not know what's happening outside the church circle of life!
HOMELESS people in Melbourne could soon find a bed inside the Town Hall or other council buildings, under a move by the city to provide more crisis accommodation.
Council officers are examining city buildings to see which spaces can be used as shelters.
The plan comes after the first Melbourne Street Count found 112 people sleeping rough in just 20% of the municipality. The total figure for Melbourne is believed to be higher.
of course not forgetting that we shouldnt just "leave it to the council"....as you mentioned in the post - one persistent question is always "how do we PARTNER with organisations with more resources and knowledge to bring in the kingdom of God"?
And I think those of us staying in melbourne long term and working have a responsibility in this - how do we, from our place, work and contribute to dealing with fundamental issues? Tough questions that actually need alot of CREATIVITY (something which I think we - especially I - lack as asians!!)! :P
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