Calling All Volunteers

The Rough Sleeper Count is a simultaneous count of people experiencing homelessness that takes place across Perth. We are looking for volunteers to assist with our Rough Sleeper Count from 11.45pm Monday 26 October to 3am Tuesday 27 October.

At the Subiaco Community Organisation Networking Event at The Third Place last week, some of you mentioned that you would be interested in volunteering to participate in the Rough Sleeper Count.

If you would like to volunteer to help with the Rough Sleeper Count please register with Dorte Hansen Community Development Officer (Safety and Wellbeing) by Friday 23 October at the following email address : dorteh@subiaco.wa.gov.au, or call 9237 9325.

Homelessness Pilot Project - Rough Sleeper Count October 2020

Background

In collaboration with the City of Perth and other local government authorities, the City of Subiaco will once again be participating in the Perth simultaneous rough sleeper count pilot project. The count will contribute to the City’s commitment to addressing homelessness and reducing the risk of homelessness through a coordinated and facilitated approach, as referred to in the City’s Homelessness Policy (policy number 8.7). The simultaneous count will give the City of Subiaco locally relevant data with reduced likelihood of duplication. This assists the City to better understand the extent of rough sleeping in Subiaco in the context of the inner city.

The pilot project has seen the City commit to two Rough Sleeper Counts in 2020. The first was conducted in March and was significantly impacted by COVID-19 as the plan for how the Count would be conducted, using community and staff volunteers, had to be changed resulting in two staff conducting the Count of hot spots only. A second count was due to be conducted in August; however participants in the pilot project agreed to defer to end of October to account for the immediate impact on some as a result of the changes to job seeker and job keeper allowances that came in to affect at the end of September.

The October Count is scheduled to go ahead in the early hours of Tuesday 27 October 2020 between 1.00am and 3.00am. The Count is undertaken at this time to reduce the likelihood of ‘double-counting’.

Volunteers will be required to arrive at the Subiaco Community Centre (203 Bagot Road, Subiaco) at 11.45pm on Monday night 26 October for registration, induction and training. Volunteers will be provided with a manual, high-vis vest, torch and an app to download for the Count. The Count itself will occur between 1-3am. Volunteers will be working in teams (minimum of 2-3 people, including a City staff member) and walking through their allocated zone to count any rough sleepers that are in that area. Each zone will have some identified ‘hotspots’ where rough sleepers have be reported in the past, however it is important to capture any people that are sleeping in random or ‘new’ locations. Once the Count is finished at 3am volunteers will return immediately to the Subiaco Community Centre where they will sign out and return home.

Key points:

  • Volunteers must be registered by Friday 23 October to participate
  • Volunteers arrive 11.45pm on Monday 26 October – the count starts at 1am sharp and concludes at 3am Tuesday 27
  • Tea, coffee and light refreshments will be available on arrival
  • Volunteers will work in teams to walk through allocated zones in the City of Subiaco to count any people sleeping rough
  • This activity is literally a head count of rough sleepers – volunteers will not be disturbing/engaging with rough sleepers
  • Police will be notified prior to the event, and Rangers will be working on the night
  • Volunteers who would like to participate need to register with Dorte Hansen CDO safety and Wellbeing by Friday 23 October at the following email address : dorteh@subiaco.wa.gov.au

If you would like to volunteer to help with the Rough Sleeper Count please register with Dorte Hansen by Friday 23 October at the following email address : dorteh@subiaco.wa.gov.au, or call 9237 9325.