EVERY NIGHT 19,838 QUEENSLANDERS HAVE NO PLACE TO CALL HOME. 42% ARE WOMEN & 17% ARE CHILDREN U/ 12 DO YOU KNOW THEIR STORIES?

Transcription

1 KIT EVERY NIGHT 19,838 QUEENSLANDERS HAVE NO PLACE TO CALL HOME. 42% ARE WOMEN & 17% ARE CHILDREN U/ 12 DO YOU KNOW THEIR STORIES?

2 You can get a storage place for about three hundred a month. I was able to live there for a while. Jen, 33. Unemployed. 2 School Sleepout Kit

3 contents Contents... 3 Welcome... 4 Get involved... 5 Homelessness facts...6 You can make a difference... 7 Event elements Can t do a school sleepout? Appendix Contact us End of school sleepout event report School Sleepout Kit 3

4 welcome Congratulations! You have made the first step towards hosting a Vinnie s School Sleepout and giving students a unique experience to raise awareness about homelessness in the community. The St Vincent de Paul Society Queensland s School Sleepout kit is designed to help you organise your own event. It contains everything you need to know to get started including guidelines, activity suggestions and information about your responsibilities as a School Sleepout event organiser. What's it all about? There are officially more than 105, 000 Australians who are homeless. A quarter of these people live in Queensland. 7, 500 of them are families. The School Sleepout allows students and school communities to connect on a personal level with the issue of homelessness by sleeping out for one night; raising awareness or funds to support the St Vincent de Paul Society s good works; and enhancing existing Winter Appeal initiatives within the school. Through sleeping rough for one night during winter, the School Sleepout initiative hopes to give students a tangible experience of what it would be like to be homeless and to bring awareness about the realities faced by members of the community with no place to call home. 4 School Sleepout Kit

5 get involved As a school community, you can do more than provide a hand out this winter by getting involved in the School Sleepout and raising awareness in the community about the issues and effects of homelessness. By taking part in this initiative, you are taking action against the homelessness crisis Australia is facing. For your school, this will: Encourage students to connect with an evident and increasing need in your local community. Challenge your school community to make a difference to those living rough within your local area. Raise awareness about the many faces of homelessness in the hopes of breaking stereotypes. Allow your school community to be a voice for those in need in your community. Further educate your community. Connect your school with preexisting homeless services within your community, such as homeless vans or social justice groups. Advocate and raise funds to show your school that you can make a difference this winter. Curriculum links Humanities and Social Sciences: Civics and citizenships Year 3: ACHCK003 Year 7: ACHCK052 Year 8: ACHCK062 Year 9: ACHCK079, ACHCK080 Humanities and Social Sciences: Economics and Business Year 6: ACHEK010 Year 8: ACHEK031 Humanities and Social Sciences: Geography Year 7: ACHGK044, ACHGK046 Senior Secondary: ACHGE042 School Sleepout Kit 5

6 homelessness facts Why are people homeless? 24% Domestic and family violence 20% Financial difficulties 16% Housing crisis 11% Inappropriate or inadequate dwellings In Queensland, 31% of the homeless population live in overcrowed dwellings 24% of homelessness is due to domestic violence Women aged are most likely to access specialist homelessness services Who are most affected? Over 2,200 women are living in improvised dwellings 27% of people experiencing homelessness are under 18 years old On census night, 17,845 children U/12 were counted as homeless Reference: 6 School Sleepout Kit

7 you can make a difference Raising awareness The commonly held stereotypes of homelessness no longer exist. Young women and children continue to be the highest majority accessing homeless services, with more and more people turning to Vinnies for help. Over the past five years, there has been a 30% increase in the number of families with children being assisted by homeless services, such as Vinnies. Remember to look. I d get the kids to pack up their toys and be in their rooms before he got home... do a scan around to make sure everything was perfect. I missed a piece of Lego under the lounge once... that was a bad day. So you check. Look everywhere. Everywhere. Under everything. Kate, 45. Survivor of domestic violence The Vinnies School Sleepout raises awareness of this pressing social issue and gives people an understanding of the realities of homelessness. With no family or friends to help, it s easy for someone to fall through the cracks and end up sleeping in their car or on the street. School Sleepout Kit 7

8 you can make a difference Fundraising The St Vincent de Paul Society (Vinnies) first began helping Australians in 1854, and we ve been active in the community ever since. Our work relies on donations from the public. The Vinnies School Sleepout and Winter Appeal plays a substantial role in contributing to these donations. Money and material goods raised will directly support people experiencing or facing homelessness in your local community. You drive to the beach about 5am, there s no one around. You can have a shower in the shower block and get out before anyone comes. Then I go to work from there. Jamie, 31. Living in her car. $50 can provide a set of clothes for a teenager experiencing homelessness. Do you have spare clothes at home that you could donate to assist young people in your local area? $120 can assist a family of 4 with emergency food until their next paycheck. Can you collect blankets, canned foods, or food parcels to assist a family in your local area? $210 can provide a bed and meals for one week for a person. Do you have unwanted household items that could assist a newly housed family to land on their feet? 8 School Sleepout Kit

9 steps to organise a school sleepout At least one school staff member or designated adult must be present during your School Sleepout event. 1 Register your school Complete the Count Me In! Registration Form (Appendix 1.1). Send it to your local Vinnies Youth contact person (Contact Us: Page 20). 2 Plan your event See the Event Checklist (Appendix 1.2). Pick a date: You can hold your School Sleepout anytime during Term 3. Pick a venue: You can organise your School Sleepout anywhere safe within your school. This might be your multi-purpose centre, hall, classroom, parish grounds or staff rooms. Points to consider when picking a venue: Safety. Wet weather: It is great for the atmosphere to be somewhat exposed to the elements but make sure there is shelter in case of rain. Toilet facilities: That are accessible all night. Power supplies: So you can make hot drinks/soup. Water supply. Promotion: Get the word out! Promote your event through the school community. Create flyers and put them around school. Put the information in the school newsletter, school announcements and speak at assembly. If your school has a Facebook page you can promote the Sleepout here too but make sure you get permission for all your promotions from the relevant teachers. Sign up and Registration: Keep a list of all the students who sign up to attend. See the Permission Form in the back of this kit (Appendix 1.3) or use your school s permission forms. School Sleepout Kit 9

10 3 Check risk management Consider the potential risk associated with your event and plan what you can do to reduce or eliminate these risks. Make sure there is a first aid officer and kit at the event. Preparing for the event Collect cardboard boxes for people to sleep on or have people bring them. Create and distribute a list of things participates need to bring (pillow, jumper/warm clothing, sleeping bag, tooth brush etc). 4 Organise food for dinner and breakfast. Appropriate food such as soup for dinner helps to set the scene. Create a sign in sheet and desk to go at the door. This is important in cases of emergency. Organise for the use of the school camera so you can take lots of photos. You might even like to pick someone to be the photographer for the night or ask a teacher. Will there be a fundraising element on the night? Can you advertise this event in your newsletter/community newspaper? 10 School Sleepout Kit

11 Create an agenda for the night Example agenda: Morning Time Activity Person Responsible pm 5.00pm 5.30pm 6.15pm 6.45pm Welcome and Event Overview Whole Group Activity: Poverty Game Presentation: School Sleepout and Group Activities Dinner Soup and bread rolls Small Group Activity: Cardboard Structures Game Led by Mrs Thompson Vinnies Youth representative Vinnies Youth representative Served by Vinnies group with help from parent volunteers Led by Mrs Thompson 7.15pm Documentary Organised by Mr Ryan 8.45pm Debrief Led by Mr Ryan 9.15pm Bed Night Time Activity Person Responsible 6.45am Wake up 7.00am 7.15am 7.45am Breakfast bacon and egg rolls Debrief of sleepout experience Liturgy Served by parent volunteers Led by Mr Ryan Led by school Vinnies group with support from Mr Ryan 8.15am Where to from here Led by Mrs Thompson 8.30am Home time School Sleepout Kit 11

12 6 After the event Complete the End of School Sleepout Event Report (Page 21) Send through your report along with your thoughts, feedback, stories and donations to your local Vinnies Facilitator. We want to hear about it! Update your school community on the event. Write a story for the newsletter or speak at assembly. Thank anybody who supported your event. This might be your teachers or any organisation that helped. Put in a request to your local Vinnies Facilitator for participant certificates. 12 School Sleepout Kit

13 event elements School Sleepouts can start/finish at whatever time fits best with the school calendar. There is no minimum requirement for how many students, or how many hours the event must run for. The below is a guide only, and the Vinnies Youth team is happy to work with any school community to assist with planning their nominated event. Setting the Scene Welcome students into the space. Explain how the event will work (WHS requirements, where toilets are, who to go to in case of emergency etc). Overview of program/schedule. Explain the purpose of the evening. You learn to shallow breathe. If your ribs have been busted over and over, it hurts to take a deep breath. Jane, 32. Survivor of domestic violence Activity 1: Whole Group Activity Organise a small activity to run with the students to gently engage them in the theme of the night. Examples include: Gather cardboard/newspaper to sit on ready for a guest speaker. Watch a short clip on Youth homelessness. Play a Poverty game or some sort of interactive game about homelessness. School Sleepout Kit 13

14 Activity 2: Guest Speaker, Workshop or Presentation Invite a Guest Speaker to present a workshop/short presentation someone who knows something about homelessness support. Examples include: A local Vinnies Youth/Local Conference representative to run a workshop on homelessness in the community. Another person in the local community working in homelessness support. Activity 3: Small Group Activity Provide students with a chance to connect and respond to the issues surrounding homelessness through an experiential learning activity. Cardboard Structures Game Split students into small groups and ask them to create a cardboard structure for them to live in for the night. Ask the students to consider what type of features their structure might need to include in order to keep them safe (weather, external parties, security etc) students will be judged on the most practical, relevant structure. Cost of Living Exercise Give students $ (the average Newstart payment) and ask them to work out in groups how much they would spend on rent, electricity, food and transport a fortnight. Reflect on if these amounts are realistic. What are some of the barriers? Activity 4: Reflection Activity Reflection activity is designed to get students to reflect on the issue in a more personal response. Ideas include a student led debrief; using a documentary as a catalyst for small group discussions, a liturgy or prayer space; or even a journal/written response space. Whatever is most appropriate for your students and school community. Tip There are some great youtube clips about homelessness that might be a good catalyst for discussion. Have students list places in their local area that they might consider going to if they found themselves homeless tomorrow. Why did they pick that space? Would they feel safe? How would they meet their basic needs? 14 School Sleepout Kit

15 can t do a school sleepout Sometimes a School Sleepout seems like it won t work in your school community. You can still take a stand against homelessness in Australia and connect with Vinnies! Don t worry, you have lots of options! You could modify the program and run an afternoon/evening session. Or you could choose to run a whole event including dinner and simply not sleepout. If mummy falls down and won t wake up you call really quickly and tell them where you live and wait for people to come. Kasey, 7. Daughter of a drug addict. Or maybe even run a small presentation and activities in a classroom instead. Whatever works for your school community, please don t hesitate to contact your local Vinnies Facilitator (Page 20) for advice/support. Or perhaps you and your friends could run a social media campaign using #halvehomelessness #vinniesyouthqld #goodworks. Have fun, be creative! School Sleepout Kit 15

16 appendix 1.1 Count Me In Registration Form Contact Details School Name Contact Person Phone ABN Position Address Suburb School Sleepout Event Date Venue Approximate number of students Postcode Start/Finish time Brief description of School Sleepout Would you like a Society representative to talk to your group prior to OR during the event? Yes No If yes, please provide suggested date and time: Is there any additional support you would like? Yes No If yes, please describe: I/we acknowledge that we have read the Terms & Conditions as set down by St Vincent de Paul Society Queensland in appendix 1.4 and agree to abide by these. Name Signature Name of organisation/school Position Date / / 16 School Sleepout Kit

17 1.2 Event checklist School Sleepout Planning Process Six weeks prior Four weeks prior Pick a date Pick a venue Create a draft agenda Check your school s Risk Management policy Register your school by completing the Count Me In form (Appendix 1.1) Invite any guest speakers or workshop presenters Start promoting your School Sleepout at your school Start distributing Permission Forms to interested students Create a register of students who sign up to attend Two weeks prior Week of event Confirm any guest speakers or workshop presenters Finalise activities and agenda Finalise register of student participants Create resource list Organise catering (identifying any dietary requirements) Prepare all resources for event Confirm catering Remind student participants School Sleepout Event Overview Start Venue Person Responsible Student Participants Finish Position Teachers Event Overview Supporting Documents Schedule: Y / N Risk Management: Y / N Contact List: Y / N Other: School Sleepout Kit 17

18 1.3 Sample Permission Form (Date) Dear Parent/Guardian, Your child has expressed interest in attending our (School Name) School Sleepout. The event will be held at (Place) from (Time) on (Event Date), and will conclude at (Time) the following morning. Dinner and breakfast will be provided to participants, and they will be required to bring a pillow and sleeping bag, warm clothing and a toothbrush. The School Sleepout allows students to connect on a personal level with the issue of homelessness by sleeping out as a school community, whilst raising awareness to support the work of the St Vincent de Paul Society Qld. The event will include activities designed to break open the issue of homelessness. Such activities will include a St Vincent de Paul Society presentation about homelessness and the School Sleepout, and a simulated homeless experience through students sleeping out in a controlled environment monitored by staff and parent volunteers. We hope the School Sleepout initiative will give our students a tangible experience of what it would be like to be homeless, bring awareness about the realities faced by people considered to be homeless, and encourage students to do something about it! Please sign the slip below to indicate your permission for your child to attend. If you have any questions about the School Sleepout, please contact me at the office. Students are asked to return the slip to Student Services by (2 weeks prior). Kind Regards, Signature Teacher Name Position 18 School Sleepout Kit

19 Permission Slip for (School Name) School Sleepout Please return to Student Services by (2 weeks prior). I give permission for my child, to attend the (School Name) School Sleepout on (Date). I consent to my child having their photo taken for use by the St Vincent de Paul Society Qld in promoting or follow up for the event. Dietary Requirements Parent/Guardian Signature Date School Sleepout Kit 19

20 1.4 Terms and Conditions 1. Once your Application is submitted, a Letter of Authority to raise funds in the Society s name together with your confirmed Registration will be sent to you. 2. Once you are approved, you may use the Society s official logo to promote your fundraising event but may not use it in conjunction with selling or promoting of any commercial produce or service. The officially approved event logo will be forwarded to you if requested. 3. The Society does not permit its name or logo to be used to endorse any commercially available products or services without the explicit written approval of the State Council of the St Vincent de Paul Society Queensland. 4. All artwork using the Society logo for external public audiences must be first approved by the Society before being printed. 5. Any promotional material designed to encourage public support for your event including notices, tickets, brochures or advertisements must include the words: all funds raised will benefit St Vincent de Paul Society Queensland. 6. All funds raised in the name of St Vincent de Paul Society Queensland must be deposited into an account in the Society s name at a recognised financial institution. Details of the Society s banking arrangements will be provided to you. (It is an offence in Queensland to deposit funds raised in the name of a charity into a private bank account (Collections Act 1966)). 7. Gifts (of $2 or more) to the Society are tax deductible and official gift receipts are available on request. Where interim receipts are required either for gifts or other contributions, a supply of receipt forms may be obtained from the State Office under certain conditions. 8. Funds raised in the name of St Vincent de Paul Society Queensland may not be shared with any other organisation. Joint fundraising events may be approved but written approval must be sought from all benefiting charities prior to the conduct of the fundraising. 9. All Authority holders are required to complete and sign a Report of Fundraising. The Report, in the required format, together with all supporting receipting and banking vouchers, should be forwarded to the Society s State Office within 30 days of the completion of the fundraising or by 30 June each year, whichever is the earlier date. The Vinnies Youth Team will post this to you after the event and will help you complete this. See End of School Sleepout Event Report. 10. All Authority holders are expected to manage risks associated with their fundraising events and must consider the safety of participants, insurances where necessary, licenses, permits and council approvals that may be required with certain types of events. 11. St Vincent de Paul Society Queensland staff are unable to become directly involved in the conduct of your event but will be available to provide advice and support on the night as required. 20 School Sleepout Kit

21 contact us There are heaps of ways your school can take action within your local community! For further information please contact the Vinnies Youth team in your local area: South East Queensland Diocese Phone Brisbane City / South youth@svdpqld.org.au Western westernyouth@svdpqld.org.au Northern youth@svdpqld.org.au Gold Coast and Country youth@svdpqld.org.au Regional Queensland Diocese Phone Toowoomba youth@svdpqld.org.au Rockhampton samara.thompson@svdpqld.org.au Mackay annamaria.cappello@svdpqld.org.au Far North Queensland youth@svdpqld.org.au Townsville youth@svdpqld.org.au Gladstone michael.cusack@svdpqld.org.au General Enquiries youth@svdpqld.org.au Some nights he won t stop screaming. The other kids can t sleep and have school the next day. So I drive him around to calm him down. Just through the back streets. Sometimes I drive until dawn, because as long as the car s moving he s happy. And my other two kids can get some sleep. Sarah, 40. Mother of Peter, 14 - Diagnosed with severe mental disabilities School Sleepout Kit 21

22 end of school sleepout event report Event Coordinators detailsevent coordinator details Name Phone School name About your event How many students participated? How many staff were present? Was fundraising included in the event? Yes / No If yes, estimation of goods/donations collected: $ Amount of money raised and given to St Vincent de Paul Society: $ What was the best part of your event? What was the worst part? Anything that could be improved upon next time? Will you become involved again next year? Would you like further information of how you can continue to support 1 in 8 Queenslanders in need? Yes / No Yes / No 22 School Sleepout Kit

23 Share your sleepout story with other Queensland schools #goodworks #halvehomelessness #vinniesyouthqld Upload your pictures using the hashtags #VinniesyouthQLD #goodworks #halvehomelessness so we can follow your sleepout experience! *Please seek parent/guardian permission before uploading to a public forum. St Vincent de Paul Society Queensland will not be responsible for any images uploaded without consent. Vinnies Youth QLD vinniesyouthqld Thinking good thoughts is not enough, doing good deeds is not enough, seeing others follow your good examples is enough. Douglas Horton

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