Hope at the Margins: what role does hope play in the escalating homelessness crisis?

By Brigid Meney

As Catholic Health Australia continues its Hope at the Margins webinar series during this Jubilee year, we are invited to pause, reflect, and act. This year marks a pertinent time to recommit ourselves to the mission at the heart of Catholic health and social services: walking with those on the margins and shining the light of hope into even the darkest corners of our society’s failings.

Last week’s webinar, Health Starts with a Home, brought together frontline leaders from across Catholic services to explore the reality of homelessness in Australia. The discussion was sobering, rich with insight, and deeply rooted in mission. Their words remind us that homelessness is not simply a social issue—it is a health issue, a justice issue, and, above all, a moral issue. And for the Catholic sector, it is a call to embody the healing ministry of Christ with renewed courage and creativity.

In the wake of the recent Australian federal election, which returned the government with an increased majority, we must ask: what can be achieved in addressing homelessness with this political capital and stability?

The stories and statistics shared in the webinar were stark. Over 122,000 Australians were recorded as experiencing homelessness in the 2021 census, and alarmingly, one in seven of those were children under 12. But beyond the numbers were the human faces—many of them hidden from public view.

As Sandy McKiernan from St John of God Health Care explained, stereotypically we think of homelessness as those who are rough sleeping. But the majority are experiencing secondary or tertiary homelessness—couch surfing, staying in hostels, or living in unsafe, unstable boarding houses with no control, no privacy, and no lease. Her words dismantled the myth that homelessness is rare, visible, or isolated. It is widespread, complex, and often invisible.

The old narrative—that homelessness is a problem of individual failure—must be replaced with one of systemic failure. Erin Longbottom from St Vincent’s Homeless Health described this vividly: “There’s a lot of older women and men who have just fallen through every gap in the system… Every system that’s designed in our society to support someone, to keep them safe, has failed that person.”

This failure is not theoretical—it is lived daily in cars, in overcrowded houses, in parks, in hospitals. And it is their health is deeply impacted. Erin continued, “How are you going to see a GP if you have to pay a gap fee. How are you going to afford those medical tests? How you’re going to afford medication? We’re seeing an increase in people in the emergency department. We’re seeing an increase of people at our clinics, and we are seeing an increase in chronic disease and other avoidable illnesses.” This is forming a vicious cycle that few people on the margins can escape without coordinated, compassionate intervention.

So where does hope live in all of this?

Hope lives in the ministries and missions of Catholic health and social services, who refuse to see people as problems or statistics, but as brothers and sisters with dignity and potential. Brett Macklin of St Vincent de Paul NSW described this mission well, saying that a Catholic response to homelessness can go beyond a bricks and mortar approach. “They’re just not a number walking through the door. If they present as homeless, then we just don’t go, here’s a house for you. It really is, what else do you need? What led to being homeless? What can we supply?”

This is not just charity, but solidarity. And it is mission in its truest sense.

Our services don’t stop at providing shelter; they wrap their arms around the whole person. St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney, for example, offers the only multidisciplinary health service in New South Wales dedicated entirely to those experiencing homelessness, drawing on a legacy of care founded by the Sisters of Charity.

Erin captured this beautifully: “I don’t think that that would be even in existence if it wasn’t for the hospital that I work for and the work of the Sisters of Charity. So, I think the legacy that they left… that we can work at the margins, that we can push the boundaries, these stories run through everything we do, the history, the mission and their vision.”

Innovation, collaboration, and courage are evident throughout Catholic services. Whether it’s Horizon House offering young people development and care after experiences of trauma, family domestic violence, and hardship, or the Vinnies Vans initiative creating mobile hubs of support across Sydney, these are examples of Church-based organisations seeing a need and moving towards it with creativity and love.

Social and affordable housing

But the love and care shown by Catholic services is not enough when the scale of the crisis continues to grow. Our panellists were clear: one of the greatest drivers of homelessness is a lack of social and affordable housing. No amount of goodwill, wraparound care, or innovation can substitute for roofs over heads. And yet, as Sandy noted, even when funding is announced—like the recent $1 billion for housing infrastructure—it often comes without the vital service delivery support that makes housing sustainable. “It’s piecemeal,” she said.

This is where the government has the opportunity to show courage and vision. With a strengthened mandate, government has the opportunity to avoid tinkering at the edges. Now is the time for systemic investment in social and affordable housing, for integrated health and homelessness services, for better access to mental health care, and for recognition that housing is intricately linked to healthcare.

To be brave means reimagining old models, closing the gaps that cause people to fall through, and partnering with those already doing the hard work—especially faith-based organisations that carry both professional excellence and profound purpose. As Brett noted, “Our patrons and benefactors allow us to go outside of the funding envelope.” This spirit of generosity and innovation must be matched by systemic reform by Governments.

And amidst all the challenges, we return again to hope. Hope is not naive optimism. It is a choice to keep walking, to keep loving, to keep believing that lives can change. As Sandy said, “Hopeful people can instil hope in young people and in our older people, and promote healthy behaviours… hope is a driver for people—it gives purpose”

In this Jubilee year, as we remember the call to be pilgrims of hope, Catholic Health Australia and our wider network embody this hope. And we call on our elected leaders to do the same.

Because health starts with a home. And homes start with policy rooted in the common good.

You can catch up of the full webinar series by visiting https://cha.org.au/hope-at-the-margins-health-starts-with-a-home/