It’s Homelessness Week and our Fusion team on the Mornington Peninsula is challenging us to think about our place in the community and how we can be a Good Neighbour to the people around us.
Homelessness Today
More Australians are experiencing the reality of homelessness than ever before. Children, young people, families and older people; people who never expected to find themselves in this place.
Increased rents, housing availability, domestic and family violence, and the cost of living are impacting ordinary people across our communities. Rents have increased, while wages haven’t; in some communities, tourism is driving away local families who can no longer afford to live in their own neighbourhoods.
Is there a way that regular people like us can take action and be part of providing support to those in crisis?
Image: Good Neighbour Project from Fusion Mornington Peninsula
Be a Good Neighbour
For the second year, our team on the Mornington Peninsula is challenging us to think about our place in the community and how we can be a Good Neighbour to the people around us.
Right now, 750 young people in high schools in Melbourne are participating in the Good Neighbour Project, a series of activities designed to stretch each one to think outside of themselves, to try taking small actions that will have a big impact for others.
The Heart of the Good Neighbour Project
Here Gemma Bell, Team Leader at Fusion Mornington Peninsula shares the heart of the Good Neighbour Project and its potential to change lives.
As a grassroots community that has lived alongside people experiencing homelessness for around 40 years, our Fusion team invites you to connect deeper into your own humanity.
Research tells us it is the connections we have with others that help us to thrive throughout life – this is most important in times of personal crisis. These connections are often taken for granted, they may be family, close friends, sports groups, professional relationships and so forth.
For someone experiencing homelessness or who is vulnerable to crisis, these connections are too often unhealthy, unstable and/or do not exist.
There is another symptom to consider as we unpack healthy connections.
Do we recognise our place within such a community? That by being more connected to others we may, in fact, be the healing factor to our neighbour’s vulnerability.
From my own experience, I also want to name that there are many times in life where we need the healing support of others. None of us are immune from the need to be connected in healthy ways.
The 20 challenges are designed to help us realise how ordinary being a good neighbour can be. It is a series of rather ordinary actions, reflections, and learning activities. The wonderful thing about that is – anyone can do it!
We encourage every participant to be gentle on themselves as they reflect on the experiences. Gentle and real. My favourite good neighbours are those who are open about their failings as well as their hopes. We are all human together.
Gemma Bell
Team Leader Fusion Mornington Peninsula
Try it Yourself
If this gets you thinking, you can try being a Good Neighbour yourself and get started with the challenge below. This is Challenge 4, from this year’s Good Neighbour Workbook.
How Can You Respond?
If you’re excited about what can happen when we make small changes like this, follow us on our socials and try some more Challenges.
If you’re in Melbourne, you can head along to the Fair Share Homelessness Week Community Event on 9 August from 6pm to 9pm at Mornington Park, Schnapper Point, Mornington.
And to be part of ensuring that Fusion Mornington Peninsula’s work with young people experiencing or at risk of homelessness continues, donate today. Your support will make the difference to vulnerable young people.