Proud to march for homeless

Proud to march for homeless

One of Melbourne’s largest homelessness agencies — HomeGround Services — is set to take to St Kilda’s Fitzroy St this weekend in the Victorian Pride March.

The agency said the decision to march was made in recognition of the high number of queer staff employed at the workplace and its queer clients.

HomeGround Services acting CEO Heather Holst endorsed workers taking part in the march.

“People experiencing homelessness are routinely discriminated against, not only in accessing housing, but because negative value judgements are made against them based on prejudice and inaccurate stereotypes,” Holst said.

“The LGBTIQ community also suffers from routine discrimination and prejudice — those who are homeless get hit with a double whammy.

“We are taking part to support our LGBTIQ staff and to recognise the extra barriers faced by our many LGBTIQ clients who are in housing crisis.”

HomeGround outreach worker and marching group organiser Gary Vaughan said he hopes other community sector workers get involved.

“Many of us choose to work in the community sector or areas relating to social justice and equality because we have direct experience of how it feels to be excluded,” Vaughan said.

“Organisations like HomeGround naturally attract lots of queer staff and the result is a very inclusive workplace environment where people can be as open about their personal lives as they want.”

HomeGround is inviting anyone interested in supporting Pride to meet at the corner of Lakeside Drive and Fitzroy St, St Kilda from noon on Sunday, February 6.

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One response to “Proud to march for homeless”

  1. We desperately need you here to clean up Brisbane’s, Fortitude Valley homeless people.

    Large numbers of neglected, Mentally disadvantaged wonder up and down Brunswick Street, 24 hours a day.

    Many homeless, Indiginous people lay asleep in doorways and on footpaths.

    Trying to get to the Inner City Mentally Disabled Clinic is a frightening experience. WE SAY, THIS CLINIC MUST BE RELOCATED.
    As soon as you step off the bus you are set upon by a litany of Drug Dealers and other opportunists who wish to involve you in something or other.

    Lastly, we ask that Kevin Rudd, and all those career Politicians, stop preening themselves on the International stage and cease wasting our good money, $500.000 given to Indonesia and millions wasted on Africa.

    This money is needed here, in our hospitals and in our rundown, Mental Health services and caring for the elderly, citizens who worked hard and devoted their lives to build up this country.

    Another problem is, our Government Housing bodies have been hi-jacked by Federal agencies, to give priority to economic arrivals.
    Much grumbling from thousands of Australians waiting for a home.

    What can I say about Fortitude Valley?

    Appalling, Grubby, Dirty, Sweat hole. Even the shop owners won’t clean the vomit and urine off their enterances, footpaths and doorways.

    Charity is needed in our hospitals