Homelessness forum results in many solutions to the problem

Forum co-organiser Rochelle Kirkham implored those in attendance to grasp the baton and run.

"The call out to you is to become community advocates for the issue," Ms Kirkham said.

Fiona Murphy, another co-organiser, passionately asked for solutions.

"We encourage you to think broadly," Ms Murphy said.

"Help could be volunteering your time, your skill set for a specific project, your business' skills. It could be offering training opportunities or it could even be offering financial support."

The Central Highlands Homelessness Alliance has identified seven broad areas in its mission to improve the lives of those unfortunate enough not to have permanent shelter.

The ability to store items has been deemed essential by service providers.

McAuley House's Samantha Duncan is concerned about the plight of those with possessions, but without a secure abode.

"The majority of women who come through our centres are living in their cars," Ms Duncan said.

"I've worked with a number of women who have been holding onto furniture items which have been owned by their parents and grandparents. They don't want to give those items up."

Initiatives to address the issue of storage include discounts being offered by commercial companies and storage opportunities being donated by community members with space, such as sheds and shipping containers.

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Uniting's Daniel Hemming is keen to have access to an outreach vehicle. This need became apparent when Mr Hemming came across 10 rough sleepers at Greenhill Lake outside Ararat.

"We were totally unprepared," Mr Hemming said.

A vehicle equipped with supplies, like cookers, tents, and sleeping bags would be ideal.

A donation of a van, an enclosed trailer, or caravan would be embraced by Uniting

An awning, refrigeration, signage for the vehicle, and sleeping mats would also be put to good use.

"It would be great to have a branded van that we can go out in and people know that it's us and know that we're there to help," Mr Hemming said.

The importance of education and employment cannot be underestimated, according to Rowan Sweeney, a homelessness worker.

"The opportunities presented by education and training are huge," Mr Sweeney said.

"If you have training opportunities, you are that much more employable. A tailored approach focused on providing skills and employment opportunities can be transformative"

Mr Sweeney has suggested peer mentors in classrooms providing support; teaching interview skills to build capacity and confidence; and getting people from certain fields to provide insights to the unemployed.

"Education can change a story," Mr Sweeney said.

The Salvation Army's Jasmine Darge believes providing access to school holiday camps would make an immense difference to young people suffering from inequality and poverty.

"The young people we work with are very isolated and they don't often get many opportunities," Ms Darge said.

"Often, they're just stuck at home for the whole holiday period. They miss out of a lot of opportunities their peers get purely due to financial difficulties. That's something which could be easily overcome if they had the support required."

Having referred to a young person of whom she knows who was denied involvement in an exciting holiday program due to financial restraints, Ms Darge offered possible reforms.

"Some sort of scholarship arrangement or funding pool we can draw from to help sponsor kids to go to these camps would be an extreme benefit to these families," she said.

Nikita Guest of CAFS knows how essential the ability to drive is for the underprivileged.

Ms Guest has had personal involvement with a woman under 25, and unable to drive, with young children. A sufferer of severe anxiety, the woman cannot utilise public transport, but is reliant on childcare which is not in close proximity.

Ms Guest asserted the ability to drive can be the difference between getting a job and not getting a job.

Donations for professional driving lessons and the provision of car maintenance education would go a long way to assisting the region's homeless population.

Early intervention and preventative care are essential to providing people with good health. However, providing these is particularly challenging for those experiencing homelessness.

Healthcare providers are desperate to know how to achieve home-based care if one does not have have a home.

Procuring adequate and safe accommodation is a perennial challenge.

Uniting has had difficulty trying to establish relationships with caravan parks and building relationships with real estate agencies, representatives indicating stigma around the homeless remains. A modification of perspective would be advantageous.

Real estate agent Terry Morse feels society's obsession with four-bedroom, two-bathroom houses has resulted in a lack of smaller, affordable properties. A change in approach would be ideal.

Further options include using a sleep bus, empty church spaces, or university accommodation to aid those in need.

To make further suggestions or to assist, contact ballarat.homelessness.response@gmail.com

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