Fears over program for homeless men near Holy Spirit Community School

Parents fear a program for homeless men being run after-hours near a Ringwood North primary school will invite drugs and unsavoury behaviour into the grounds. But the school’s principal is so supportive of it, he says he’ll volunteer to help.

Ringwood North's Holy Spirit Community School. Picture: Google Street View

A group of Maroondah parents are concerned homeless men sleeping in a nearby church could bring drugs and unsavoury behaviour into the school grounds.

Ringwood North’s Holy Spirit Parish will be hosting participants in the Winter Shelter program on Friday nights in winter.

The homeless prevention initiative is being held for a second year and will involve seven Maroondah churches.

Each church is hosting a group of single homeless men aged 24 and over one night a week, with volunteers cooking them dinner each night and offering support and advice.

A Holy Spirit Community School parent, who declined to be named, told Maroondah Leader they were concerned about children’s safety due to “the clientele that would be catered for”.

“I’m all for help being given to these vulnerable people, but not within a primary school grounds because of the risks that come with that being drug, health and hygiene issues,” they said.

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“How can they stop someone coming to the shelter and then going around the premises?

“It’s not an independent location, it’s within a school and that’s my concern.”

A post on the parish’s website said all men were assessed for the program by Ringwood’s United Wesley branch and signed a contract to ensure the safety of all volunteers and guests.

The post also stated the parish, the school and before-and-after-care groups had completed risk assessments to ensure “there can be no worries about having the guests and the children on the same site”.

Winter Shelter co-ordinator Scott Hawkins said he was happy to meet with anyone concerned about the program.

Holy Spirit Community School principal Duncan Arendse said the school promoted a Winter Shelter information session through school channels a week beforehand and on the day.

He said the program was being held after hours and not on school grounds.

Mr Arendse said the school was not involved in the program but he would volunteer as he felt it was “a worthwhile initiative showing true Catholic mission in action”.

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