NT Shelter, Orange Sky Laundry team up in Darwin for National Homelessness Week

Beyond funding and housing, a pair of homelessness workers are calling on Territorians to consider the small contributions they can make in uplifting society’s most marginalised.

NT Shelter regional manager Michael Byrne and Orange Sky regional coordinator Luke Miskimmin say they hope Territorians are inspired to engage homeless people in conversation. Picture: Harry Brill.

Beyond funding and housing, for Mike Byrne providing a homeless person a clean change of clothes, a shower and genuine conversation is part of an everyday mission to ensure society’s most vulnerable can live with dignity.

Entering National Homelessness Week, the NT Shelter regional manager reflected on his 14 years’ worth of experience in helping people who sleep rough, and said he believed sincere, human interaction with the disadvantaged was key.

“A lot of people that are homeless only have conversations with people that are paid to talk to them, like social workers, police, and council workers,” he said.

“So having somewhere you can chat and connect on a real, personal level and feel like a human is part of that dignity.”

NT Shelter regional manager Michael Byrne with Luke Miskimmin and Ruth Canty of Orange Sky Laundry. Picture: Harry Brill.

From presentation to basic cleanliness, Mr Byrne said the small details empowered homeless people in other areas of life.

“If you’re homeless and you’ve got a job interview, you’re not going to do well if you’re (struggling in those areas).”

Supporting his observations was Orange Sky Laundry regional co-ordinator Luke Miskimin, whose team brought its mobile laundry van, which enables homeless people across the greater Darwin region to shower, do their washing and chat.

“We want to ensure that we can restore people’s dignity by giving them a fresh set of clothes also connecting,” he said.

“Sit down, have a yarn with people and be an ear for those going through a tough time.”

Orange Sky Laundry vans are decked out with dryers, washing machines and even a shower. Picture: Harry Brill.

In the past 12 months, demands for Orange Sky Laundry’s services increased by 21 per cent, which, according to Mr Miskimin, had been exacerbated by the nation’s cost-of-living crisis.

“Now, more than ever, we need support from the community both financially and in volunteering so that we can meet the demand of our friends,” he said.

“And we seeing a lot more people that we normally wouldn’t see at our services.”

With the Territory’s rate of homelessness almost 12 times the national average, Mr Byrne said it was vital the Territory received needs-based funding to resolve housing insecurity.

“The federal government funds homeless services, and they fund those services, normally, on a population basis, whereas the number of homeless people in the Territory is greater than probably three or four other states.”

The rates of people experiencing homelessness by state/territory. Source: ABS.

According to a 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics study, not only did the Territory have the highest rate of homelessness, but it specifically had the highest proportion of people living in severely crowded dwellings.

“It’s always been a lot more expensive to build and buy houses here – renting has always been very expensive too,” Mr Byrne said.

“And we have a lot of Aboriginal homelessness throughout overcrowding.”

Domestic violence and lack of health support have also contributed to the number of people sleeping rough – something Mr Byrne said he had noticed in his line of work.

“About 50 per cent of all people who are accessing homelessness services say that domestic violence is a significant contributor,” he said.

“If we can work on some of those issues you might be able to stem the flow.”

Minister Selena Uibo flies into Pirlangimpi for a remote housing handover. Picture: Amanda Parkinson.

In support of the cause, the Coffee Club confirmed that on 16 August, $1 from every coffee sold in the Territory was donated to Orange Sky through Cafesmart – a nationwide fundraiser that has been operating for more than decade.

With efforts underway to build remote homes and five years’ worth of federal funding secured for homeless services, Mr Byrne said he was trying to stay positive.

“Hopefully the future will be a bit brighter.”