Panel discussion to share real people‘s homelessness stories

Hobart 2020 Citizen of the Year and Housing with Dignity Committee member Kate Kelly said she grew up experiencing hidden homelessness. Now she will share that experience to help others through the same issues.

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A FIRST of its kind podcast panel discussion will dig deep to share lived experiences of homelessness and outline solutions to the growing issue.

Hobart 2020 Citizen of the Year and Housing with Dignity Committee member Kate Kelly said she grew up experiencing hidden homelessness.

“I’m fortunate enough to live in social housing and I’m an advocate for outside of the box models,” she said.

“Australia is quite behind, we have a one-size-fits-all public housing system.”

Living in a housing co-operative herself, Ms Kelly said one of the live panel’s discussion points would cover cohort-specific housing for people in growing homelessness demographics, such as single women over 55.

Hobart 2020 Citizen of the Year and homelessness advocate Kate Kelly at Town Hall with Josh Lovell and Darran Petty. Picture: RICHARD JUPE

“We’ll have a candid discussion about what’s working, what’s not working and what do we think needs to be done,” she said.

“Especially with the impact of COVID-19 which is going to see an increase in several cohorts going into homelessness through job loss, it’s a very dangerous time.”

The podcast is the 2020 instalment of the Hobart City Council supported 50/50 Affordable Housing Awareness ART Campaign.

Joining Ms Kelly will be Councillor Jax Ewin, Salvation Army frontline community award recipient Don McRae, Tasmanian Labor housing spokeswoman Alison Standen and Grace Morgan and Darran Lette from the Housing with Dignity Reference Committee.

The panel discussion will be recorded at the Hobart Town Hall by Darran Petty on Sunday August 9 for National Homelessness Week.

The podcast will be streamed on darranpetty.com and the 50/50 Affordable Housing Awareness ART Campaign Facebook page.