Notes from a Crisis : a postscript to a forum held in #Ballarat on Homelessness

The above PowerPoint presentation

has been gathered and edited  from 

the feedback of participants at the Forum.

Not only can it be viewd on line -

it can be downloaded and screened.

Please give it wide coverage in your groups and associations/

Please encourage people to attend the next Forum on 9 October.

Details to be announced

On 21 August 2015, approximately 80 people gathered at the Eastwood Leisure Centre in Ballarat for a Forum on Homelessness. The place was packed. The place was lively. 

People working in organisations related to Homelessness were present. Some of these gave presentations of their work. Most of these were in government funded organisations but there were some present who received no government funding whatsoever and relied wholly on community support to fund their activities.  Prominent among the latter was The Soup Bus - a well known #Ballarat institution.  

A favourite of many people was Josh Wilkins, the founder of One Voice.  One Voice operates without government funding and provides free, clean shower facilities for homeless people.  Keep watch because there may be a #Ballarat version pop up thanks to the energies of local people.  A bus has already been given for the purpose but there is much more to be done before bus and showers can hit the road. Josh said that his ambition is to become like the community of Sant'Egidio in Italy who started small but now have moved on to providing health care and facilities.  

There were people from the general community who were concerned about Homelessness and who were seeking solutions to this grave problem. The forum was co-sponsored by Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council and Ballarat Interfaith Network. Many thanks to Father Constantine Osuchukwu (Treasurer, B.I.N. and Interfaith Officer, BRMC) and Margaret Lenan Ellis (Public Relations Officer, B.I.N.) who were at the forefront of organising the Forum and a special thanks for the great job that Father Constantine did in chairing proceedings.

If you attended, the Homelessness Forum or if you were prevented from attending, another gathering will be held on 9 October. Stay tuned for further details.

Compassion - an essential ingredient for a better community

From Margarent Lenan Ellis, 

Public Relations Officer - Ballarat Interfaith Network ~~~

Ballarat Interfaith Network (BIN) is delighted to partner with the Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council (BRMC) in hosting an Interfaith Forum calling for Compassion as an Essential Ingredientfor a Better Community.

This public forum, to be held at M.A.D.E. on Friday 22 August at 6pm, presents the opportunity to hear speakers from diverse faith backgrounds offer spiritual insight into the healing and enabling power of compassion – within ourselves, our families, communities and nations of the world.

By juxtaposing Ghandi’s quote on the forum flier: Be the Change you want See in the World with a topic calling for increased compassion as a way of implementing positive change, this interfaith forum invites all attending to both hear and contribute to deeply purposeful discussion. 

Following introduction of the topic by the guest speakers, everyone will have the opportunity to respond to and discuss the topic with others in the audience.

Such discussions can be stimulating, revelatory and even challenging – catalysts for change within ourselves, and our own fields of influence.

We hope you take the time to join BRMC and BIN in participating in this Interfaith Forum at M.A.D.E.  (102 Stawell St Sth, Ballarat) at 6pm on Friday 22 August.