Older Australians experience homelessness. 17% of homeless Australians are aged over 55. Increasingly, older women are homeless because they are living in poverty due to the social and economic impacts of child rearing, divorce and separation.

Street counts of "rough sleepers" are used to collect information about the number of people sleeping rough in a local area. People occupying beds in temporary shelters and homelessness hostels are also counted. However people living in boarding houses, staying with friends or living in other forms of non-secure housing are not counted.

* ALIA Libraries are for everyone: providing quality services to people who are homeless

* Librarians Guide To Homelessness (USA) - book - website

* Autism and Homelessness Toolkit (UK)

* Homeless Persons'Legal Service (HPLS) provides people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness with practical legal assistance.

* Melbourne Libraries hired a social worker to work with vulnerable members of the community.

* San Francisco Public Library employed health and safety associates who have lived experience of homelessness to assist with outreach.

* Dallas Public Library Homeless Engagement Initiative provides some examples of the type of library programs, mentorship and personalized assistance services that have proved effective.

Back to HLS home page

Back to Working groups page