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Films about my lived expeience of homelessness and the adversities and challenges I faced. This is some of my story.
Films about my lived expeience of homelessness and the adversities and challenges I faced. This is some of my story.
Queensland homeless help guide is a 'person-centred' natural disaster preparation toolkit
Queensland homeless help guide is a 'person-centred' natural disaster preparation toolkit
Jasmen Youdale had experienced homelessness throughout much of her life but was not prepared for the powerlessness and isolation she felt sleeping rough in regional Victoria during winter.
Key points:
People with experience of homelessness and disability have helped inform new guidelines on disaster preparedness
The "person-centred" toolkit is being rolled out across Queensland and other states may follow
It aims to make disaster preparedness more personal and compassionate
The move south from the tropics of Far North Queensland at Christmas 2019 was meant to have been a fresh start for Ms Youdale.
Instead, it was the start of a nightmare year in an unfamiliar state where restrictions on movement due to COVID-19 lockdowns made it hard to access vital services, such as healthcare and food, and impossible to move back home.
"It actually led us to having to pick out of bins for food or beg for food," Ms Youdale said.
Now 23 and back in Cairns with more stable accommodation, Ms Youdale is among a group of people who shared their experience of homelessness with researchers and emergency responders.
The purpose was to create a new set of resources aimed at making natural disaster planning more inclusive.
Jasmen Youdale has experienced homelessness throughout her life. (ABC Far North: Christopher Testa)
The project has produced a toolkit of online resources, videos, and learning modules aimed at helping local councils and emergency services better support the needs of the most vulnerable in times of disaster.
"They asked me how they could approach someone with disability who is currently experiencing homelessness and I said, 'With compassion and empathy'," Ms Youdale said.
"When the fire brigade came up to me and my partner because we lit a fire to keep warm and eat food, they just treated us like criminals.
"They didn't look at our situation and go, 'Hey, how are you doing? Why are you here? Why are you lighting a fire?'
"They didn't look at our situation and go, 'Hey, how are you doing? Why are you here? Why are you lighting a fire?'
"They just gave my partner a fine."
Conversations, not pamphlets
University of Sydney's Centre for Disability Research and Policy (CRDP) deputy director Associate Professor Michelle Villeneuve led the project and said a key goal was to better incorporate trusted social services into natural disaster responses.
Financial hardship resources:
National Debt Helpline: 1800 007 007
Mob Strong Debt Help: 1800 808 488
Lifeline: 13 11 14
Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636
"The whole point of this project was to start with a conversation rather than resources, information and pamphlets," she said.
"Start with a real conversation, person-to-person, so people can break down those barriers and the stigma we hold in society against people with disability or people who are homeless."
Michelle Villeneuve helped develop the person-centred resource. (Twitter: @ResearchC4I)
Associate Professor Villeneuve said public messaging about natural disaster preparation often assumed people had good literacy skills and access to the internet.
"When we tell people, 'Go to your disaster dashboard' or 'Download this thing', they may not have ready access to that like the rest of the population," she said.
"When we tell people, 'Go to your disaster dashboard' or 'Download this thing', they may not have ready access to that like the rest of the population," she said.
One recommended strategy is for emergency service workers to meet with those experiencing homelessness and draw a map of the local community, talking about the disaster risks in each area and identifying the safest places to go in times of need.
The Person-Centred Emergency Preparedness Homelessness Outreach toolkit will be shared directly with all 77 councils in Queensland and is available online through a platform called Collaborating4Inclusion.
Cyclones can occur in Cairns but many residents are unfamiliar with the risk. (ABC News: Kerrin Binnie)
While the Queensland government has supported its creation, the toolkit has attracted interest in other locations, such as inner Sydney.
"We hope they will be picked up across Australia as well," Associate Professor Villeneuve said.
A need for change
Cairns Regional Council Deputy Mayor Terry James chairs the city's disaster management group and said additional resources to help prepare the community would be welcome.
Q Shelter, the peak state body for housing and homelessness, estimates about 140 people sleep rough each night in Cairns alone.
"Each year, we get a different cohort of people that come to this town, that have never heard of cyclones, for example," Cr James said.
"Each year, we get a different cohort of people that come to this town, that have never heard of cyclones, for example," Cr James said.
Jasmen Youdale found herself sleeping rough near Ballarat in winter. (ABC Ballarat: Christopher Testa)
Ms Youdale, who has recently been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism, sleep apnoea, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, said she found it "cathartic just to talk to first responders about my experiences".
"I'm hoping this isn't just another new initiative that's going to give out a certain amount of swags or tick a certain box," she said.
"I'm hoping this will help people experiencing homelessness get the resources they need but not only that, be seen as a human being with feeling and emotions, and not be blamed because they're homeless."
*Article and Image via ABC Australia
*Videos via Collaborating 4 inclusion
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