Activity

Homelessness

Key Learning

Students will explore the issue of homelessness and will develop ways of raising awareness in the community.

The Australian Curriculum > English / Literacy / Interpreting, analysing, evaluating
Content description / General capabilities
Literacy
Intercultural understanding
Ethical behaviour
Information and communication technology capability
Critical and creative thinking
Use comprehension strategies to analyse information, integrating and linking ideas from a variety of print and digital sources. CodeACELY1703
Elaboration
  • using research skills including identifying research purpose, locating texts, gathering and organising information, evaluating its relative value, and the accuracy and currency of print and digital sources and summarising information from several sources

Focus Questions

  1. Before you watch the BtN story, record what you know about the issue of homelessness.
  2. Discuss the issues raised in the Homelessness story with the class.
  3. What has happened to the homeless rate in Australia?
  4. About how many homeless people are there in Australia?
  5. What are students at St Andrews school doing to help?
  6. Give some reasons why a person might become homeless.
  7. Retell Fabiano’s story.
  8. How did Steph and Fabiano get their lives back on track?
  9. Brainstorm a list of ways your class or school could help homeless or disadvantaged people in your local community.
  10. How did this story make you feel?

Activity

What is homelessness?

Before watching the BtN story Homelessness find out what students already know about youth homelessness. Note: please refer to BtN’s Upsetting News document as this may be a sensitive issue for some students Here are some discussion starters:

  • What does it mean to be homeless?
  • What age group/s does homelessness affect?
  • What do you think are some of the reasons that contribute to young people becoming homeless?
  • Who helps homeless people?
  • What do you think it would feel like to be homeless?

Watch the BtN story Homelessness and summarise the story in your own words. Hold a group discussion, and reflect on the issue of youth homelessness.

  • How did you feel after watching the BtN Homelessness story?
  • What words, emotions and images do they associate with homelessness?
  • Why do you think BtN covered this story?

Further research

  • Find a definition for the term homelessness. Refer to the three broad areas of homelessness which include Primary, Secondary and Tertiary homelessness.
  • ‘Homelessness is not just about a lack of shelter’. What do you think is meant by this statement?

Raising awareness

As a class think of different ways that the government and your community are already helping people that are homeless, for example,mobile food services, ‘soup kitchens’, accommodation, donating money and raising awareness in the community.

Discuss with students differentactivities that they could undertake to help raise awareness about homelessness in their community. Here are some ideas:

  • Organise a pubic exhibition or school display to highlight youth homelessness (for example posters or an exhibition to represent the number of people in your local community who are homeless).
  • Help the students organise a walk or sleep-out to raise money
  • Write a letter to local MP’s outlining what you have learnt about homelessness in your community.
  • Invite a guest speaker (for example, an MP, representative of a community or welfare organisation or someone who works with or has experienced homelessness).
  • Publish a special edition of the school newsletter explaining the activities your class carried out including information about youth homelessness.
  • Organise a collection of food or clothes at your school and donate to your local charity.

 Related Research Links

ABC News – Number of homeless up by 17 per cent

Youth Homelessness Matters

City of Sydney – What is homelessness?

The Big Issue – Homelessness: About

Homelessness Australia – Homelessness and Children

Behind the News – Youth Sleep Out

Behind the News – Fred’s Van

©ABC 2012