From the street up: helping the community find home

Across Perth, early in the morning, before shops open and the city wakes for the day, small teams are already out on the streets building relationships and connecting with people experiencing primary homelessness — many with high and complex needs.

Rather than waiting for people to come to them, The Salvation Army’s assertive outreach teams take support directly to people in need — especially those sleeping rough.

According to 2021 Census data, more than 122,000 people across Australia were experiencing homelessness on Census night, with Western Australia also experiencing growing rates of homelessness. Behind those figures are people sleeping rough, couch surfing or facing homelessness for the first time.

Outreach across Perth

Across the Perth metropolitan area, four key Salvation Army outreach programs form part of a wider response to homelessness — the Assertive Outreach Team (AOT), Street Outreach Service (SOS), Subiaco Engagement and Assessment Team (SEAT) and Wanneroo Engagement and Assessment Team (WEAT).

Together, these provide roving outreach and support where people are sheltering, offering practical assistance such as food, warm blankets, referrals and more.

Community engagement hubs complement the outreach, providing a space where community members can access meals, medical support, referrals and social connection, whether referred through outreach or walking in directly.

A network of visiting providers also offers support including health and mental health care, legal advice, Centrelink guidance and employment assistance and more.

Case study: How local engagement restores dignity

In Subiaco, the SEAT program operates in partnership with the City of Subiaco, offering both a roving outreach service and a weekly walk-in homelessness support hub.

For years, Murray had been living with homelessness, exposed not just to the elements, but to illness, risk and the very real emotional impact of feeling judged.

When he connected with SEAT, it wasn’t only a breakthrough in terms of feeling seen and supported. It meant access to simple but essential things — a shower, a doctor, a meal and a safe space.

It was also about acceptance and support, he says — having a safe place to come, find care and “feel like a human being without being judged and ridiculed by anyone”.

He says he has met amazing people experiencing homelessness and believes many people do not realise how close they could be to homelessness themselves — just one or two missed rent or mortgage payments away.

Today Murray has secure housing, work and is reconnected with family.

While every journey is different, Murray's story highlights the role outreach services can play in helping people reconnect with support and move towards stable housing.

If you need help, or to learn more about Salvation Army homelessness services, reach out today.

Assertive outreach is designed to engage people who may not otherwise access support, building trust over time and connecting community members with accommodation and other services.

"Our assertive outreach workers are the coalface of homelessness," explains Chairmay Van Der Merwe, Manager, Salvation Army Outreach Support Services, Homelessness, WA.

"The role of the assertive outreach worker is to establish rapport and ensure people are linked with services to provide a continuum of care."

"In outreach we take the support to the community," Assertive Outreach Team Leader Brett McCaul adds.

"There are services to suit different cohorts. We complete referrals and link people with support including case management, accommodation, legal services, Centrelink and the NDIS. It's specific to needs, so every case is different."

The impact of assertive street outreach in Western Australia

Chairmay says the Perth teams are seeing increasing numbers of people experiencing homelessness, including those sleeping rough, couch surfing or facing homelessness for the first time.

"The longer people experience homelessness, the more exacerbated the associated issues become," she explains.

The rise of the "working homeless" — people in employment but unable to secure housing — is also becoming more visible as rental properties remain scarce and increasingly unaffordable.

However, the team also sees many positive stories.

"We have seen lives transformed. We've seen people accessing services who have never had engagement with services before, which is a positive sign because it shows its effectiveness in addressing homelessness."

These initiatives form part of a broader network of Salvation Army homelessness services designed to support people at every stage. For some, that journey begins with assertive outreach before moving into accommodation services such as The Beacon in Northbridge and then into longer-term community-based support focused on securing and sustaining housing.

"That's how the services complement one another. No single service can have all the answers,” Chairmay says.

Learn more about how The Salvation Army is working to end homelessness — for good.

Key facts

Homelessness support in WA

The Salvation Army's homelessness services support people at different stages of their journey — from street outreach through to emergency accommodation, long-term support and community reintegration.

Street outreach

Across Perth, four assertive outreach programs — Assertive Outreach Team (AOT), Street Outreach Service (SOS), Subiaco Engagement and Assessment Team (SEAT) and Wanneroo Engagement and Assessment Team (WEAT) — provide practical support for people experiencing homelessness, particularly those sleeping rough.

Support can include engagement, assessment, advocacy, referrals, assistance securing accommodation and access to practical support such as food, clothing and sleeping items.

Community outreach support

Community outreach programs provide intensive case management and support for individuals and families experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity.

Support can include advocacy, tenancy support, referrals, practical assistance and help working towards goals such as stable housing, employment, recovery and stronger community connections.

Residential services and accommodation

Residential services provide emergency accommodation and support for individuals and families experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

Across metropolitan and regional Western Australia, services include The Beacon in Northbridge alongside other accommodation and homelessness support services. Residents receive case management and tailored support to help them address the challenges contributing to homelessness and move towards greater housing stability.