Homelessness is an issue that has always been prominent in our world. They don’t have a home, a job, or money. This can be the result of many social and economic factors and it is devastating to those who experience it.

After seeing homeless people sleeping in the streets, at a bus stop, park benches  … and they don’t have a blanket for the colder nights. A new charity in Australia, helped them with an innovative idea.

Called Beddown, this organization is transforming empty parking lots into safe havens for the homeless at night, according to Bored Panda.

The founder of the charity Norman McGillivray thought of the idea while walking through an empty parking lot and reached out to one of the largest car park operators in Brisbane, Secure Parking, to launch a two-week trial and they agreed.

The aim of the initiative is to help the homeless feel safe at night, they can get enough sleep, they won’t be cold or be unexpectedly attacked while they are sleeping.

“We will look to get as close as we can to a proper comfortable bed to provide the homeless with a great night’s sleep is our ultimate goal,” the creators of Beddown wrote on their Instagram page.

 
 
 
 
 
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It was great to start bringing the Beddown vision to life last night with a group of our awesome volunteers for the Dry Run. Thank you to our awesome group of volunteers who came in late on a Saturday night to help us trial and set-up some beds. Although as expected we had a few challenges to overcome, but it was awesome to start bringing Beddown to life. Thank you also to one of our many awesome collaborators @sunny_street_ for popping in to see what we are looking to achieve, thanks Sonia 🧡 Beddown will provide an immediate response for those who sleep rough to access a safe, secure shelter and access to a comfy bed and a great nights sleep. We will work with our other collaborative partners to provide longer term solutions to transition our guests into accommodation, education and employment opportunities and ultimately put ourselves out of business (this is the vision). Last night was the first important step towards this vision. The great news is we have now been given 8 weeks at the Beddown venue to help our most vulnerable with the view of a longer term engagement. For those of our awesome Beddown community who would like to be involved in volunteering please fill in our volunteer expression of interest form (see link in bio) We believe everyone deserves a bed to sleep in! #homelessness #homeless #advocate #everyonedeservesabed #beds #globalshift #queensland #brisbane #nsw #sydney #victoria #melbourne #southaustralia #adelaide #westernaustralia #perth #northernterritory #darwin #tasmania #australia #nonprofit #gofundme #community #usa #uk #quality #endhomelessness #dryrun

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The charity also provided many services to the homeless people, like doctors, nurses, even dentists and hairdressers. They gave them a place to clean themselves and helped provide social services.

Here is some of the initial information after the first trial:

  • 41 guests used their beds during the pilot season.
  • 77% of them were male and 23% were female.
  • The guests rated both their beds and their sleep a 4.5 out of 5.
  • 100% of the guests said they felt safe.
  • Because of overcapacity, nine people were turned away in one night.
  • The youngest person who tried to access the service was just 15 years old.

Not only providing for those who sleep rough to access a safe haven, but Beddown also has a vision, “We will work with our other collaborative partners to provide long-term solutions to transition our guests into accommodation, education, and employment opportunities and ultimately put ourselves out of business,” they said in their Instagram posts.

“Being able to sleep all night and away from drugs, I’m clearer in the day and have not used drugs for 8 days,” one guest in this place said.

“It’s the first time I have had a dream in years,” another said.

 
 
 
 
 
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Here are some initial Statistics and Outcomes from the Pilot: 41 guests used Beddown over the duration of the Pilot. 77% male 23% female guests Sleep rated on average – 4.5 out of 5 Beds rated on average – 4.5 out of 5 100% of guests said they felt safe during their stay. Multiple services accessed by guests – Dr & Nurse, Dentist, Hairdresser, New clothing and Social Services. The most guests turned away in one night due to capacity was 9. The youngest person who tried to access Beddown was just 15 years old. Positive outcomes: “After spending the week here, having a good sleep at night and a routine, it reminded me of life and I booked myself into Rehab for 6 months”. “Being able to sleep all night and away from drugs I’m clearer in the day and have not used drugs for 8 days”. “It’s the first time I have had a dream in years” “I don’t have to watch my back here” A Female guest found employment due to being able to sleep safely at night and able to work during the day. More data being accessed and will be shared soon. This is just the beginning! We now need support from Corporate, Government and the Public to make Beddown a sustainable operation and allow us to roll out across Australia to really help change and save lives. #homelessness #homeless #streetlife #storyofthestreet #beds #globalshift #queensland #brisbane #nsw #sydney #victoria #melbourne #southaustralia #adelaide #westernaustralia #perth #northernterritory #darwin #tasmania #australia #nonprofit #selfesteem #community #usa #uk #quality #endhomelessness #lifechanger

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