We provide support in a very caring environment and encourage our visitors to join us in a spirit of community and belonging.
Our Place is a support centre in the inner western suburbs of Sydney, providing food, care, counselling, advocacy and outreach services to some of Sydney’s most disadvantaged and marginalised citizens, many of them either literally or technically “homeless”. At Our Place, we are seeking to provide a privately-funded community care model that can be replicated in other locations.
Our Place is unique in that it:
- Receives no federal, state or local government funding and is financed privately, by donation;
- Is managed and staffed entirely by volunteers;
- Provides free breakfast and lunch to all visitors;
- Offers free legal and counselling services provided by qualified and concerned individuals and companies;
- Welcomes all visitors – no discrimination of any kind is practiced and there are no entry requirements;
- Has no affiliation with any other group – religious, ideological or political – and is therefore completely independent and purely user-focused, motivated by a desire for social justice and inclusiveness.
"The days of expecting the government to provide funding for all the social ills of the country are gone. Politics is politics and you can’t afford to rely on anyone. It’s up to the community – these could be your sons and daughters – they could be anyone". (Dick)
At Our Place everyone is welcome – we aim to make our visitors feel that their opinions and concerns are valued and that they can contribute to their own and others’ wellbeing by sharing something with the group – a meal, a conversation, a card game or stories of their own lives and experiences. In the process, relationships of trust are formed, allowing staff and volunteers to assist with common, complicated problems such as accommodation, legal, financial, employment, emotional or mental health issues.
And in many cases, relationships between the community members develop to the point where they can and do offer each other support and practical assistance, creating a bond and a sense of belonging to a very real and inclusive community, even on days when Our Place is not open for business. This, of course, is one of our aims – to create an environment and a community that is sustainable by its members, with a little help from Our Place.