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The Big Purple Sleep
On a cold Friday night deep in the middle of winter, 50 Glen Waverley students arrived at the Sports Centre and entered a 'Big Purple Sleep'. It may sound like the plot for a science fiction film, but in fact it was arranged by the Social Justice team, led by Prefect Chloe Mathias, to give students a glimpse of what it might feel like to experience homelessness.
The students were shocked to learn that only seven percent of people who are homeless are sleeping rough. This is the ‘visible’ side of homelessness. Almost a quarter of homeless people in Australia’s are aged between 12-24 years old. This includes around 19,400 children aged under 14 who don't have a safe place to call home.
A panel of guest speakers from the Salvation Army, including two social workers, helped the group learn about the different reasons why people become homeless, the work the Salvation Army does, and different actions we can take to help address homelessness.
The students were eager to learn different ways that they could offer support in reducing homelessness. During the final part of the night, they made their way to the sports centre to 'rough it’ and after some excitement, finally managed to fall asleep.
The event was a great success, helping raise awareness about homelessness, as well as $701 for the Salvation Army, the largest provider of homelessness services in Australia. Great work Social Justice Team!