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                    StreetCount

                    Two men standing in front of Street Count map
                    To help us understand homelessness's causes, trends and prevalence, we collected information about people experiencing homelessness through our StreetCount program.

                    ​​​​Every two years (from 2013 to 2018), 500 volunteers walked the streets of Melbourne in one night, meeting people experiencing homelessness and collecting crucial information about Melburnians sleeping rough in parks, on streets and other locations. 

                    This information helped us create our long-term solutions to help end homelessness.

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                    StreetCount 2018 took place in the early morning of Tuesday 19 June. Four hundred trained volunteers visited streets, parks and laneways to collect information on people sleeping rough across the inner Melbourne area.

                    Previous StreetCount reports

                    StreetCount 2018

                    StreetCount 2018 was conducted from 3am to 3.30pm on Tuesday 19 June with around 400 trained volunteers participating across all municipalities.

                    Thank you to the many volunteers and partner organisations who assisted in StreetCount 2018 in particular Launch Housing and the Victorian Government. Volunteers included people who have experienced homelessness, staff members from councils and service providers and members of the public willing to give up a good night’s sleep.

                    Many partners worked with us to deliver this important piece of research – Carman’s, PTV, Vinnies, the Salvos, Victoria Police, Wilson Parking, the Victorian Council of Churches and Red Cross. 

                    Findings from StreetCount 2018

                    In total across the five inner Melbourne council areas, 392 people were counted sleeping rough.

                    In the City of Melbourne:

                    • A total of 279 people were counted sleeping rough in the City of Melbourne.
                    • In 2016, we surveyed a smaller area of the city (totalling 20 per cent of the municipality of Melbourne); within this area a total of 247 rough sleepers were counted. This year, 210 rough sleepers were counted in the same area, representing a 15 per cent decrease in rough sleepers between 2016 and 2018 in that specific area.
                    • In the City of Melbourne, 79 per cent of people sleeping rough were male and 21 per cent
                    • 33 per cent of people were sleeping on the street, 12 per cent in parks and 48 per cent in other locations in the City of Mebourne.

                    2018 StreetCount Snapshot


                    StreetCount 2016

                    StreetCount 2016 took place on Tuesday 7 June between 4.30am to 7.30am and continued at homelessness services on the same day between 9am and 1pm.

                    StreetCount 2016 was the seventh StreetCount undertaken in Melbourne. It followed a similar methodology to our previous counts and was implemented by around 160 volunteers.

                    Findings from StreetCount 2016 were:

                    • A total of 247 people were counted sleeping rough – 195 men and 35 women. Seventeen could not be identified by the volunteers.
                    • Most people were aged between 26 and 60 years of age.
                    • Of those surveyed, 68 per cent had been homeless for more than a year.

                    Findings from StreetCount 2016 helped inform specific actions in the Pathways: Homelessn​ess Strategy 2014-17.

                    Read the media release:

                    Read the report:

                    StreetCount 2015

                    StreetCount research projects commenced in 2008 with annual ‘point-in-time’ counts taking place to record the number of people sleeping rough.

                    Since 2012, the ‘point-in-time’ count has been undertaken biannually and a qualitative research project is undertaken on the alternate years.

                    The StreetCount 2015 qualitative research chronicled the daily experience of people who had been sleeping rough and experiencing long term homelessness in the City of Melbourne. Of the 83 participants, six people had been homeless for five to ten years and 24 people (29 per cent) for 10 years or more. The research group included 16 women and 67 males; 62 per cent were aged between 30 and 49 years and 19 per cent identified as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander.

                    People ‘slept rough’ in a range of places including parks, street, squats, under bridges, in train stations and alleyways. Research participants reported that some services were crucial for daily survival including food vans, day centres, showers, laundry, public transport, libraries and health services.

                    Feeling unsafe was the main reason for people moving around every few days, with 37 per cent of research participants indicating they had not felt safe over the past week.

                    The research project participants made a number of suggestions for action including better access to showers, laundry facilities, open spaces and recreation facilities. Other suggestions included safe places for women, better weekend food services, access to 24/7 secure storage and improved access to permanent affordable housing and employment programs including casual job pools.

                    StreetCount 2015 is the second qualitative research project and a snapshot of the findings are available below.

                    Snapshot report:

                    Qualitative research report:

                    StreetCount 2014

                    The Homelessness StreetCount 2014 took place between 4.30am and 7.30am on Tuesday 3 June 2014. Surveys of people who slept rough the previous night were also undertaken at homelessness services between 9am and 4pm on 3 June 2014.

                    StreetCount 2014 was the sixth StreetCount undertaken in Melbourne and followed a similar methodology to the previous street counts. StreetCount 2014 was undertaken with the active participation of approximately 100 volunteers who attended training and briefing session prior to the count.

                    The findings and key data outcomes of StreetCount 2014 can be downloaded below.

                    A total of 142 people were counted this year, of these 59 were observed but not surveyed as they were asleep or declined to be surveyed, 39 consented to be surveyed in the early morning count and 44 were surveyed in the day count when they attended homelessness services. Note that a StreetCount was not undertaken in 2013.

                    Findings from StreetCount 2014 will help inform specific actions in the Pathways Homelessness Strategy 2014–17, particularly in regard to the need for affordable housing.

                    See StreetCount 2014 final report (PDF 1.45 MB).

                    Living Rough in Melbourne - StreetCount 2013

                    Following a review in 2012, we established that while a ‘point in time’ count of people sleeping rough provides valuable data, it would also be beneficial to capture the lived experience of those who live rough in the city of Melbourne, with a view to better understanding the pathways into, through, and out of rough sleeping.

                    The Living Rough in Melbourne – StreetCount 2013 research project has now been completed, with 35 people taking part. It was conducted over a 13 week period and a service provider forum and participant focus groups were also key aspects of the research.

                    The research provides valuable insights into the lives of those experiencing homelessness, and the complexities of supporting vulnerable people across multiple service systems, including housing, welfare and health. Findings from the research will contribute to the development of City of Melbourne’s Homelessness Strategy 2014–2017. The full report can be found in the document download section on this page.

                    As a way forward, ’point in time’ StreetCounts will be undertaken every second year and a more detailed analysis research project undertaken every alternative year.

                    See Living Rough in Melbourne: StreetCount 2013 (DOC 1.02 MB).

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