RUGGED up in warm clothes and sleeping bags, students from five Anglican schools took part in Anglicare WA’s inaugural School Sleepout on Friday, August 5.
Held at Perth Oval, the sleepout gave the students an understanding of the issues surrounding youth homelessness by sleeping without shelter, eating from a soup kitchen and taking part in various roleplay scenarios designed to simulate the experience of homelessness.
All Saints College student Ryan Garvey said it was an insightful experience.
Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE
Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.
READ NOW“It was a great insight into what people go through,” he said.
“Even though we’ve got some of the home comforts like sleeping bags, mats and the clothes we wear, to which they may have not, it’s still an actual insight and gives us a good understanding.”
Anglicare WA’s executive general manager marketing and partnerships Carrick Robinson said the students who took part were members of its school ambassador program.
“They are motivated, passionate young people and future leaders in social justice,” he said.
“The sleepout was designed to encourage these students to empathise and relate to the 6000 Western Australian young people who experience homelessness every night.”