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VincentCare

@vincentcarevic

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VincentCare works to help people who are experiencing homelessness and disadvantage

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There’s a lot of care and support behind the doors of Ozanam House. 💙 Dee chats with a volunteer about the accommodation, practical support and services provided to people experiencing homelessness. When you shop at Vinnies you’re helping support services like Ozanam house and people in our community who need it most. by @vincentcarevic

What does Ozanam House actually do, and what does it mean to the people who use its services? 💙 Dee Salmin chats with Ozanam House Community Volunteers and a former resident about their experiences and the support provided to people experiencing homelessness. by @vincentcarevic

Homelessness can happen to anyone. A job loss. A relationship breakdown. A rent increase that tips things over.

A simple question, "how are you?", goes a long way. Many Victorians are one crisis away from homelessness, and it doesn't always look the way you'd expect.

It can look like couch surfing between friends' places. Worrying about the next paycheck. Staying in an unsafe situation because there's nowhere else to go. Slowly retreating from social events because there's no money left over.

If you or someone you know is at risk of or experiencing homelessness, we're here. Vinnies Victoria, VincentCare and VincentCare Community Housing offer inclusive support for everyone including:

🏠 Crisis and long-term housing 🍲 Soup vans and food relief 💰 No interest loans (NILS) for essential items 📞 The Welfare Assistance Line for advice and support 🤝 Outreach and case support for people sleeping rough including family violence support, meals, coffee, laundry and shower facilities and in-house GP and dentist.

You don't have to be facing a crisis alone. Reach out or check in on someone who might need to hear that today.

Find out more: link in bio

#HomelessnessActionNow #HW2026 #VinniesVic by @vincentcarevic

Our Client Volunteer Program (CVP) is a finalist in the Multicultural and Community category of the 2026 Melbourne Awards!

We’re so proud of our client volunteers and the program they run – but it’s not just a program. It’s where margins turn into the mainstream, and where Melbourne's most vulnerable become our city's greatest leaders.

A major part of our CVP is our O Café. Born nearly a decade ago, it was designed to be a low-barrier, trauma-informed sanctuary where individuals stepping out of crisis run the beating heart of the facility.

Behind the counter isn’t just a skilled barista; it’s someone actively reclaiming their life through our CVP. Whether they are navigating recovery from homelessness, escaping family violence, or rebuilding after overcoming alcohol and other drugs, this is where their turnaround begins.

Our O Café is living proof that inclusion works both ways. Given the right support, people can rebuild their lives on their own terms and make our community am stronger for everyone.

The Melbourne Awards will be presented by the City of Melbourne on 14 November. The Multicultural and Community category celebrates outstanding contributions to cultural diversity, community wellbeing and inclusion. Thank you to City of Melbourne for this recognition and congratulations to all the finalists!

#MelbourneAwards by @vincentcarevic

Not having a home doesn’t take away your right to vote.

If you’re an Australian citizen aged 18 or older and you’re experiencing homelessness or don’t have safe and secure housing, you can enrol using the ‘no fixed address’ form.

Here’s what you need to know:

✔️ No current home address? That’s OK. You can still enrol.

✔️ You don’t need ID. Someone enrolled to vote in federal elections just needs to confirm they know you.
✔️ Once enrolled with no fixed address, you won’t be fined if you don’t vote.
✔️ Your enrolment address can be where you last lived for at least a month, where a family member is enrolled or where you were born.
✔️ Election mail goes to the address you put on the form. This can be a support service.

Enrolment closes at 8 pm on Tuesday 3 November. You can enrol online here: link in bio

We also have paper forms at Ozanam House, and people to help you fill them in.

And if you know someone this applies to, please share this with them. by @vincentcarevic

Pronouns are small words, but they can carry a lot of weight, especially for trans and gender diverse people. Getting them right is a simple way to show someone you see them for who they are.

Today is International Pronouns Day. Here are a few tips from our Inclusive Language Guide:

👋 Share your own. Adding your pronouns to introductions, email signatures or meetings means others don’t have to explain themselves.

🙅 Don’t assume. If you don’t know someone’s pronouns, use their name or “they” rather than guessing from appearance. Not everyone will want to share theirs, and that’s okay too.

🔁 Made a mistake? Correct yourself and keep going. It’s how we respond that matters.

🤝 Ask what they’d prefer. If someone is misgendered, some people want a quiet correction while others would rather no attention at all. Following their lead is what person-led support looks like.

Our Inclusive Language Guide and LGBTIQA+ Inclusive Practice Guide were co-designed with LGBTIQA+ clients, staff and allies as part of Welcome As You Are. Together, they help our people make sure everyone feels safe, respected and welcome from the very first conversation.

Read the guides here: link in bio

Whoever you are, you’re welcome here. 💙

#InternationalPronounsDay by @vincentcarevic

Poverty and homelessness are closely linked. When the rent, bills and groceries can't all be covered, a safe home is often the first thing to go.

And this is reflected in the data. More than twice as many Australians now seek homelessness support because they can't afford their housing, compared with a decade ago.* For people on low or insecure incomes, private rental as a housing option is often out of reach.

For households already living week to week, it doesn't take much. A rent increase, a lost shift or an unexpected bill can be enough to lose a home. And with close to 30,000 Victorians on the priority waiting list for social housing, finding somewhere affordable to go next is hard. In June 2025 alone, 14,520 people sought homelessness support in Victoria, more than in any other state.**

VincentCare's specialist homelessness services respond at every stage. Marian Community and Olive's Place provide refuge and crisis accommodation for people escaping domestic and family violence. Ozanam House offers everything from crisis beds and longer-term housing, to a hot breakfast and cooking classes. Through Journey to Social Inclusion, people who have experienced repeated homelessness get up to three years of case management to secure a home and keep it.

Find out more about our services: [link]

Share this post to help more people understand how poverty and homelessness are connected.

If you or someone you know needs support now, Ask Izzy can help you find housing, food and other services nearby: askizzy.org.au

#AntiPovertyWeek #APW26

*Source: AIHW Specialist Homelessness Services annual report 2024 to 2025.

**Sources: Victorian Housing Register; AIHW Specialist Homelessness Services 2024 to 2025. by @vincentcarevic

On International Day of the Girl, we recognise the courage and determination of the young girls supported by our Young Adults team.

Many are facing challenges far beyond their years, including family conflict, housing instability, safety concerns, disrupted education and forced marriage, often without an independent income.

School wellbeing staff are often the first people they turn to. That's why a girl's first contact with our team usually happens at school, where she feels safe. Meeting her there means support can start before her situation escalates.

From there, the team works to secure safe, appropriate housing, carefully planning the move with the girl, her school and the housing provider.

Leaving an unsafe situation can also mean leaving behind family, familiar places and younger siblings she feels responsible for. That's an enormous decision for a young person to carry.

Thankfully, our experience supporting young girls into safe and secure housing options, outweigh those where the decision to leave is far more complex.

Learn more about our Young Adults service: https://www.vincentcare.org.au/our-services/young-adults/ by @vincentcarevic

Mental health and homelessness are deeply connected. Around 1 in 3 people supported by specialist homelessness services across Australia in 2024–25 had a current mental health issue.*

When someone's mental health declines, everyday life can start to unravel. Holding down a job gets harder. Once the work goes, so does the income that pays the rent. A stay in hospital can mean missed payments or a lost tenancy. Relationships with family and friends come under strain, leaving fewer people to turn to. Even simple tasks like filling out a rental application, keeping appointments or dealing with Centrelink can start to feel impossible.

Some people leave hospital or mental health care with nowhere stable to go. In a tight rental market, it doesn't take much for someone to fall through the cracks.

For someone at risk of or experiencing homelessness, the stress, isolation and lack of safety can take a further toll on their mental health. Breaking that cycle means housing and mental health support working together, so people aren't left to navigate two stretched systems on their own.

Across the St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria Group, we're working to break that cycle. Our members visit people in their homes and are often among the first to notice when someone is struggling. Through VincentCare, we provide accommodation and support for people experiencing homelessness and complex needs, including mental health challenges. At Ozanam House, our Homelessness Resource Centre offers meals, showers, laundry, a health platform and housing support, all in one place.

Today is both World Homelessness Day and World Mental Health Day. A safe home and the right support can change the course of someone's life.

If today brings up anything for you, support is available 24/7. Lifeline: 13 11 14. Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636.

If you're experiencing or at risk of homelessness, call 1800 825 955 (free call, 24 hours).

*Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Specialist homelessness services annual report 2024–25.

#WorldHomelessnessDay #WorldMentalHealthDay by @vincentcarevic

Every person deserves to feel safe and supported when they access our services.

That's why together with our clients and VincentCare Community Housing, we have co-developed new inclusive practice guides to strengthen how we support LGBTIQA+ communities across all our services.

People with lived experience helped shape the guides from the start, telling us what feels safe, what doesn't and what they need from the staff and volunteers they meet. Their expertise shaped what's in them.

These guides are practical, empowering resources co-designed with LGBTIQA+ people we assist.

Because when LGBTIQA+ people experiencing homelessness face additional barriers and safety concerns, our response needs to be intentional and affirming.

The guides bring together clear tools to build culturally safe practice at every point of service.

From crisis response to long-term housing support, every client should feel genuinely welcomed for who they are.

Thank you to the Victorian Government for supporting this work through LGBTIQA+ Organisational Development Grants.

Together, we're building services where everyone belongs. 🏳️‍🌈💙‍

Read the guides here: link in bio by @vincentcarevic

Anyone with a pet knows how strong that bond is. For people sleeping rough, a furry friend can offer safety and companionship while also helping protect their wellbeing and mental health.

Unfortunately, very few crisis accommodation services allow pets on site, so people sleeping rough often choose to stay where they are just to remain with their pet.

Over the past two years, teams across Ozanam House and our hubs have worked together to design this program to trial pet-friendly rooms in our crisis accommodation service.

We have formed a new partnership with the Lost Dogs Home in North Melbourne through their Home Together team, who complete behavioural assessments for pets being considered.

A person and their pet can complete an initial assessment with a housing worker, then a pet assessment with the Lost Dogs Home, before their referral for crisis accommodation is assessed.

This trial will allow people and their pets to stay together, rather than having to give them up or find them temporary care.

Thank you to everyone who made this possible! by @vincentcarevic

Grand Final weekend brings celebration, but it also brings a documented rise in domestic and family violence.

In 2024, reported incidents rose 9% during the long weekend, with a 20% jump in violence against women on Grand Final day. In NSW, domestic and family violence related assaults rose 40% on State of Origin nights.

Finals season means packed pubs, backyard barbecues and communities coming together over the game. But that same excitement, combined with alcohol and heightened emotion, can also spill over into the home.

In 2026, 45 Australian women and 19 children have died as a result of violence (Australian Femicide Watch).

If this is raising something for you, whether you are experiencing this yourself or worried about someone else, support is available. Phone Safe Steps: 1800 825 955, available 24 hours a day. by @vincentcarevic