The ‘Real Story’ of Adelaide’s Homeless People

On Friday Zak and I became homeless. Not literally, but for lunch we visited the Westcare Centre near Whitmore Square and joined 100 of Adelaide’s people who are ‘sleeping rough’ to gain insight into what it’s like to live below the poverty line.

We arrived in the quiet city laneway about 15 minutes early and we were both extremely nervous. Zak was worried if his meal was going to be nice enough and I was worried about fitting in with the pretty rough crowd. I decided to remove my rings, bracelet and watch as I didn’t want to stand out and appear like we were above anyone else. We anxiously waited at the end of the street as there were groups of people congregating at the entrance and we had no idea what was about to happen.

At midday it was like a roll call of Adelaide’s nomads coming out of from their city dwellings, all with heads bowed so as not to make eye contact with us as they reached the Centre. I tried to say “G’day” to folks as they walked past to test the mood, but had very few replies, this just made me more nervous. It was almost as if they were used to being ignored, and had accepted they are invisible members of our society. There were many aboriginal people, a few couples, and many dis-spirited lost souls.

Most are living on the street, with some ‘couch surfing’ and the lucky ones staying in a boarding house, but the common denominator was they all are surviving on next to nothing. We were greeted by the lady in charge called Debbie who walked us in to the dining room to meet some volunteers. I frantically scanned the room to work out where we were going to sit, as the place had a ‘prison like’ mess hall feel. I assumed the regulars had their own spots, and we needed to choose our seats carefully (which wasn’t really the case).

There was a real sense of urgency in the kitchen as 7 people cooked and served the food. It was like a production line at the servery where you don’t get a choice on the food, but you do receive a substantial and nutritious meal. We had a fish burger, with chips, vegetables and a ricotta and spinach flan.

There was quiet chatter amongst the people, but most were focused on their food. We sat next to a guy with headphones on, and on the other side we had a man in his 60’s with a long beard. The meal was very plain and I was struggling to put it down, as I looked for an opportunity to strike up a conversation. I then turned to the man with the beard and asked him “so how does this meal rate to others here?” He told me it was the “meal of the week”.

We talked about the amazing Westcare Centre and how it helped those in need. He explained that he lived in Medindie and came in each week for the meal and to catch up with friends. He also told me he chose to live on the streets as a lifestyle choice. He was really friendly and told us of how his Dad taught him to drink at 14, and how he spends his Centrelink money on booze and food. He said he liked this place for lunch as the one on Hutt Street does not give him a choice of where he sits. Friendship is obviously a priority.

A lady in her 40’s wearing stained tracksuit pants and a filthy ‘too small’ t-shirt then collected our plates, and I couldn’t help but notice the massive bruises on her jaw and neck and fear she has been beaten up. The man next to me told me that women on the street need to be very careful as they are targeted often and have little protection.

I was surprised that people stayed only a short time as I thought the lunch meal would be a highlight of their day and many may want to savour it. This was not the case, and the majority of people left as quickly as they came in.

The meal costs $2.50 and each person is offered a free ‘takeaway snack’ which consists of a packaged chicken sandwich, plus a muffin and a meat pie (for the road). We politely declined the offer as we felt guilty that someone may need the meal more than us. We were amazed at how quickly we adapted to the environment and realised these people are friendly and no different to anyone else. They all have a story to tell, but just never get asked.

We then had a chat with the main volunteer called Peter who is a former homeless person. He explained that he was a reformed drug addict & alcoholic, spending $500 per day on ice, heroin and amphetamines. He told us how he would steal petrol and food and regularly shoplift from stores. I asked if he ever got caught? He said “Yeah a few times, I just work the system like everyone else”. He used to prepare his drugs on a bible that was given to him, which he kept safe behind a cupboard. After 14 years on drugs and living on the streets and couch surfing he reached a turning point. He decided he had to change his life and sort his addictions as he knew he would end up in jail, in a mental institution, or end up dead.

Peter was really open with us and told Zak how he had limited options when he left school due to the bad choices he made. This included the shady mates he hung out with, the drugs and the alcohol. Peter not only volunteers at the Centre, he has completed a diploma and now wants to be a church pastor. He was a really interesting character and made a real impact on our visit.

On the way out we spoke with Debbie again who explained how many women and children are victims of domestic violence (dv) end up needing their help for accommodation. They are put up in motels until a more permanent solution is found. Their team scour the city looking for boarding houses and shelters for homeless people and sometimes there is simply nothing available and they are sent back out to the streets. Free vaccinations and medical help are also given there provided you are homeless.

A mind blowing experience for both Zak and I which now has us viewing homeless people in a completely different way.

…They are just normal people down on their luck with less options.

PS – we paid $20 for our meal as it was a privilege to be there.