LANA Dashboard: Australian Childhood Homelessness Mortality Tracker

I am humbled to announce that the first pilot session of "Deconstructing Homelessness" is now sold out. To accommodate the incredible interest, I have confirmed a second and third intake will take place, with dates to be announced soon. Please join the waiting list to be notified as soon as applications open for these new sessions.

I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to invite you to join the inaugural pilot of my new six-week course, "Deconstructing Homelessness". This series is deeply informed by my ongoing PhD research and is designed to peel back the layers of a complex issue that affects so many in our community. Rather than just looking at the surface, we will work together to challenge the history, funding models, policies, and research that shape how homelessness is approached in Australia today.

Another State Budget has been unveiled, allowing the rest of us to see where the Government's policy direction is heading. The important thing to remember about government budgets is to review them from the perspective of what's missing, rather than what's been announced. Politics is always about smoke and mirrors, messaging and statements are often said for a reason. Attention and language are paramount to sway the public's perception.

The Black Mask is Matt Vapor’s upcoming first book and we’re pleased to announce a sample chapter is now available to download.
The Black Mask “unmasks” the effects of childhood domestic abuse and violence, youth violence, educational disadvantage and homelessness.

On Thursday the 19th of October 2023, I had the honour being a guest lecturer at The University of Western Australia with their Master of Social Work students. Sharyn Frawley, Phd candidate at UWA, and myself delivered a unique session that combined my lived experience of FDV & homelessness, with social work principles and practical knowledge.

I’m pleased to announce that I’m heading to Melbourne and Victoria in March 2024.

I’ll be working with a number of local governments, libraries, schools and organisations during this visit, with a number of events and professional development workshops.

Bookings are available during my visit to Melbourne and Victoria. If you’d like to book an event or professional development workshop, get in touch as soon as possible and secure your session.

One of the things I’ve noticed with the presentations and workshops I provide, is I like to pack them full of information and content. I know I have a limited amount of time and I want to convey as much information as possible, in the most engaging way I can. This, I’ve been told, is a sign of a good educator. However, I want this information to continue long after the workshop has finished.

Throughout Homelessness Week 2023, join us at one of our many free public events. Hosted by local governments throughout the Perth Metropolitan area, Beneath the Surface AU and Matt Vapor are presenting a number of free public talks and workshops focusing on issues surrounding homelessness.

Last Friday night, I had the honour of speaking at Ventia’s inaugural Beanie to Black Tie Ball. With nearly 300 guests, I was humbled to share my experiences and insights into homelessness.

Employment has always been a massive hurdle for me, it wouldn't be until I started my own business that I began to understand there were deeper issues at play.

The term ‘unhoused’ has been gaining popularity over recent years to reference those that have experienced, or are experiencing homelessness. The term originated almost simultaneously through Canada and the United Kingdom, with it being seeded within the social welfare lexicon around 2017-2019.

Capturing moments of homelessness can be almost impossible. Below are the only photos I have from my homelessness, I’m lucky to have them as a reminder of an entire year of my life.
For a brief period I was couch surfing, that’s when both of these photos were taken. I’d been cut off from most of my social circle due to an oversight when I was fleeing.

It’s close to 5 years since Beneath the Surface started, and a lot has changed since those first few weeks. The vision for what Beneath the Surface has become slowly gained greater clarity over the years.