2.3 What is Project 10,000
The numbers show that the homelessness support sector in Australia is struggling to keep up with demand (according to the AIHW, 1 in 3 clients have unmet accommodation needs). As a result, you may be thinking to yourself: why isn't Mobilise working directly with these people? In reality, we are - just at a different stage in their journey. The charities that we work with are already doing amazing work, but there's only so much that they can do, meaning that the support for these people must end somewhere - often at crucial points in time. Through our direct giving programs, we step in when people need it most, so that they don't fall through the cracks of the system. And we don't just prevent people falling through the cracks; we provide them with a springboard to take the next step in their lives, so that their chance of entering homelessness is reduced - because of timely and necessary intervention. It means that there's one less person who might need further support, allowing support services to help those who have already been left behind.
Think of the homelessness support sector as a funnel, with people in need trying to get to the other side. Instead of us helping people individually get through, we're helping the charities at the mouth - chipping away at it so that more and more people can get through. This means that everyone, even those at the top of the funnel, are benefited by our programs.
What's also important to us is that we're not reinventing the wheel. Significant resources are already invested in the homelessness support sector, and our aim is to help this sector use these resources in the most efficient way possible. This means that when you donate to Mobilise, or volunteer for us, you don't have to pick between us and another charity - by helping us out, you're directly helping the charities we work with, so that people in need remain at the core of what we do.
Project 10,000
At Mobilise, we're guided by the belief that homelessness in Australia is a solvable problem.
That's why we've launched Project 10,000 - an ambitious initiative to unlock the generosity of Australians to positively impact the lives of 10,000 individuals by 2030.
It's a goal that requires every Australian to get on board for a cause that enables participants to reclaim control of their lives and thrive within their communities. Our pioneering programs that you've just learnt about allow us to do this - with the backing of Australian corporations, philanthropists and everyday citizens, we can scale these programs and continue to pilot innovative solutions that empower, uplift and positively impact Australians facing homelessness.