Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Kids Homeless in Sydney -- Tfal Bla Dar f'Sydney


Kids Homeless in Sydney

It's 7pm when I exit from Central Station in Sydney. Within a few minutes, a car with the Youth Off The Streets logo stops close by and sounds its horn. I get in and get greeted by Gary, Manager of the Youth Off The Streets Street Walk program. While driving away, he gives me, as the volunteer for the night, a briefing on the situation and the plans for the night.

Over the past few weeks things have been quite busy. There are just a couple of specific things planned for tonight. He's expecting a request by a young couple to be taken back home, and has been asked to collect some clothes from Don Bosco Home to give to another kid. In the meantime, we'll go through the usual process.

We drive in the direction of St Mary's Cathedral, opposite Hyde Park. This holy place is quite familiar to the Maltese community in Sydney, as some religious activities relevant to this community like the feast of Our Lady of Victories are held there.

What most people may be unaware of is that on the opposite side of the Cathedral, just across the small Fragrance Garden, a van organised by the independent Exodus Foundation turns up every day around this time, full of food and a few other volunteers. They find an orderly queue of homeless people, waiting patiently for their dinner.

Today I counted about 70 people, although often there are about 100 or more. Usually these would be adults, but we start our rounds here as the organisers kindly allow us to take some containers of food to distribute to homeless kids or young people we encounter later during the night. If we run out, the backup plan is to visit another food van organised by Youth Off The Streets, which turns up a bit later in the evening at Kings Cross.

Homelessness is an issue just about everywhere, notwithstanding the affluence of the place. The Australian Bureau of Statistics estimated in 2012 that 1 in 200 people in Australia, or around 105,000, are homeless, 42% of which are under 24 years of age, including 17% under 12.1 As harrowing as these statistics are, Fr Chris Riley, the Catholic priest founder of Youth Off The Streets, thinks the figures for the young homeless are grossly underestimated, as thousands of 'couch surfers' are not included in the official figures.2

Homelessness happens for a number of reasons, like financial difficulties, accommodation issues, domestic violence or relationship issues, health or other reasons. Homeless people live in improvised locations including sleeping rough, supported crisis accommodation such as the Don Bosco Home in Marrickville run by Youth Off The Streets, temporary stays at other households, boarding houses, severely overcrowded dwellings and other temporary accommodation.

We drive through Woolloomooloo and Kings Cross, keeping our eyes open for any young persons we might see, but don't encounter any. We continue to George St, park and start walking on the pavement, navigating our way through the busy flow of pedestrians.

Within a few seconds, Gary hears his name called by a young person, K, who hurries to cross the road. He is probably 20-22 years old. He shakes hands briefly with both of us and asks for some food. We give him one of the containers and a plastic fork. He asks for another container for his mate, says thank you and hurries back.

I've noticed over the months that young people doing it rough on the streets still find it within them to look out for their mates. It's actually quite amazing that kids establish quite a complex and close bond with other kids in a similar situation, ask for and exchange news about each other, providing assistance as best they can, hanging out together, sharing the little they've got. Apart from the substance abuse, the occasional flare-ups, some criminal activity and run-ins with the police, the kids are mainly living as and feeling part of a street family, something they did not find at their own home, for whatever reason. How sad, isn't it?

We continue down the street and encounter the couple who wanted a lift, D & E, both around 16 years old. I recognise E from previous sessions. They were having some food with another person, who looked much older, maybe 40. To be honest I didn't like the look of him - who knows why he had befriended this couple and what his intentions were?

We agree to give them a lift after finishing the current round. We walk into and around Town Hall station and go out from a different exit. No one. We walk back to the couple. By this time, they have been joined by 2 other older people. I am relieved when they get up and walk with us to the car, leaving the other guys behind.

We go for a long drive to a suburb close to Bankstown where the couple are going to stay for the night at one of their parents' house. They also take some food and give us some news about other kids they know. After a while they fall silent and after a few minutes are fast asleep on the back seat. They look exhausted. In half an hour we arrive at the destination, wake them up and let them go.

On the way back, Gary tells me about some other kids he had encountered over the preceding days. A new girl N had been taken to Don Bosco after leaving home due to family problems and domestic violence. B who has mental health issues was doing fine, expecting her child and being monitored by FACS (Family And Community Services, a NSW government agency) to ensure that she stayed away from drugs and violence, and following standards that had been set for her. Another kid had started going to school in Parramatta.

We arrive at Don Bosco. We walk inside, and ask for the clothes for the kid H. We get handed a large plastic bag full of stuff. We drive to a suburb close to Mascot, which contains the Youth Off The Streets corporate services office. H is waiting for us, and seems very happy to get his clothes.

It's getting late, and it's been a light session today. Is that good or bad news? Are there less kids on the streets, or have they moved somewhere else?

We park at Central Station, also a common haunt. We walk into and around the station, but could not spot anyone. It's 11.30pm and we decide to call it quits. We shake hands, agree on the date for my next attendance, and depart. I walk to the platform and wait for my train home.

On the way, I can't help thinking about the kids we encountered on the night, and the others I've met before who I haven't seen for a while. Are they ok? Have they found some stability, to permit them to start digging their way out of their hole, or do they have an environment at home which is so toxic that running away is an objectively better option? The main root cause of young homelessness, from what I've seen, is the level of parenting, or the lack thereof. If the parents don't care, are never there, just dictate and are completely inflexible, or abuse the child in one way or another, then do you blame the kid for running away?

My thoughts are that prevention is better than cure. Kids are only looking for love, care and attention. If they don't find it at home, they WILL look elsewhere.


2http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/homeless-stats-dont-tell-the-full-story-20140308-34dyd.html, retrieved 13/11/2014


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Tfal Bla Dar f'Sydney

Daqqu s-sebgħa ta' filgħaxija meta ħriġt mill-Istazzjon Ċentrali ta' Sydney. Wara ftit minuti, karrozza bil-lowgo ta' Youth Off The Streets (Żgħażagħ Barra mit-Triq) u paqpqet il-ħorn. Dħalt u laqagħni Gary, Maniġer tal-programm Street Walk (Mixja mat-Triq). Filwaqt li telaq isuq, bħala l-voluntier ta' dak il-lejl, qalli fil-qosor is-sitwazzjoni u x'kien hemm ippjanat għal dak il-lejl.

Matul l-aħħar ftit ġimgħat kien hemm ftit xogħol mhux ħażin. Kien hemm biss xi żewġ affarijiet speċifiċi għal illejla. Qiegħed jistenna talba minn koppja żgħażugħa biex jittieħdu d-dar, u ġie mitlub jiġbor xi ħwejjeġ minn Dar Don Bosco sabiex jingħataw lil tifel. Sadattant, ngħaddu mill-proċess tas-soltu.

Insuqu fid-direzzjoni tal-Kattidral ta' Santa Marija, faċċata ta' Hyde Park. Dan il-post qaddis huwa pjuttost familjari mal-komunità Maltija ta' Sydney, għax xi attivitajiet reliġjużi relevanti għal din il-komunità bħall-festa tal-Vitorja isiru hawn.

Li forsi ħafna niex ma jafux hu li n-naħa l-oħra tal-Kattidral, kemm taqsam Ġnien il-Fwieħa, vann organizzat mill-fundazzjoni indipendenti Exodus, tasal hemm kuljum madwar dan il-ħin, mimli bl-ikel u ftit voluntiera oħra. Isibu hemm kju ordnat ta' nies bla dar, jistennew bil-paċenzja l-pranzu tagħhom.

Illum għoddejt madwar sebgħin persuna, għalkemm ġieli jkun hemm mija u anke iktar. Normalment dawn ikunu adulti, imma s-soltu nibdew minn hawn għax l-organizzaturi ġentilment iħalluna nieħdu xi kontenituri bl-ikel biex inqassmuhum lit-tfal jew żgħażagħ bla dar li niltaqgħu magħhom matul il-lejl. Jekk jispiċċawlna, il-pjan ikun li nżuru vann ieħor organizzat minn Youth Off The Streets, li jasal daqsxejn iktar tard f'Kings Cross.

Li nies jispiċċaw mingħajr saqaf fuq rashom hija problema tista' tgħid kullimkien, minkejja l-għana tal-post. Il-Burò Awstraljan tal-Istatistika għamel stima fl-2012 li wieħed minn kull mitejn persuna fl-Awstralja, jew madwar 105,000, huma bla dar, 42% minnhom taħt l-erbgħa u għoxrin sena, inklużi 17% taħt it-tnax-il sena.1 Tal-biża' daqskemm hi din l-istatistika, Fr Chris Riley, il-qassis Kattoliku fundatur ta' Youth Off The Streets, jaħseb li dawn il-figura ta' tfal u żgħażagħ bla dar hija baxxa ħafna, għax dawk l-eluf li jgħixu minn pultruna għall-oħra mhumiex inklużi fil-figuri uffiċjali.2

Tista' tispiċċa bla dar għal ħafna raġunijiet, bħal diffikultajiet finanzjarji, problemi fil-post ta' akkomodazzjoni, vjolenza domestika jew problemi fir-relazzjonijiet familjari, nuqqas ta' saħħa jew raġunijiet oħra. Nies bla dar jgħixu f'postijiet improvviżati li jinkludu jorqdu barra fejn isibu, postijiet ta' kriżi bħad-Dar Don Bosco f'Marrickville li hi mmexxija minn Youth Off The Streets, joqogħdu temporanjament għand ħaddieħor, xi pensjonijiet, djar iffullati ħafna u postijiet oħra temporanji tal-akkomodazzjoni.

Ngħaddu minn Moolloomooloo u Kings Cross, u nżommu għajnejna miftuħa għal xi tfal li nistgħu naraw, imma ma niltaqgħu ma' ħadd. Inkomplu sa George St, nipparkjaw u nibdew nimxu fuq il-bankina, ninnavigaw minn fost ix-xmara ta' nies għaddejja bil-mixi bħalna.

Ma jgħaddux iktar minn ftit sekondi li Gary ma jismax lil ismu jiġi mgħajjat minn żgħażugħ, K, li jgħaġġel hekk kif jaqsam it-triq. Għandu bejn 20 u 22 sena. Ħadilna t-tnejn b'idejna u staqsiena għal ftit ikel. Intuħ kontenitur u furketta tal-plastik. Jitlobna kontenitur ieħor għal sieħbu, jirringrazzjana u jħaffef lura.

Innutajt xahar wara xahar li dawn iż-żgħażagħ, minkejja li għaddejjin ħajja diffiċli fit-triq, xorta waħda jaħsbu fi sħabhom. Hija tal-meravilja li dawn it-tfal u żgħażagħ jistabbilixxu rabta fil-qrib u kumplessa ma' oħrajn f'sitwazzjoni simili, jistaqsu għalihom u jagħtu l-aħbarijiet lil xulxin, jipprovdu għajnuna bl-aħjar li jistgħu, jinġabru flimkien u jaqsmu mill-ftit li jkollhom. Apparti l-abbuż tal-alkoħol jew id-drogi, xi ġlieda 'l hawn u 'l hemm, xi attività illegali u xi ġirja mill-pulizija, it-tfal jgħixu u jħossuhom bħala parti minn familja fit-triq, xi ħaġa li ma sabux f'darhom, hi x'inhi r-raġuni. X'ħasra, hux?

Inkomplu mat-triq u niltaqgħu mal-koppja li riedet lift, D & E, it-tnejn ta' madwar sittax-il sena. Għaraft lil E minn drabi oħra. Kienu qed jieklu ma' persuna oħra li kien ikbar minnhom sew, forsi għandu erbgħin. Biex ngħid il-veru ma tantx għoġobni - min jaf għax kien għamel ħbieb ma' din il-koppja u x'kienu l-intenzjonijiet tiegħu?

Għednielhom li ntuhom lift wara li nlestu r-ronda. Imxejna sa l-istazzjoni Town Hall, dħalna ġewwa u dornieh, u ħriġna minn ħruġ ieħor. Ħadd. Imxejna lura sal-koppja. Sa dak il-ħin, kienu żdiedu żewġ persuni oħra ikbar minnhom sew. Hadt ir-ruħ meta qamu u mxew magħna sal-karrozza, u ħallew lill-irġiel l-oħra warajhom.

Soqna daqsxejn fit-tul għal subborg qrib ta' Bankstown fen il-koppja kienet se toqgħod għal dak il-lejl f'dar ta' wieħed mill-genituri tagħhom. Huma wkoll ħadu ftit ikel u qalulna b'xi aħbarijet fuq tfal oħra li kienu jafu. Wara ftit waqgħu fis-skiet u ftit minuti wara raqdu fuq wara. Dehru mbażwrin. F'nofs siegħa, wasalna fid-destinazzjoni tagħna, qajjimnihom u ħallejnihom joħorġu.

Aħna u sejrin lura, Gary qalli fuq xi tfal oħra li kien iltaqa' magħhom fil-ġranet ta' qabel. Tifla ġdida għalina, N, ittieħdet Don Bosco wara li kienet telqet mid-dar minħabba problemi familjari u vjolenza domestika. B li għandha problemi ta' saħħa mentali, sejra mhux ħażin, qed tistenna t-twelid tat-tarbija tagħha u qed tiġi mħarsa mis-Servizzi tal-Familja u Komunità (Family and Community Services - FACS), aġenzija tal-gvern ta' NSW, biex jiżguraw li toqgħod 'il bogħod mid-drogi u mill-vjolenza, u ssegwi livelli ta' kwalità li ngħatawlha. Tifel ieħor beda jmur l-iskola f'Parramatta.

Wasalna Don Bosco. Dħalna u staqsejna għall-ħwejjeġ tat-tifel H. Ingħatajna borża kbira mimli bl-affarijiet. Soqna lejn subborg ieħor ħdejn Mascot, fejn hemm l-uffiċċju għas-servizzi korporattivi ta' Youth Off The Streets. Sibna lil H jistenniena, u deher ferħan li reġa għandu ħwejġu.

Qed isir tard, u kienet sessjoni pjuttost ħafifa illum. Dak sinjal tajjeb jew ħażin? Hemm inqas tfal jiġru fit-triq, jew marru x'imkien ieħor?

Ipparkjajna fl-Istazzjon Ċentrali, post ieħor komuni għalihom. Dħalna fih u dornih, imma ma stajna naraw lil ħadd. Saru l-ħdax u nofs ta' billejl, u ddeċidejna li nieqfu hemm. Ħadna b'idejn xulxin, qbilna fuq meta se nerġa' niġi, u tlaqt. Tlajt fuq il-pjattaforma u stennejt it-tren li kien se jeħodni d-dar.

Jien u sejjer, ma stajtx ma naħsibx f'dawk it-tfal u żgħażagħ li ltqajna magħhom dak il-lejl, u l-oħrajn li ltqajt magħhom drabi oħra li ilni ma nara. Tgħid tajbin? Tgħid sabu ftit stabbiltà f'ħajjithom, li tippermettielhom jibdew joħorġu mill-ħofra li qegħdin fiha, jew għandhom ambjent f'darhom li tant hija tossika li aħjar jaħarbu minnha? Milli rajt sallum, il-kawża prinċipali li jispiċċaw fit-triq hija kemm il-ġenituri jieħdu ħsieb ħażin, jew xejn affattu, ta' uliedhom. Jekk il-ġenituri ma jimpurtahomx, qatt mhuma d-dar, jimponu biss u ma juru flessibiltà ta' xejn, jew jabbużaw lil uliedhom b'xi mod jew ieħor, tagħti tort lit-tfal li jaħarbu?

Dak li tiżra taħsad. L-ulied ikunu qed ifittxu l-imħabba, ħsieb u attenzjoni. Jekk ma jsibuhomx id-dar, ŻGUR ifittxi band'oħra.



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