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Volunteers help to provide shelter for homeless

For more than 30 years the Cana Communities, a volunteer-based organisation that receives no government funding, has been offering services to people in need. Its focus is on people “most in need” – suffering from loneliness, mental illness, addictions, homelessness – and alienated within society. Cana operates a café in Redfern, several community homes in and around the inner city, as well as “church shelters” providing emergency overnight accommodation writes Andrew Collis in the South Sydney Herald of August 2008.

Kieran Mahony, a young man in his 20s, is Coordinator of the Garden Shelter at the South Sydney Uniting Church in Waterloo. Each Wednesday from 8pm the church hall is converted into a dormitory for between five and 15 men. In the morning, volunteers provide a light breakfast. “Our volunteers are great,” Mr Mahony says. “One of the things I really like about this work is meeting with others who’ve chosen to be here.”

A lawyer by day, Mr Mahony enjoys the change of pace volunteering with Cana affords. “I get to practice a different skill set, and to share experiences and stories with the guests at the Shelter. We learn a lot from them.”

Currently, there is a need for volunteers. “We’ve recently had a few people leave Sydney, so some of us have been working extra shifts [ordinarily, volunteers commit to just one Wednesday per month].”

What can a new volunteer at the Shelter expect? “At first, we’d roster a new volunteer alongside someone more experienced. There are two shifts: the evening shift from 8 to 10.30pm; and the overnight shift from 10pm to 8am. We have two or three if possible on the evening shift, and two overnight. Women volunteers are not given overnight shifts.

“A typical night begins with setting up mattresses and the tea and coffee. The Homeless Persons’ Information service refers the guests for the night, and maintains contact by phone throughout the night. It’s not unusual for the men to want to get to sleep quite early, but there’s always time for a chat. We try to celebrate birthdays, too, when appropriate. There’s always a cheesecake in the fridge, just in case.”

One of Cana’s long-term volunteers, Joel Turner, has just completed a four-month bicycle ride from Perth to Sydney, in support of the Flying Doctor Service. “Our volunteers are definitely interesting, outgoing and enterprising people,” Mr Mahony says.

Contact Kieran Mahony on 0402 564 871 or kmahony@claytonutz.com

Cana Communities: www.cana.org.au .

Homeless Persons’ Information referrals, emergency accommodation

Phone (02) 9265 9081 or 1800 234 566 8-10pm 7 days.

Photo: Andrew Collis - A guest relaxes at the Garden Shelter

Source: South Sydney Herald August 2008 www.southsydneyherald.com.au