A major new research report led by the Give Where You Live Foundation and Deakin University’s HOME Research Centre, has revealed critical insights, challenges, and opportunities within Greater Geelong’s homelessness service system, as the region experiences rising housing insecurity and growing demand.
Homelessness in Greater Geelong more than doubled in the five years to mid-2021, surging by 51.5% (City of Greater Geelong, 2023). In the 2023–24 financial year alone, over 4,800 people sought support for homelessness in the region.
The scale of the current challenges facing the homelessness system in Geelong is captured in the report’s reflection, “What emerges from this report is a portrait of a system built for a
different set of problems. The growing scale of homelessness means that a system built to catch and support individuals who have fallen through the gaps of the housing system cannot simply ‘scale up’ as more and more people come through.”
The Home Truths: Local Insights into Homelessness report explores how local service providers can better support people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Drawing on Deakin’s systems-mapping STICKE (Systems Thinking in Community Knowledge Exchange) method, the research brought together a wide range of stakeholders to identify service gaps, map system challenges, and co-design solutions.
Five ‘Home Truths’ emerged from the research, highlighting key priority areas for both immediate action and long-term systemic improvement across the region. One of the most pressing issues identified was the critical shortage of available housing and accommodation options. Limited access to private rentals and a severe undersupply of social housing are driving increased rates of homelessness in Greater Geelong. As one participant reflected in the report, “Everyone’s so busy having conversations about what the perfect housing outcome should be, we’re getting stuck in the minutiae… and we’re missing that every single day we have that conversation, people are sleeping on the streets and experiencing traumatic events.”
Another key finding was the importance of collaboration and information sharing. Participants emphasised the need for stronger coordination between local homelessness service providers. While some described the current system as frustrating and fragmented, many also recognised a clear opportunity to build stronger networks, share best practices, and exchange knowledge to improve outcomes for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
Give Where You Live Foundation CEO Zac Lewis said the report’s release during Homelessness Week 2025, in line with this year’s theme Homelessness Action Now, could not be more timely.
“The ‘Home Truths’ research shines a light, not only on the issues faced by people experiencing homelessness and the services working to support them, but also on the solutions and actions needed for long-term change in our community,” said Mr Lewis. “As part of our commitment to creating a fairer Geelong community, the Foundation regularly supports and undertakes research to better understand the most pressing needs in our region and to help inform services and supports.”
“This report provides crucial insights for the local sector that can help guide how we collectively respond to homelessness in Geelong, because real change starts with better understanding. It also confirms what many of us working in this space have sensed for some time, that services are working tirelessly, they’re under immense pressure and the systems in place are no longer suited for the current conditions. We hope this report, which centres the voices of local practitioners and the people they support, can help inform and influence policy, service design, and funding decisions to improve how we respond to homelessness in Geelong.”
The ‘Home Truths: Local Insights into Homelessness’ report was jointly funded by the Anthony Costa Foundation, City of Greater Geelong, Geelong Community Foundation, Geelong Connected Communities and the Give Where You Live Foundation.
The full report can be downloaded online from the Give Where You Live Foundation website