New data reveals Australians want to help their fellow Aussies doing it tough, but don’t know how to start the conversation.
In fact, almost a third admit to walking past someone they believe is sleeping rough or experiencing homelessness without acknowledging them
Orange Sky is calling on Australians to recognise the importance of human connection, even something as small as an acknowledgment, as a necessity for getting through hard times
New data from Orange Sky, released for Homelessness Week, this week, reveals almost one in three Australians (31%) admit to walking past someone they believe is sleeping rough or experiencing homelessness without acknowledging them. In fact, two in five (40%) struggle to have genuine, meaningful face-to-face conversations within their own community1.
Yet despite these statistics, almost three quarters (72%) believe chronic loneliness and social isolation should be treated as a major public health priority in Australia1.
The findings reveal a nation that cares deeply about loneliness but often struggles to know how to respond when confronted with it, highlighting a clear gap between wanting to help and knowing how to start the conversation.
The research also highlights that Australians are ready to embrace more connection if they are given the confidence to do so.
Nearly four in five Australians (79%) want to acknowledge or support someone doing it tough but worry about saying the wrong thing or making them uncomfortable, while more than half (59%) believe having regular conversations with people from different walks of life would help them become more empathetic.
For more information go to https://orangesky.org.au/campaign/national-homelessness-week
