I arrived in Australia as a four year old with my eight year old brother and parents in 1980.

Speaking little English, we settled in to the local primary school while my parents concentrated on setting up a business and starting our new life. I remember snapshots of my childhood – 30 cent sausage sizzles at school, trips to Jells Park and Ballarat, as well as bringing my strange lunches to school and always feeling a little like an outsider.

Australia felt natural and easy. Our childhood, like many at the time, was uncomplicated. Bike rides unaccompanied to the local milk bar for 2 cent lolly bags, playing with my dolls and my brother. I hope my own children can experience a little bit of the ‘simple Aussie childhood’ that I got to enjoy, with some Israeli heritage too.

I became involved with Hangout for the Homeless through my involvement with Kids in Philanthropy.

Kids in Philanthropy is a not-for-profit organisation that assists and empowers disadvantaged kids living in Australia. Working with them hands-on has been so rewarding. Our children had repeatedly mentioned helping the homeless when we had brainstormed ideas with them about who they wanted to help. It was so rewarding to see my children help set up the event, explain to their friends what the event was for and why. By the next day they understood the purpose of the event.

As my ten year old daughter explained, “It was really uncomfortable sleeping on the floor at Fed Square, but that was the point – to be uncomfortable like a homeless person.”

I watched my kids learn about others less fortunate than them and developing empathy for others, which is such an important life lesson.

The event took place in September 2013. Over thirty families slept at Federation Square for the first event of it’s kind in Australia. Kids in Philanthropy raised $30,000 for Kids Under Cover, another not-for-profit organisation that works to prevent youth homelessness.

Kids Under Cover builds homes and provides scholarships and mentors for homeless and at-risk young people. It provides safe, stable and spacious accommodation in the form of studios in a family’s backyard, for young kids who would otherwise be in very difficult and sometimes dangerous situations associated with fending for themselves on the streets.

Youth homelessness is a growing concern in Australia. Recent figures show that:

• On any given night there are around 105,000 people who are homeless across Australia. Nearly half of them are under 25.
• 21% (or 21,940 people) are children and young people aged 12 to 18.
• 45% of homeless young people were boarding or ‘couch-surfing’ in the lead-up to having nowhere to go.

The event featured targeted activities and workshops for young attendees that helped educate and empower them to support this cause and make a difference through participation. Food and blankets for the event were donated by local businesses, which were then delivered the following day to the Salvation Army’s shelter in the CBD.

We are so grateful to Federation Square for their generous support and enabling the Kids in Philanthropy event to take place, which helps us make a difference to the lives of people in need.