A glimpse into the lives of the homeless in Albany through their eyes

In a particularly wet Albany winter, some people in our community do not have a home to call their own. Most of us take for granted the security of four walls and a roof or the warmth of a gas heater, but dozens are sleeping rough in our city every night and many more are experiencing other forms of homelessness. With Albany’s rental vacancy rate sitting at 0.7 per cent as of July and more rain forecast for the days ahead, the Advertiser spoke to three people who had sought refuge at Shalom House. This story cannot hope to give a full picture of how they became homeless or what their life is like, but it can provide a glimpse into each man’s journey. At their request, their real names have not been used. Warm and congenial with an infectious laugh, 72-year-old Richard arrived at Shalom House about a month ago. Living in his camper trailer, Richard was travelling from Albany to Esperance when his car broke down and he suffered a “minor heart attack” which led to a five-week stay in Hospital. “I live on the road. I've got a camper trailer and that type of thing,” he said. “The doctor wouldn’t let me go until I had a roof over my head so they arranged for me to come up here and I’ve been here ever since.” But Richard’s story goes well beyond a heart attack or regrettable trip to Esperance. He spent much of his life working in the Kimberley as a stockman, riding a horse and chasing cows, before moving to Denmark, in the early 2000s, where he lived with his wife of 38 years. But her death six years ago left a lasting impact and Richard turned to a life on the road, roaming across WA. “I just packed everything up and hit the road, I just couldn’t live in the house anymore ... Too many memories,” he said. “You’ve lost a best friend, a lover, a sort of soul mate.” Since that time, Richard has seen plenty of the majestic views on offer. He said Shalom House was an “excellent place” to stay but was hopeful of soon getting back to travelling around the State. “There’s some marvellous scenery out there ... you meet different people,” he said. “I’ll get a campervan and then go to Esperance and then ... into the Goldfields again before the weather gets too stinking hot and then ... probably down here for a nice mild summer,” he said. Another resident of Shalom House, Brent, also spoke warmly about his temporary home. Throughout his life, the 40-year-old has travelled across Australia from Perth to Melbourne and into Sydney, living rough on the streets for much of it. “At the moment, I’m pretty stuck in where I want to go in life,” he said. “I’ve just turned 40 and it’s the worst time in my life because I don’t know which way to go and I don’t know who to turn to so this place has been good for that.” After seeing first-hand the physical and mental scars that can be inflicted on people, and their lasting impact, Brent said that one of the best parts about Shalom House was its support. “I’ve seen it all my life, I’ve gone to hospital where young ladies from 23 to 20 have got scars all over their bodies from neck down because of their parents, the way they treat their kids,” he said. “That’s psychological, that’s deep and that’s something that has to be looked at. “(At Shalom) people back you, people support you, people who have other networks to help us out. “If you’re right in your heart and your mind, things will come back around. “I met up with my brother in Perth and we hugged, that’s the most important thing about our culture, it’s amazing where the spirit will take you.” Darren, who is originally from Katanning, said his life hit a bump when he was abruptly taken off his ADHD medication by his mother five years ago. He said he started using methamphetamine to compensate, with the experience triggering a mental illness. “Mum didn’t see eye to eye with me and so she spoke with my doctor and went behind my back to take me off it ... I think I was abusing it a bit too much,” he said. “That really hit me hard and it caused a bit of a rift between me and my mother. “I turned to meth as a stimulant to be able to concentrate and read and do stuff like that but it was too much, too strong and it triggered a mental illness.” After a stint in prison, Darren has slowly adjusted to life at Shalom House. He said that he hoped to get his white card and do a traffic control management course at TAFE. “(Shalom House is) great, good meals, cheap rent, good people ... and good services, like to be able to find mental health help and all those sorts of avenues,” he said. “I’m hoping to try to get my life back on track.” The co-ordinator of Albany’s Shalom House, Gerry van der Wal, said he was trying to build an environment that supported each resident. Mr van der Wal said that Shalom House experienced a “flood of guys” earlier in the year before a smaller group of four of five people had recently settled there. “There are times when it’s a really harmonious atmosphere here and that’s what I strive for as much as possible,” he said. “But if there’s anything introduced here that disrupts that harmony, I need to know about it as soon as possible so I can nip it in the bud.” The Shalom House temporary accommodation will be open until October before operating as a daytime drop-in centre into next year.