Through The RopesPrevention. Intervention.

Who we help / People experiencing homelessness

Homelessness

A place to belong, while you find a place to live.

Most people experiencing homelessness aren't sleeping on the street. They're couch surfing, in crowded housing or in temporary accommodation. Through The Ropes can't provide a home, but it can provide a routine, a crew and a mentor, while housing services do their part.

By the numbers

Homelessness in Australia.

The picture

Who seeks help.

Nearly a quarter are young 23 of 100 circles highlighted: aged 12 to 24 (23.0%). The rest: all other ages. aged 12 to 24 (23.0%) all other ages
Share of people experiencing homelessness on Census night 2021 who were aged 12 to 24. Each circle is 1%. Source: ABS, Estimating Homelessness: Census, 2021
Homelessness and other hard rounds Had experienced family violence: 40%; Young people on their own: about 14%; Leaving prison or custody: 3.0%. Had experienced family violence 40% Young people on their own about 14% Leaving prison or custody 3.0%
Share of the 289,000 people helped by specialist homelessness services in 2024-25. Young people means children and young people aged 12 to 24 who came on their own. Source: AIHW, Family, domestic and sexual violence: summary (2024-25 data); AIHW, Specialist homelessness services 2024-25: young people presenting alone; AIHW, Specialist homelessness services 2024-25: clients exiting custodial arrangements

Behind the numbers

Homelessness often follows other hard rounds.

Most people experiencing homelessness are not sleeping rough. On Census night 2021 many were in severely crowded homes, staying temporarily with others or in supported accommodation. The rate was 48 people per 10,000.

Homelessness often follows other hard rounds: family violence, leaving prison or care, job loss, or poor health. Around 8,800 people who came to homelessness services in 2024-25 were leaving custody.

Services are stretched. On an average day in 2024-25, around 350 requests for help could not be met.

How Through The Ropes can help

Stability, three times a week.

Something fixed in the week

When everything else moves, three sessions a week don't.

Health basics

Exercise, nutrition support and a reason to look after yourself.

People who notice

A cohort and a mentor who will check in if you go quiet.

Linked to housing help

We'll work with specialist homelessness services and refer people straight to them.

Potential for impact

What the evidence says.

Honest about what we know. A boxing programme doesn't house anyone. Housing does. What we can add is connection, health and routine, which help people keep going while they get housed and stay housed. We'll partner with homelessness services and measure what changes.

What we will measure with every cohort, and publish:

  • Who starts, who finishes, and why people leave early
  • Wellbeing and mood at week 1, week 10 and three months later, using a standard validated scale
  • Fitness and attendance: sessions completed out of thirty
  • Next steps at three and six months: work, study, training, sport, housing
  • Housing status at the start and three months after

Homelessness service?

Refer someone, or talk to us about running a cohort with your team.

Refer someoneTalk partnership

Sources

  1. ABS, Estimating Homelessness: Census, 2021
  2. AIHW, Specialist homelessness services annual report 2024-25
  3. AIHW, Family, domestic and sexual violence: summary (2024-25 data)
  4. AIHW, Specialist homelessness services 2024-25: young people presenting alone
  5. AIHW, Specialist homelessness services 2024-25: clients exiting custodial arrangements
  6. AIHW, Specialist homelessness services 2024-25: unassisted requests
  7. Noetel et al. (2024), Effect of exercise for depression: systematic review and network meta-analysis, BMJ
  8. Raposa et al. (2019), The Effects of Youth Mentoring Programs: A Meta-analysis, Journal of Youth and Adolescence

Figures are the latest published at the time of writing (October 2026). Back to Who we help.