Vinnies 2021 CEO Sleepout will bring awareness to homelessness

However, the 2021 Vinnies CEO Sleepout hopes to bring more awareness to the community about the issue.

The annual sleepout event puts CEO's and other members of the community in the shoes of a homeless person, and shows them what a night sleeping rough might be like.

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Hays Recruitment northern senior manager James Ower said this year would be his seventh sleepout.

He first decided to join the cause when a friend of his told him they were doing it.

"I'd always been interested in homelessness," he said.

"I think in Tassie compared to a lot of places, homelessness isn't as visible as some of the bigger cities or other countries."

Mr Ower said the smallest thing could send someone on the spiral that leads them to homelessness.

"It can happen to anyone."

RELATED NEWS: CEO Sleepout 2021 will raise awareness about Tasmania's continuing homeless issue

The CEO Sleepout usually begins with an introduction and talks from both those who work in the sector and those who are either homeless or have been previously.

Participants are allowed to bring a sleeping bad and a pillow. They are provided with a meal that a homeless person would receive if they went to a St Vincent de Paul food van, and a piece of cardboard. That is all.

Mr Ower said there were chances, however, to bid on objects such as a couch to make your sleep a little easier and to raise more money for the event.

"[Homelessness] is not an issue that's getting better at the moment. If anything, it's getting tougher," he said.

St Vincent de Paul acting chief executive Bernadette Ulbrich-Hooper said the night also helped break down stereotypes of those who were homeless and what could cause the issue.

"It's not about solving the problem or thinking one night is going to fix everything, but it's just raising awareness of the issue of homelessness and the participants will hopefully learn a little bit on the night," she said.

She said even though the original idea was CEO's were in positions of influence to share what they learnt with those in their organisations, anybody could sign up for the event.

"They say it takes a village to raise a child and I think its going to take a village to solve this problem at the moment."

Ms Ulbrich-Hooper said there was a 64 week waiting time on the state's priority homelessness list.

"There's always been a shortage of housing, but this year, we have never known anything like it.

"We are just at our wits end and we are really worried about people," she said.

Ms Ulrich-Hooper said all money raised will go to the helping the homeless in Tasmania.

"We are just asking for the whole community to get behind the 2021 CEO Sleepout and help us raise as much money as we can."

The event will be held at UTAS Stadium in Launceston on June 17. Donations and sign ups can be made online at ceosleepout.org.au.

There is also the option to nominate a CEO.