Homeless people end up on the streets for a range of reasons, but the common denominator is trauma, but unfortunately, that trauma also means they fall through the cracks of a system with services designed to help get them back on their feet.
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One of those organisations who try to fill those cracks is Launceston's Baptist Church, but pastor Jeff McKinnon says he doesn't like to call what they do "a service".
"What we offer is more companionship, we go around to try and create relationships with people, but once a week we also offer basically a meal service," he said.
Launceston's "street community", as described by pastor McKinnon, can come along to Milton Hall and get a two-course meal and a chat with their volunteers.
However, he said Tasmania's housing crisis was sending more people into homelessness and increasing instances of family violence and mental health.
"The problem is the way our agencies work has it's own set of problems. They operate in silos and are only funded for certain work," he said.
He said the housing crisis affected all the vulnerable Tasmania groups, including those fleeing domestic and family violence and at-risk people and migrants.
Unfortunately, Pastor McKinnon said that circumstances led to the fate of homeless man Christopher Milne, who died of a medical condition in Launceston.
Mr Milne was known to Mr McKinnon, but he didn't often access their services.
"Everyone knew Chris, he was very unassuming and didn't ask for anything," he said.
He said he wanted to see much more collaboration between the service providers who could provide immediate relief.
It's not uncommon for people battling substance abuse to take advantage of the Milton Hall services or those who exhibit antisocial behaviour.
"These are often people who have burned their bridges with the traditional service providers, for whatever reason, sometimes they have been described as 'too hard' to deal with," he said.
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He often said that chat and friendship formed the building blocks to allow them to try to help people who often have complex needs.
Pastor McKinnon said they had to deal with anger management issues at times, but his team's ability to get past the anger helped a great deal more.
"My team they don't let anger bother them much; they know not to let it get to them, and it's often that you find ways to help people, if you don't let it upset you," he said.
He said he'd had people turn up after an emotional outburst and apologise to the staff, and it's at those moments that they can get to the heart of what's troubling them.
"Afterwards, it's building that relationship we can find the best way to help people."
Although they don't have a lot of ability to help, not being a service provider, pastor McKinnon said often lending an ear can help as much as a meal.
Milton Hall also regularly has a community of homeless people on the porch or out the back and said staff connect with those people and provide food where necessary.
"Sometimes they want a bit of privacy, they just want time to be alone," he said.
Pastor McKinnon helped organise a memorial service for Mr Milne on Wednesday.
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