Birdiya Maya Homelessness Research Project Community Report and Films

The Birdiya Maya Homelessness Research Project is a partnership between Wungening Aboriginal Corporation (the lead) and Curtin University’s National Drug Research Institute (NDRI).

The community report of the Aboriginal-led project amplifies the voices of Aboriginal people experiencing homelessness in Perth, providing a platform for participants to tell their stories and identify ways of improving responses to homelessness. The report also showcases much of the participants' striking photography and artwork. It also demonstrates the importance of having Aboriginal community members and Elders leading the direction of research about Aboriginal people.

The aims of the project are to:

Identify barriers for Aboriginal people in the greater Perth area in connecting with accommodation and having their needs met, especially in a crisis
Develop an understanding of the lives of Aboriginal people experiencing homelessness, including the nature of their mental health, health, use of alcohol and other drugs, social supports, and connection with services
Provide recommendations for future policy change and service delivery.

The report was received by Hon. John Carey, Minister for Planning, Lands, Housing, and Homelessness, at the launch on 27 June 2023. Lotterywest funded the research project, which has led to the development of this community report and project videos.

Click on the image below to view the report.

A series of posters were created for the exhibition, to showcase what the project was about and the people behind the research - the researchers from Wungening and NDRI, and the Community Ownership Group.

An additional poster was also created to reflect what academic thinking says about what 'home' means, for Aboriginal people to speak to and challenge.

The short project films document the research process, the role of the Community Ownership Group, the experiences of participants, and the aims of the project and recommendations.

As part of the project, participants were also encouraged to submit a song which they felt reflected their experience with homelessness. The playlist to the right is a collection of these songs, which were played at the event as guests took in the exhibition.