CEO ‘roughs it out’ on the street
A seniors’ lobby group chief executive admits camping the night on Brisbane’s streets in winter may be “confronting”, but he vows to stick it out to raise funds for St Vincent de Paul’s CEO Sleepout. National Seniors Australia chief executive, Michael O’Neill, will literally ‘sleep on the streets’ on 21 June.
A seniors’ lobby group chief executive admits camping the night on Brisbane’s streets in winter may be “confronting”, but he vows to stick it out to raise funds for St Vincent de Paul’s CEO Sleepout.
National Seniors Australia chief executive, Michael O’Neill (pictured), will literally ‘sleep on the streets’ on 21 June, and is only allowed a sleeping bag and pillow, but has to ‘rough it’ in every other way.
Mr O’Neill tells DPS News the annual CEO Sleepout is a good way of encouraging “folk to get a taste of what people who are homeless need to go through”.
Although this is his first time sleeping on the streets, Mr O’Neill says he will likely feel out of his comfort zone but claims the rise in older homeless Australians is enough reason for him to experience what they do every day.
“We are provided a piece of cardboard to sleep on and we are not allowed to bring food. We are given a simple meal of soup and a bread roll for dinner,” he says.
Mr O’Neill hopes his drastic effort to promote awareness of older Australians who are homeless will show the need for more housing and ongoing support to the nation’s homeless.
“About 17% of homeless Australians are aged 55 years – that’s almost 20,000 people. As a seniors’ organisation, National Seniors is concerned about the welfare of all older Australians.”
Despite the main goal being to raise funds for the charity, Mr O’Neill maintains homelessness is a “social problem” worth highlighting, and says he will undoubtedly see personal growth after camping out alone.
“I think it will change a person’s outlook and attitude to people in these circumstances, and hopefully that’s reflected in the way I do my job and live my life.
“It’s going to be a long night with not a lot of sleep,” he admits.
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