The Sudsy Challenge is about shining a light on homelessness and helping to break down the stigma associated with the everyday life of 116,000 Australians.
“We are asking Australians and New Zealanders to keep their kit on for three days straight, and start conversations about the experience on social media,” said Orange Sky chief marketing officer, Laura Stokes.
The Orange Sky fleet consists of 20 laundry vans, three shower vans, and seven hybrids providing free mobile laundry services for people experiencing homelessness across the country. The donations raised by challenges like the Sudsy are essential to their operations.
Here at the Canberra Daily, my editorial colleague Abbey and I decided to participate in the challenge to wear the same clothes for three consecutive days and nights.
“Homelessness can happen to anyone,” said Laura. “It just takes an unfortunate event, like a marriage breaking down or losing a job, in order to find yourself in a difficult place.
“There are a lot of misconceptions around what homelessness is … Many believe that 100 per cent of people who are homeless are sleeping rough. Only seven per cent of the homeless population fall into that category. Many experiencing homelessness are in crisis accommodation, sleeping in tents, or sleeping in their cars.”
While I was excited to partake in such a worthwhile cause (and to wear my athleisure to work on Friday), after showering on Monday morning I wasn’t quite sure what I was supposed to have learnt. I felt a little itchy and uncomfortable, but being in lockdown, wearing the same clothes for days didn’t seem so dramatic. That was until Laura pointed out what Orange Sky hopes participants might realise.
“It’s quite uncomfortable to wear the same clothes for three days. Maybe at the end of that experience people feel dirty, or less confident. Maybe they lose the desire to start a conversation with people – certainly not important conversations like getting a job or applying for a home.”
I remembered that on the last day, I felt uncomfortable around my new roommate, even though he was aware I was partaking in the challenge. I felt like I was bothering people when I went for my walk, even though it was likely I was the only who one noticed. I certainly would not have wanted to go to a job interview, even though so many people yell at the homeless on the street to do just that.
Abbey shared a similar experience. “By the end of the third day, the thought of a hot shower was the only thing on my mind. I couldn’t wait for it to be over and to actually feel clean again. Feeling dirty made me feel down on myself, and it affected the way I interacted with my housemates and how often I left my room,” she said.
“Having little to no access to a hot shower due to homelessness would be something I can imagine would seriously affect your mental state, which we all know has profound effects on our day-to-day life.”
Through the non-judgemental conversations offered at Orange Sky, volunteers have reported on how difficult it can be for someone who doesn’t have a clean set of clothes or a hot shower every day to go out and make changes in their lives.
“At the end of the day, homelessness is a very lonely experience for many,” said Laura.
“What we’re encouraging with this challenge is to start a conversation. Whether that be reaching out to someone who is experiencing homelessness, or to someone who maybe doesn’t understand.
“The first step is always to create awareness, understanding, and education.”
If you’d like to try The Sudsy Challenge, the ‘your choice’ option can be taken over any three days in September, October or November. To find out more, visit thesudsychallenge.com
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