The sleepbus
The Bundaberg Regional Council are working in partnership with the Bundaberg Housing and Homelessness Forum to work towards possible solutions to the current housing crisis.
This group of local organisations raised over $100,000 to purchase a sleepbus for the Bundaberg Community and train locally skilled volunteers.
The bus is expected in the first part of 2024 and will be announced to community once finalised.
Donate here to support sleepbus support our community going forward.
What is sleepbus?
Sleep plays a vital role in good health and wellbeing; and getting enough quality sleep can help protect a person’s mental and physical health, and ultimately their safety. For those sleeping rough, getting a good nights sleep is virtually impossible and can contribute to long-term homelessness and more. Sleepbus has a simple focus, which is to provide safe, temporary accommodation to those who are currently sleeping rough in Australia. The aim is to support individuals to be off the streets at night and to keep them safe and healthy until they’re able to get back on their feet.
The sleepbus is not a long-term accommodation solution, but a means to provide a comfortable and temporary environment to sleep for the night. It offers the opportunity for an individual who is going through homelessness a chance to experience a good night sleep, safely.
The sleepbus initiative is aimed at providing a complementary service to those that already exist within local organisations throughout the Bundaberg Region, supporting local individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
Currently, the issue of scarce housing and homelessness crisis, with numbers of those displaced increasing. The aim of the Bundaberg Regional Council and the Bundaberg Housing and Homelessness Forum is to address this need and gap within the community.
Why sleepbus?
Sleep plays a vital role in good health and wellbeing. Sleep allows an individual’s body and mind to recharge, leaving one feeling more refreshed and alert. Healthy sleep also helps the body to remain healthy and ward off diseases. Without enough sleep, the brain cannot function properly. This can impair one’s ability to concentrate, process information and solidify memories.
Getting enough sleep can protect and support an individuals’ mental health, physical health and ultimately their safety. Sleep deprivation has been linked to higher risks of developing certain diseases and medical conditions. These diseases and conditions include obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, poor mental health and early death.
- Each sleepbus can provide up to 20 people with a safe sleep each night, in a twin pod cabin
- The sleep pod cabins all have their own toilets
- Each cabin is fully climate controlled
- Every sleep pod has it’s own reading light, USB Charger, free to air digital TV and Support Services Channel
- The sleepbus service is free for all guests with operational expenses covered by donations and corporate sponsorship
- Each sleepbus has a designated parking spot, where it stays for the night from 8pm until 8am; 365 nights a year. Some guests will come directly from referrals of support agencies within the area of each sleepbus, with any remaining sleep pods allocated on a first come, first serve basis; preferences given to the most vulnerable.
- The sleepbus initiative prides itself on offering inclusive options for all of its guests. The sleepbus includes storage lockers, which allow guests to store their personal belongings safely.
- Most importantly, each bus also contains eight pet kennels, where guests can safely confine their pet for the evening. Therefore, guests don’t have to consider alternate accommodation or worry about the safety of their furry friends.
Find out more through the Our Bundaberg Region project page or check out updates on the sleepbus Facebook page.
Image source: sleepbus.org