Orange Sky calls for more Canberra volunteers after 50 per cent drop during pandemic

One of those is Orange Sky, where volunteer numbers have dropped in Canberra by 50 per cent. It has prompted the free mobile laundry and shower service for people experiencing homelessness to put out an urgent call for helpers in Canberra.

Orange Sky's premise is simple, it's a van fitted out with washing machines and showers that's for those sleeping rough but it's so much more than that.

Kevin Jones has volunteered with Orange Sky in Canberra for the past year.

While the laundry and showers are the catalyst, Mr Jones said it was about the connections with people experiencing homelessness, or "friends" as they are known by at Orange Sky.

"Orange Sky is all about connections and conversations with people and so the laundry facilities facilitate us being able to sit down and have genuine conversations with people," he said.

"It's really about being available to friends to just connect them, give them a connection because many people who are living rough don't have the opportunity just to really have a conversation with someone."

When the pandemic hit in March Orange Sky made the decision to halt their services across Australia and New Zealand. They have gradually brought back services as restrictions eased but have battled to ensure they have enough volunteers.

The service was able to restart in the nation's capital in mid-April but it was restricted. Orange Sky in Canberra is currently doing nine shifts a week but they have aimed to go back to 14 shifts a week, which is the number they were doing pre-pandemic.

But Orange Sky co-founder Lucas Patchett said they would need more people to support these efforts.

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The drop in numbers was felt across Australia and New Zealand, not just in Canberra, and the decline was due to a range of reasons.

"There were some tough things around people above certain ages and people with pre-existing health conditions that unfortunately couldn't volunteer for us," Mr Patchett said.

"You have heaps of other factors as well, so many peoples work situations have change, peoples lives have changed, as well as so many peoples family situations.

"On the flipside we have had a lot of volunteers say they really want to double down and support more."

For those who want to volunteer, Mr Patchett said there are no special skills required, all you needed was a bit of time and to be up for a chat.

"We always say you don't need to be a washing expert or a shower connoisseur you just need to have a bit of time and what Orange Sky is really built on the laundry and showers being magnet or catalyst for people have conversations and bringing people together," he said.

"So you just need to have a little bit of time and be willing to lend a hand in your backyard and take a really local approach."