Towards Being Down Without Being Out: Self Help on Skid Row

If the lot of the homeless man in Australian cities is to improve the impetus will have to come largely from within—that is through self help. Amelioration of the skid row life style in Australia will probably come in the form of increased sense of group identity, the establishment of clearly defined home territories, improved communication among those agencies that cater to the needs of homeless persons, and a change in the general public's perception of what constitutes skid row and its inhabitants. Brisbane's 139 Club, a drop in centre for the homeless, is an example of self help approaches to bringing about this amelioration of the skid row life style.