Students sleeping out at ATU Mayo sports pitch for Simon Community

Two students are organising a sleep out for the Simon Community on the ATU pitch in Castlebar this Friday to raise awareness on the ongoing homelessness crisis in Ireland.

Lauren Lynch and Dominyka Repeckaite, who are fourth year students at the ATU in Castlebar, will be among a group of students who will camp out on the ATU sports pitch this Friday evening, September 30, from 7 p.m. until the following morning.

The Simon Community aims to address and prevent homelessness in Ireland.

Speaking to The Connaught Telegraph, Lauren said: “We understand that everyone around Ireland is having money difficulties. But the people definitely facing it the most are the people on the street. We have homes that we can go back to and they don’t. The statistics in the north west are shocking, as 70 people in the area are sleeping on the streets.

“Apart from The Simon Community, I’ve never seen supports for the homeless from the council or the government. Even in the Budget, there was no supports.

“The Simon Community is about making sure that people know we’re here and they’re not forgotten about.”

“I’ve been taken aback by the homelessness situation,” added Dominyka, a native of Lithuania. “You would earn way more here than in Lithuania, but there is a lot of people here on the streets. It’s crazy.”

Homelessness is not just people sleeping the street, either. It can also mean people living in overcrowded or inappropriate accommodation, known commonly as hidden homeless, with the cost of rent simply too much.

Lauren said: “I have many friends who had to live in vans. The reason people are doing this is because it’s cheaper than a house, and it’s absolutely ridiculous. Minister (Simon) Harris said college fees will be reduced to a grand to help, but that’s gone on rent. The fees need to be abolished.”

“You have people who don’t qualify for SUSI, like myself. I don’t qualify for anything. I can no help from the government. My mum is a single parent. I could be homeless but my mum is an amazing person so I do have a house. There’s people worse off than me. How are they supposed to find anything?”

You can learn more and donate to the Simon Community at: https://galwaysimon.ie/.