Organised by Clarence City Council, Off the Couch will focus on young people and homelessness, housing stress and precarity. The event name Off the Couch ties in with couch surfing, which we know is a major form of homelessness for young people.

There will be food, hot drinks, music, outreach vans from various homelessness organisations (Loui’s Van, Salvos outreach), as well as housing services with information around youth homelessness. The stage area will be furnished with colourful couches and rugs for the speakers to talk from but also for people to just relax on during the event.

There will be skate demos and a competition – Jimmy’s will hold a few ‘best tricks’ comps and there will be $500 worth of skate prizes to give away.

The event will be MC’d by Comedian, Rob Braslin, and guest speakers with lived experience of homelessness will be asked some questions and give brief outlines of their experiences.

Orgs involved include:

• Youth Network Advisory Group (YNAG)
• Vinnies
• Salvation Army
• Mission Australia Youthbeat
• Centacare Housing Evolve
• Colony47
• Jimmy’s Skate & Street
• She Shreds
• Hobart Social Skates

Prizes will be donated by Coal River Farm, Jimmy’s Skate and Metro, with more to come.