Uncomfortable challenges making change

Across the country this week, Australians are taking on uncomfortable challenges to raise critical funds for people facing homelessness. Just one year ago, local son Nedd Brockmann was taking his first steps on a 1000-mile run that inspired what’s now become the Uncomfortable Challenge, a national fundraiser for the charity We Are Mobilise. The organisation’s CEO, Noah Yang, spoke with The Forbes Advocate about the powerful impact these efforts are having. It all started with one question: “In a country as well off as Australia, why is anyone on the streets?” Today, We Are Mobilise is partnering with more than 35 homelessness organisations across the country - and has recently added a partner helping people into employment. In September alone, they distributed $250,000 to 101 people. For Noah, the journey began when walking past someone on the street stopped feeling like an option. “Obviously Forbes is very different but everywhere across Australia we have people facing homelessness and I think we have people walk past it but don’t really know what to do,” said Noah, who is from Melbourne. Mobilise began with a few volunteers, some bags of bread, and a willingness to sit and talk with people doing it tough. As the movement rose up in capital cities across Australia, they had thousands of conversations. Then a bloke from Bedgerabong, his heart also touched by the need to do something about homelessness, ran across the country. “Before Nedd ran we had six grand in the bank, a head full of dreams, and we knew that people just needed the opportunity to be invested into,” Noah said. Nedd’s run captured national attention and raised $2 million. The result was transformational. Mobilise went on to develop Australia’s first direct cash transfer program, and now works alongside partner organisations to deliver practical, life-changing support. Noah shares one example: a family, two parents and four children, found sleeping in a park in the Sydney CBD. “They’d come from rural NSW and basically were stopping at charity partner to charity partner all the way through, trying to get support, and no one could help them,” he said. When a housing opportunity came up, the family didn’t have the funds to secure it. Mobilise stepped in. “We gave them Mobilise Kickstarter, which is two months rent and a bond, and got them into the home and they’re still in that home now,” Noah said. “That’s one of 600-plus stories we’re telling and continuing to work towards.” The need is growing. “It took us 20 months after Nedd’s first run to distribute $1 million which was about 400 participants,” Noah said. “In September alone we distributed $250,000 to 101 participants.” Mobilise has over 35 charity partners - and just as many waiting to join. They're even looking forward to bringing a local referral partner on board in the near future: we look forward to telling that story. Locals are already rising to the challenge. On the weekend, Sam Johnston, Bill Ryan, and Sam Parish ran 100km from Condobolin to Forbes, crossing the finish line at the post office to cheers. Together, they’ve raised more than $18,000. You can sign up or donate at: www.neddsuncomfortablechallenge.com www.neddsuncomfortablechallenge.com/fundraisers/FRC “There’s so much demand out there, all the funds (raised) are going to help to be able to drive that support,” Noah said. Mobilise continues to push forward with the same mindset that inspired the challenge in the first place. “We’ve always wanted to run at this problem of homelessness with the same relentlessness and focus that Nedd displayed out on the track,” Noah said. “We think if we can do that, we can prove that homelessness is solvable along with everyone else working towards that goal across the country.”

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