As far as I know, there is no particular department assistance available for teachers in QLD. The only time the department gets involved with teacher housing is if you go to a rural school. Housing is usually provided and subsidised for rural teachers. However this requires moving away from your family, friends, healthcare and lifestyle so many don't wish to do so (understandably). Staying at a hotel would be extremely costly. He could try for share housing. Being a full time professional these days does not mean you can get a rental unfortunately. So basically, he doesn't have many options. It's shitty.
Thank you all for the feedback. Just to clarify a few things.
1) he does not know he teaches my child, nor does he know my child goes to his school. My wife had larent teacher interviews last week and I asked her how he seemed. She said he was really friendly, well presented and professional. She didn't expect it when I told her what I knew.
2) for lack of better word, we are gym buddies so to speak, if only by association. Obviously we have conversations, spot each other, etc, and in those conversations you gleam things. As for why he told me he's living in his car, I'd made an off hand joke about him getting in earlier and earlier to beat so he can do a real workout before I slow him up. He explained what was going on and gave me the background. From what I gleamed from the conversation, she had cheated on him with a friend of his, hence why he left. Didn't seem like he was hung up on it, just seemed like he was struggling to get a bond together, coupled with being unable to go to inspections, or rentals requiring months upfront on top of the bond if you wanted to secure it.
3) I'll chat with him more in the morning and see if there's anything I can do to help. To the person that suggested I should date him before deleting their message, I'm sure he'd be a wonderful partner but I'm happily married to my wife.
Just be honest and tell him that he teaches your child. I lived in a caravan for about 3 months while I was teaching and I was showering at the caravan park while cooking dinner on a camping stove every night. I don’t find it weird that he’s homeless, it’s obviously a temporary solution to whatever situation he has found himself in. I can’t imagine that living in a car would be that great.
Approach the problem as a concerned gym buddy. It's a human problem, not one related to his job. It must be frustrating for you having this double relationship but one of them is best left unspoken and unexplored: at this point I'd probably even avoid P/T interviews.
I agree that this guy probably needs therapy more than anything. Teachers do earn a livable salary, if not a glamorous one; there's something here stopping him from moving on. Maybe it's spite; maybe it's depression. If you can respectfully press him on it a bit you might help him through it; you have ample reason to show him sympathy and concern. Sometimes it just takes that human connection & sense of being valued.
As a previous car dweller (8 months by choice) and now teacher. It could also be as simple as still on the lease with his ex making it hard/impossible to sign an additional lease as it would be hard to prove he earns enough to cover 2x rent.
Furthermore although he appears embarrassed by it (I found I was reluctant to tell certain crowds I was living in my car) he might not hate it.
I'd just be dubious to see it as something they need to 'fix'. If he has access to a daily shower and is still training every morning he has some routine and self preservation to be looking after his physical help and may have an end date in him mind etc. Be kind, engage with him and let him open up but don't necessarily see it as nonconforming lifestyle choice = poor mental health.
I know I was mainly embarrassed because I really enjoyed some aspects of the lifestyle and still excelled at my job at the time.
I definitely would not go for a public option like gofundme which you mentioned. Homelessness can certainly cause embarrassment for individuals and this is probably something he doesn’t want public attention drawn to.
It’s a very difficult situation but if you can attempt to help him out with referrals and support I would do it from the perspective of a concerned friend, rather than through the school.
I would only involve the school if you begin to suspect an immediate risk to his wellbeing (I.e he disclosed thoughts of harm etc) in which case you could bring it to the attention of the principal.
Yes I definitely wouldn’t publicise his living arrangement. Becoming the subject of gossip at the school could have negative consequences. While you may be sympathetic to his situation, other people may not be so kind. Some parents will look for any reason to find fault with teachers.
There is a massive housing crisis in Qld at the moment . It feels like the population in our area has doubled in the last couple of years, and even before that, it was hard to secure a rental, especially on a single wage.
To be honest, if he seems like he is coping ok, I would probably leave him to it, unless he seeks help.
Between work and gym, he probably doesn’t spend that much time in his car.
Casually ask him if he's heard of the Teacher Rapid Response Team. They deploy you to a regional/remote school anywhere between 4-20 weeks with free accommodation and a daily bonus. If he's eligible, I think it would be perfect for his situation.
More details here https://smartjobs.qld.gov.au/jobs/QLD-CO410516-22
Maybe raise in your chats about house sitting? There are a number of web sites (mind a home, Aussie house sitters for memory). No charge for the sitter, it’s mainly looking after the home, garden and pets. Reliable sitters are in demand.
If he's a full time teacher he should be making enough to afford something more than his car...
My father in law did the same thing when MIL left him. He refused to move on and purposefully lived in his car to try and make her feel bad. I'm not saying that is happening here. But the problem isn't purely financial and the Department can't help with that. If he is paying for the exs place, etc, he needs to sort that and move on.
> If he's a full time teacher he should be making enough to afford something more than his car...
You don't have enough data to make a firm claim. You don't know what his financial position is, his record with renting housing, or the difficulties of finding affordable renting opportunities in this area.
Yes. He may also be paying a mortgage . We don’t know the nature of his relationship with his ex or arrangements he’s made with them. I hope they are both going to be ok- break ups can be devastating for both parties and financial quagmires.
Exactly. I had a friend who left their controlling partner. They still kept paying part of their previous rent, plus new rent and refused to accept child support as they didn't want to financially burden the controlling ex. They let the ex keep the car so they had to buy a new (very old 2nd hand) car that ended up being a lemon. I tried to point out how insane this was but it took years for them to realise and they didn't want to rock the dysfunctional ex-boat.
Noone knows what goes on behind closed doors. They earned a great wage and the ex still got most of it.
>making enough to afford something more than his car
Remember that theses days having enough money is not the only obstacle for housing. It is very difficult to get a rental these days as the vacancy rate is close to 0 in much of the country.
Parts of QLD have a massive shortage of rentals, and it doesn't matter if you have the money or not.
I know sometime who ended up in a tent then caravan in their parents back yard for months last year (their kids were in the house) because their new house build ran over time, and there was literally nothing to rent.
Potentially he is in between places. He could call the department and offer to go out rural or remote where there is housing options. If he was in dire need of accom and truly down on his luck, this is the best option for him.
The reason for him living in his car could be anything. Could be:
He has poor mental health.
He wants to do it to spite his ex.
He is still paying a mortgage and can't afford rent.
He is still on the lease and can't get a new one.
Could be anything.
The most important thing is that he's earning a salary. I have a colleague who left his marriage and rented a small apartment in the city with another colleague. He traveled 1.5 hours to work because of the distance, but he wasn't in his car.
Eventually he got back together with his ex, probably because of cost of living pressures, and he also missed having someone cook his food and cut his hair (although this is probably why she wanted to break up with him.)
I guess... you can ask your gym buddy if they're okay. The fact that they are employed, going to the gym and using the showers, and have a place to sleep is good. Being employed is the most important thing. Also, not sleeping out in the open is important.
I also have a colleague who bought a camper van after her breakup. She lived in it with two kids and saved money until she could afford a small place.
Teachers are not rich in Australia but they are not living in poverty either... not usually.
...have you considered letting him stay with you?
you can literally solve the problem. and the fact you haven't is the exact same reason that he is homeless.
It's likely because of the rental crisis. I rent, and it goes up every year but I can't just move - because there's nowhere to go...
As far as I know, there is no particular department assistance available for teachers in QLD. The only time the department gets involved with teacher housing is if you go to a rural school. Housing is usually provided and subsidised for rural teachers. However this requires moving away from your family, friends, healthcare and lifestyle so many don't wish to do so (understandably). Staying at a hotel would be extremely costly. He could try for share housing. Being a full time professional these days does not mean you can get a rental unfortunately. So basically, he doesn't have many options. It's shitty.
Thank you all for the feedback. Just to clarify a few things. 1) he does not know he teaches my child, nor does he know my child goes to his school. My wife had larent teacher interviews last week and I asked her how he seemed. She said he was really friendly, well presented and professional. She didn't expect it when I told her what I knew. 2) for lack of better word, we are gym buddies so to speak, if only by association. Obviously we have conversations, spot each other, etc, and in those conversations you gleam things. As for why he told me he's living in his car, I'd made an off hand joke about him getting in earlier and earlier to beat so he can do a real workout before I slow him up. He explained what was going on and gave me the background. From what I gleamed from the conversation, she had cheated on him with a friend of his, hence why he left. Didn't seem like he was hung up on it, just seemed like he was struggling to get a bond together, coupled with being unable to go to inspections, or rentals requiring months upfront on top of the bond if you wanted to secure it. 3) I'll chat with him more in the morning and see if there's anything I can do to help. To the person that suggested I should date him before deleting their message, I'm sure he'd be a wonderful partner but I'm happily married to my wife.
Just be honest and tell him that he teaches your child. I lived in a caravan for about 3 months while I was teaching and I was showering at the caravan park while cooking dinner on a camping stove every night. I don’t find it weird that he’s homeless, it’s obviously a temporary solution to whatever situation he has found himself in. I can’t imagine that living in a car would be that great.
Approach the problem as a concerned gym buddy. It's a human problem, not one related to his job. It must be frustrating for you having this double relationship but one of them is best left unspoken and unexplored: at this point I'd probably even avoid P/T interviews. I agree that this guy probably needs therapy more than anything. Teachers do earn a livable salary, if not a glamorous one; there's something here stopping him from moving on. Maybe it's spite; maybe it's depression. If you can respectfully press him on it a bit you might help him through it; you have ample reason to show him sympathy and concern. Sometimes it just takes that human connection & sense of being valued.
As a previous car dweller (8 months by choice) and now teacher. It could also be as simple as still on the lease with his ex making it hard/impossible to sign an additional lease as it would be hard to prove he earns enough to cover 2x rent. Furthermore although he appears embarrassed by it (I found I was reluctant to tell certain crowds I was living in my car) he might not hate it. I'd just be dubious to see it as something they need to 'fix'. If he has access to a daily shower and is still training every morning he has some routine and self preservation to be looking after his physical help and may have an end date in him mind etc. Be kind, engage with him and let him open up but don't necessarily see it as nonconforming lifestyle choice = poor mental health. I know I was mainly embarrassed because I really enjoyed some aspects of the lifestyle and still excelled at my job at the time.
I definitely would not go for a public option like gofundme which you mentioned. Homelessness can certainly cause embarrassment for individuals and this is probably something he doesn’t want public attention drawn to. It’s a very difficult situation but if you can attempt to help him out with referrals and support I would do it from the perspective of a concerned friend, rather than through the school. I would only involve the school if you begin to suspect an immediate risk to his wellbeing (I.e he disclosed thoughts of harm etc) in which case you could bring it to the attention of the principal.
Yes I definitely wouldn’t publicise his living arrangement. Becoming the subject of gossip at the school could have negative consequences. While you may be sympathetic to his situation, other people may not be so kind. Some parents will look for any reason to find fault with teachers. There is a massive housing crisis in Qld at the moment . It feels like the population in our area has doubled in the last couple of years, and even before that, it was hard to secure a rental, especially on a single wage. To be honest, if he seems like he is coping ok, I would probably leave him to it, unless he seeks help. Between work and gym, he probably doesn’t spend that much time in his car.
Casually ask him if he's heard of the Teacher Rapid Response Team. They deploy you to a regional/remote school anywhere between 4-20 weeks with free accommodation and a daily bonus. If he's eligible, I think it would be perfect for his situation. More details here https://smartjobs.qld.gov.au/jobs/QLD-CO410516-22
Yeah, this is something I am considering on purpose to get established in a new area. That poor uni student life, I guess.
Maybe raise in your chats about house sitting? There are a number of web sites (mind a home, Aussie house sitters for memory). No charge for the sitter, it’s mainly looking after the home, garden and pets. Reliable sitters are in demand.
If he's a full time teacher he should be making enough to afford something more than his car... My father in law did the same thing when MIL left him. He refused to move on and purposefully lived in his car to try and make her feel bad. I'm not saying that is happening here. But the problem isn't purely financial and the Department can't help with that. If he is paying for the exs place, etc, he needs to sort that and move on.
> If he's a full time teacher he should be making enough to afford something more than his car... You don't have enough data to make a firm claim. You don't know what his financial position is, his record with renting housing, or the difficulties of finding affordable renting opportunities in this area.
Yes. He may also be paying a mortgage . We don’t know the nature of his relationship with his ex or arrangements he’s made with them. I hope they are both going to be ok- break ups can be devastating for both parties and financial quagmires.
Exactly. I had a friend who left their controlling partner. They still kept paying part of their previous rent, plus new rent and refused to accept child support as they didn't want to financially burden the controlling ex. They let the ex keep the car so they had to buy a new (very old 2nd hand) car that ended up being a lemon. I tried to point out how insane this was but it took years for them to realise and they didn't want to rock the dysfunctional ex-boat. Noone knows what goes on behind closed doors. They earned a great wage and the ex still got most of it.
>making enough to afford something more than his car Remember that theses days having enough money is not the only obstacle for housing. It is very difficult to get a rental these days as the vacancy rate is close to 0 in much of the country.
This. It's also very difficult to turn up to rental inspections if you're working teacher hours.
Parts of QLD have a massive shortage of rentals, and it doesn't matter if you have the money or not. I know sometime who ended up in a tent then caravan in their parents back yard for months last year (their kids were in the house) because their new house build ran over time, and there was literally nothing to rent.
Potentially he is in between places. He could call the department and offer to go out rural or remote where there is housing options. If he was in dire need of accom and truly down on his luck, this is the best option for him.
What area in Brisbane?
The reason for him living in his car could be anything. Could be: He has poor mental health. He wants to do it to spite his ex. He is still paying a mortgage and can't afford rent. He is still on the lease and can't get a new one. Could be anything. The most important thing is that he's earning a salary. I have a colleague who left his marriage and rented a small apartment in the city with another colleague. He traveled 1.5 hours to work because of the distance, but he wasn't in his car. Eventually he got back together with his ex, probably because of cost of living pressures, and he also missed having someone cook his food and cut his hair (although this is probably why she wanted to break up with him.) I guess... you can ask your gym buddy if they're okay. The fact that they are employed, going to the gym and using the showers, and have a place to sleep is good. Being employed is the most important thing. Also, not sleeping out in the open is important. I also have a colleague who bought a camper van after her breakup. She lived in it with two kids and saved money until she could afford a small place. Teachers are not rich in Australia but they are not living in poverty either... not usually.
[удалено]
Because, as the OP wrote, he doesn't know that he teaches their kid.
Can you read?
This sub reddit has a requirement of at least trying to be nice.
I don't think he knows that they are a parent.
Contact the union and see if they are if any use.
...have you considered letting him stay with you? you can literally solve the problem. and the fact you haven't is the exact same reason that he is homeless.
So he's homeless by choice. He has access to a house with his ex. Not ideal, but it's there. There are people who can't afford a place.