By Brendan Rees
A 21-year-old man forced to sleep in a tent in Narre Warren says welfare and homeless services have turned their backs on him.
Jayden Catrileo, who has been camping at Angus Facey Reserve for just over a month says “no one wants to help me.”
“I tried getting help from Centrelink; that was going well for a bit till they cut me off,” he said.
He also tried to seek help from WAYYS, a homelessness service in Berwick, who he claims knocked him back because he was “too old.”
Mr Catrileo, formerly of Hallam, says he had been homeless for more than a year and was forced to pitch a tent after couch surfing with friends didn’t work out.
“I would like to have at least a roof over my head…I do my best, I rarely ever eat and only drink water.”
Casey Councillor Rex Flannery spoke with Mr Catrileo during a visit at the reserve on Friday 3 May reassuring him he would investigate the matter and also gave him $50 cash.
Cr Flannery advised Mr Catrileo to clean up the area which he says was “trashed” by unknown people.
“If he’s gone off his own bat to try and seek assistance, turning your back on somebody that’s supposed to help people that are homeless just doesn’t add up,” he said.
“As a council, as a community we should be helping each other. If we can help him we will.”
Elizabeth Thomas, chief executive of Wayss said there was no records of Mr Catrileo visiting their Berwick office.
She added service providers were “experiencing a great strain on current resources” due to a large volume of people looking for help.
“Demand is often unable to be met within Casey, Dandenong and Cardinia,” she said.
Casey manager of connected communities Kate Sieh said: “We are investigating and continuing to work with the relevant local agencies on this matter.”
An anxious resident, who asked not to be named, says his family was living in fear of people camping at the reserve who he alleges were causing vandalism, littering, arson, drinking in public and drug taking.
“There has been night long parties with lots of young people,” he said.
“There is no reason for the police to not remove them from illegally staying there.”
It is unsure who owns the reserve but may be part owned by Casey Council and VicRoads.
VicRoads did not respond to a request for comment before deadline.
