Partnering with Street Side Medics to Support Canberra’s Most Vulnerable

The Foundation is proud to support a major new partnership with Street Side Medics, a leading mobile medical service providing free, GP-led healthcare to people experiencing homelessness and other vulnerable groups. Together, we are working to bring this proven model of compassionate, trauma-informed care to the Canberra region.

While Canberra is often seen as a city of opportunity, the reality for many is far more complex. Since 2016, the number of people in the ACT without stable housing has risen by 11.3%, with 1,777 individuals now experiencing homelessness. This includes people rough sleeping, staying in crisis accommodation, or living in overcrowded housing, many of whom are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples or young people facing systemic disadvantage.

These communities often struggle with complex health conditions, including chronic illness and untreated mental health issues made worse by the instability of homelessness and the difficulty of accessing care. Traditional healthcare systems, no matter how well intentioned, often fail to meet these individuals where they are.

That’s where Street Side Medics comes in.

With a mobile clinic model that operates out of fully equipped vans staffed by volunteer GPs, nurses, and allied health professionals, Street Side Medics has already transformed the health outcomes of people experiencing homelessness in NSW and Victoria. The clinics provide no-cost, low-barrier, culturally safe primary care, removing the physical, financial, and psychological barriers that so often keep people from accessing the help they need.

Through a multi-year establishment grant, the Foundation is helping lay the groundwork for a new clinic to begin operations on the streets of Canberra by mid-2026.

In preparation, Street Side Medics will begin recruiting a team of 30 medical volunteers from the Canberra community including GPs, nurses, junior doctors, allied health professionals, and medical specialists. With a flexible commitment model (as little as three hours per month), the opportunity exists for our Members to contribute their expertise, strengthen local referral networks, and help deliver truly life-changing care to those who need it most.

Importantly, this initiative will collaborate with existing charitable health services, helping to deliver trauma-informed, street-accessible care. The Street Side Medics model ensures continuity of care, community trust, and better outcomes for vulnerable individuals who often fall through the cracks.

The Foundation is proud to help bring this powerful model to the ACT, where collaboration is key and where strong community relationships form the backbone of effective care. With Street Side Medics, we are not only funding a mobile clinic; we’re investing in a new kind of healthcare system, one that treats every person with dignity, meets them where they are, and helps rewrite what’s possible.

To learn more about Street Side Medics or to register your interest in volunteering, visit:
streetsidemedics.com.au