As we’re coming to the end of what has been a tough year for all of us in the industry, it’s only natural to think about those in our community who are doing it tough. Especially as COVID-19 has led to widespread impacts on people’s incomes, family situations, mental wellbeing and everyday lives.

While there are no official figures on how many people have become homeless as a result of COVID-19, the last figures put out by the Australian Bureau of statistics indicated more than 116,000 people are without secure housing. And, the fastest rising group of people facing homelessness are women and children.

These are alarming figures, especially for us in the hair and beauty industry – the unofficial counsellors of our community. But there is a way that we can help out our community sleeping rough or in unstable housing, and give them back their dignity, one haircut at a time.

The Community Hair Project (CHP) is a brilliant not-for-profit organisation that asks hairdressers and barbers to volunteer their time – for as little as two hours every three months – to bring our special kind of care and attention to people are doing it tough.

Christine Mastello is the founder of this great Aussie organisation, which was started in the Hunter Valley in 2017, and before the pandemic had grown quickly, with volunteers offering free haircuts to kids, ladies and men at locations in most states.

We all know how a new haircut can make our clients feel – and we all love being that person who makes our clients feel special. That is the purpose of the Community Hair Project – to lift people up, and live by the motto – Restoring Dignity One Haircut at a Time.

Christine and her team of committed hairdressers have cut the hair of the rough sleepers in makeshift salons, like the one pictured, set up in Martin Place in Sydney. They have worked with generous salons, in the city and regional areas, who have opened their doors to women living in refuges with their children, giving them some much-needed TLC, and helping them to feel good about themselves. CHP also sets up ‘shop’ in neighbourhoods centres, and anywhere they know people doing it tough, come for support.

After a few months of uncertainty due to COVID-19, CHP is back doing what it does best – giving our hairdressing community and opportunity to give back and pay it forward – and is looking to grow!

Could you help? Being a CHP volunteer doesn’t require a huge commitment on your part – you just need to have some time, and care and attention to give, which we know we all have.

So what do you do if you want to volunteer? Check out the Community Hair Project on Facebook or visit their website https://www.communityhairproject.org/ for more information.

If you don’t have time to volunteer, CHP also provides goodie pages to all of its clients, to make sure they continue to feel the love. Maybe contributing to the goodie bags is another way you or your business could help?

Make sure to follow Community Hair Project on Facebook to find out more!