A Perth man who launched a free haircutting service for the homeless has been recognised in the King's Birthday Honours. Craig Hollywood's Bedford-based charity, Short Back & Sidewalks, has provided more than 10,000 free haircuts to people experiencing homelessness. This work has now seen him appointed as a Member in the general division of the Order of Australia.
Humble beginnings
Short Back & Sidewalks began in a car park in 2015 when Mr Hollywood pitched an idea to the Westons Barbershop team to offer free haircuts to those in need. "Through the work that I've done, I've been able to bring attention to homelessness and poverty in Australia, and I think that's probably one of the things I'm most proud of," said Mr Hollywood, who was named WA's local hero at the 2022 Australian of the Year awards.
"Receiving this acknowledgement brings attention to such a devastating issue that Australia faces. Tonight in Australia, there are over 123,000 people experiencing homelessness, and 3.5 million people live below the poverty line ... the recognition hopefully sheds some light on that."
Personal motivation
At a young age, Mr Hollywood lost a family member who was experiencing homelessness, and he decided he needed to make a difference. Short Back & Sidewalks links with some of Australia's main service providers, including Orange Sky, Vinnies and Mission Australia. People accessing those support centres can then receive a wraparound service with a haircut, doctor visit, financial aid and housing support under one roof.
The service has evolved over time to incorporate young people at risk, women experiencing domestic violence and remote communities struggling with accessibility. Mr Hollywood said the most fulfilling part of the work was being able to hear clients' stories and see them regain their confidence.
"What looks like a simple haircut is much more than that. It gives people the opportunity to have a chat, connect with someone and simply be listened to and have the empowerment of choosing something," he said. "A lot of the time, we'll hear situations where children in regions are starting to go back to school from historically being non-attenders because they want to show everyone their haircut, or women with lived experiences of domestic violence who are able to present at a job interview having had a haircut. It's such a huge cross section of people we help, and I think each service takes on a different life of its own for that individual."
Impact and expansion
One in 200 people are experiencing homelessness across Australia, and Short Back & Sidewalks can fill an important gap in self-care services. Mr Hollywood said developing sustainable business revenue has been challenging, but seeing the benefits for the community has been worth the effort. "You've got nothing to build (the organisation) with, but you build it anyway and then you see if it's going to fly. I'm really proud to say Short Back & Sidewalks was able to fly," he said.
Mr Hollywood has volunteered at all levels of the organisation, but now focuses on expanding it across Australia and partnering with groups that can help fund the mission. The organisation operates across Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales and offers about 50 services a month. "This award is a reflection of the work of thousands of people. It's not just one person, because this is such a huge societal issue that has to be addressed by all of us," he said.
