On Friday, August 27 community leaders from across Dubbo will spend the night at Old Dubbo Gaol. The hope is to raise $10,000 for locals who are experiencing, or who are at risk of, homelessness.

This week is Homelessness Week.

Dubbo Vinnies Community Sleepout event coordinator Dan Sullivan said it was a good time for people to think about taking part.

"Across Australia there are more than 116,000 people experiencing homelessness, including right here in our community," Mr Sullivan said.

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"The NSW Street Count held earlier this year revealed eight people are sleeping rough in Dubbo, doubling from the figures recorded in 2020.

"We also have a demand for social housing with 419 applicants, including 20 listed as priority, on the NSW social housing waitlist."

Mr Sullivan said the supply of private rental housing stock was "extremely limited" because of people moving to Dubbo for employment and with "large increases in weekly rent" people on low incomes were being priced out of their community.

"As part of the sleepout we'll be highlighting these issues and other factors that lead to homelessness," he said.

In the past year St Vincent de Paul Society members in Dubbo conducted close to 700 interview with people seeking assistance and provided $81,000 in financial and material support.

All funds raised from the sleepout will remain in the community to support the work Vinnies does throughout the district assisting people experiencing or at risk of homelessness due to domestic and family violence, leaving prison, loss of employment and difficulty finding work.

The Dubbo event will proceed in-person at Old Dubbo Gaol with COVID-safe measures in place.

People can register to take part in the Dubbo Vinnies Community Sleepout, or donate to anyone who has already signed up via www.vinnies.org.au/communitysleepout.

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