Ellie Gonsalves ‘I Was Terrified To Do This!'

The actress and model wanted to be homeless so she could help shed a light on the predicament of many Aussies

Ellie Gonsalves is one of five high-profile Australians who have agreed to swap their privileged lifestyles for 10 days of being homeless in Filthy Rich & Homeless. Model and actress Ellie, who is also a longstanding ambassador for Australia Zoo, tells Woman’s Day she was frightened by the idea at first but is grateful for the insightful opportunity to be on the heartwrenching show.

This show addresses some very raw realities of everyday Australians. What made you want to take part in the series?

At first I was very closed off to the idea – it was terrifying to think of being on the street for 10 days. But after thinking about it, I realised I do have a voice and a platform to be able to create change within our society. We’re a product of our experiences and I feel that we can’t help people without understanding their experience first.

What are some effective ways people can help homeless communities?