Homelessness 2020 The Lift We Need on the Long
Road Home?
Michelle Burrell
Council to Homeless Persons
Aim of the strategy
‘Reducing homelessness and addressing its root causes’ by:
• Preventing people becoming homeless in the first place
• Minimising the harm caused by homelessness
• Assisting people to move out of homelessness permanently.
4 policy principles
• Early intervention and prevention
• Life stage approach
• Taking a systemic, whole of government approach – principle of ‘best fit’ and shared definition of homelessness
• Workforce development
‘Life stages’
• Families with children and independent young people
• Single adults ( recent vs chronic)
• Older people (over 55)
Resources – the flagship projects
• 6 projects ( 4 years)
• 1,000 people
• Link to life stages
• Govt and non govt partnership
• Plus employment linkage
• Plus private rental brokerage
• Total resource base = $42 million
The projects
Family Homelessness Flagship Project
which will locate a multidisciplinary team of staff with specific expertise within an existing homelessness agency to assist 250 individuals including children
The projects
Family Violence Flagship Project
to locate a multidisciplinary team of staff in a specialist family violence agency to work with 250 individuals including children
The projects
Young People Flagship Project
to work with 100 young people to assist them to attend school, engage in work, maintain housing, attain life skills and have positive relationships with family or supportive adults
The projects
Adults experiencing short term homelessness Flagship Project
to assist 250 individuals by placing a team of staff at Centrelink to assist people who have recently become homeless
The flagship projects
Adults experiencing long term homelessness
aimed at people with chronic health needs and will be located in a Community Health Service to assist 80 individuals with intensive support
The projects
Older Persons Flagship Project
• to provide more intensive support to 160 older people to assist them to maintain their housing tenancy.
Other features
• Additional resources for private rental brokerage for those clients taking part in flagship Projects
• An Employment Linkages Project for clients in flagship projects.
Research and evaluation
• ‘outcomes monitoring framework’ for flagships
• Homelessness and Research Innovation Fund in partnership with the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation.
• ‘research and data collection agenda’ to be finalised by 2011
The ‘data and research agenda’
• A research and policy forum for academics, researchers, government and sector
• Regional research collaborations• Agency initiated small scale research• Expanded and improved Human Services and
Education data collection systems based on a consistent definition of homelessness
• Dissemination of research and data on homelessness via stakeholder partnerships.
Workforce
• stakeholder committee to advise on workforce planning,
• commit to continuous quality improvement and integrated service standards, and
• develop a package of workforce training and assessment tools
• establish a Victorian IT network to assist professional development
Governance
• Ministerial Advisory Committee chaired by David Eldridge
• Inter-Departmental Committee
• Action plan to be developed within 12 months ( not clear what process is for development)
• Tender process re flagships not yet determined
General observations
• Builds on a strong base
• Focus on results is welcome
• Shared responsibility acknowledges the rights of people experiencing homelessness
Observations
• The life stage approach is smart policy
• Early intervention works
• Ensuring support where and for how long as it is needed
• The flagship projects provide a good opportunity to embed shared responsibility across government
Observations
• Human rights are missing
• While early intervention and prevention is the best long term solution, immediate effort is also required.
Observations
• A homelessness strategy without homes?
• Heavy reliance on the private rental market requires reform
• The Strategy will have the best chance of success if it is backed up by more investment in social housing
• The public supports that investment
More info
http://www.housing.vic.gov.au/homelessness-and-family-violence/homelessness/Homelessness-2020
DHS info sessions across regions
CHP briefing paper at www.chp.org.au
CHP consultations across the state