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