Wherever possible, homelessness should be prevented. While a single event may tip a vulnerable person or family into homelessness, many factors usually combine to cause homelessness. The White Paper called for services to intervene early to help people before they become homeless.
Intervening early to prevent homelessness
In recognition of the impact of the global financial crisis on vulnerable families and individuals, the Government has provided an additional $80.4 million (from March 2009 to June 2011) for emergency relief and financial counselling. Further funding of $33 million has also been provided to community organisations to expand the delivery of microfinance initiatives such as no and low interest loans and match savings products.
Emergency Relief
Emergency relief services provide support to help meet immediate needs in time of crisis. Assistance often includes food parcels and clothing, transport, chemist vouchers, help with accommodation, payment of bills, budgeting assistance and sometimes cash. Importantly, Emergency Relief agencies provide appropriate referrals to other services that help to address underlying causes of financial crisis.
The additional $80.4 million has brought total funding for emergency relief to more than $120 million over the next two years. Part of this funding has been provided to Foodbank Australia, $2m over two years, to provide food and grocery supplies to not-for-profit organisations that support individuals and families in need across Australia. In October the Government committed $12 million of the additional funding to assist those groups in the community who are most vulnerable and because they were struggling at the start of the economic downturn, will find it harder to get back on their feet. This additional funding will include support for individuals and families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness to provide emergency relief and additional support.
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Financial counselling
Commonwealth Financial Counselling services help people in financial difficulty to address their financial problems and make informed choices. Services may include direct casework (e.g. provision of advice and information); advocacy and/or negotiation; referral; community education and networking/liaison.
In response to the Global Financial Crisis the Australian Government increased funding for Financial Counselling to $11.7 million in 2009-10.
In January this year funding was provided for twenty new Commonwealth Financial Counselling positions around Australia, including some positions that have a focus on housing, such as the Consumer Credit Legal Centre. In June this year a further eleven financial counselling positions in high need areas were funded, including Northern Area Tenants Service, Mission Australia and the Prisoners legal Service in Queensland. A further 51 positions are expected to be established in early 2010.
HOME Advice
Another early intervention initiative to assist families at risk of homelessness is the Household Organisational Management Expenses (HOME) Advice Program. This program aims to assist families who face difficulty in maintaining tenancies or home ownership due to personal or financial circumstances.
This year we have funded eight HOME advice services in each State and Territory at a cost of $1.4m. Five hundred families have been helped this year to maintain stable housing.
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Case Study - how HOME Advice makes a difference
In August 2009 Anna* was referred from Housing Tasmania to her local HOME Advice service as she was facing possible eviction from her public rental property due to rental arrears. Anna needed assistance to help her with rental arrears, child support issues, Centrelink debt, outstanding utilities debts, car registration and school fees, emotional and physical issues with cannabis addiction, lack of self esteem, relationship and communication issues with her son, and extreme sadness.
Anna was supported with Centrepay direct debits for her Centrelink debts and rent. The HOME Advice worker, in collaboration with the Centrelink social worker, provided case management support and received referrals to: a Drug and Alcohol service, GP, and access to counselling, gas and electricity providers and Child Support Agency.
Anna's housing is now stable; she is receiving emotional, practical and physical support for herself and her son. Anna has recently gained casual employment as a housekeeper.
*not her real name
Personal Helpers and Mentors Program
More support and assistance is being targeted towards people living with severe mental illness through the Personal Helpers and Mentors Program (PHaMs). PHaMs helps people to participate in the community and stay living in their own homes where this is best.
This year we funded 183 PHaMs services at a cost of $69m. These services have assisted about 6,669 people in the current financial year, with more than 660 of these people who were homeless or at risk of homelessness. To enhance the effectiveness of PHaMs services for particularly vulnerable groups, including the homeless, specific training will be provided to all existing and new service providers.
A selection process is currently underway as part of the fourth round of PHaMs to select providers to deliver services in seven new remote locations. Early in 2010, a further selection process will be undertaken to select providers for an additional 10 new sites that will specifically target vulnerable Australians (including the homeless). These new sites are each expected to service around 55 participants at any one time. Some current PHaMs sites will also be expanded to provide additional support to these vulnerable Australians. The funding to expand current sites is expected to provide services to an additional 290 participants.
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Case Study - PHaMs in action
Noreen* is a 33 year old single mother of three children aged 13, nine and two. She was depressed and anxious and could not get access to the services she needed. She was homeless, living in her car with her children.
The PHaMs service linked Noreen to a domestic violence service and crisis accommodation, helping her to get short-term accommodation and on the priority housing wait list. Applications to the Department of Housing, community mental health services, and education and employment, were put together by Noreen and her PHaMs worker. She is now living in public housing, is linked with a psychiatrist to help manage her depression, is enrolled in university to study social work and has gained a position as a Peer Support worker.
*not her real name
Preventing young people becoming homeless
The National Reconnect Program continues to both reconnect young people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness with their families, education, employment and community; and to assist newly arrived young migrants who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
This year, Reconnect assisted over 5,500 young people and 3,500 family members at a cost of over $22 million to gain access to 108 services. Three new providers in rural Western Australia and metropolitan Sydney came on board this year to ensure continued service delivery in areas with high numbers of young people at risk of homelessness.
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Case Study - Reconnect
The local High School referred Brett, a 16 year old young person, to Reconnect. Brett had recently left home and his parents' attempts to get him to return had not been successful. He refused to engage with his parents and his whereabouts were unknown, causing the family much distress. Brett's family and school raised concerns about his risk taking behaviours such as alcohol and other drug use, bad behaviour towards younger siblings and school attendance.
Reconnect worked with Brett to return home, modify his behaviour and improve his school attendance. Reconnect also engaged both parents who were still concerned with Brett's behaviour; this included a family mediation session to resolve outstanding issues and a week later the Brett returned home.
Brett has also found himself a part time job and his attendance at school has improved. All parties were happy with the agreement from the mediation session and Reconnect will continue to work with the family as they get used to living together again.
*not his real name
Tenancy Support
It's easier and better for all concerned to prevent evictions than to find a home for someone who has been evicted.
Tenancy support programs prevent homelessness and evictions from private and social housing and help people access the private rental market. Clients are referred to these services as soon as it becomes obvious their tenancy is at risk. Services help with all the issues impacting on the client's tenancy.
All States and Territories have established or expanded tenancy support services as part of the White Paper reforms. The case studies below demonstrate the range of innovative tenancy programs throughout Australia.
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Case Study - Western Australia's Hardship Utilities Grants Scheme (HUGS)
The Western Australian Government has implemented a grants scheme which provides financial assistance to help people experiencing financial hardship to avoid disconnection from essential services. The HUGS service has provided over 4,005 grants over the last year.
By supporting people to stay connected to gas, electricity and water, HUGS helps people to maintain their tenancies and avoid homelessness.
Essential service providers such as electricity, gas and water have joined the scheme in which they are able to refer customers at risk of disconnection to a HUGS-registered financial counsellor.
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Case Study - Queensland's RentConnect
Following successful trials in Caboolture and Rockhampton, the Queensland Government announced the roll out of new RentConnect services in Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Townsville and Cairns in December 2009. RentConnect helps people access the private rental market by providing advice on how to find a rental property and helping with the application process. Practical help in the form of a no-interest bond loan and a one-off grant of two weeks rent can also be provided. Over 2,000 people are expected to be helped each year.
Case Study - The Northern Territory's Tenancy Sustainability Program
The Northern Territory Tenancy Sustainability Program (TSP) was established to provide targeted support and early intervention for individuals or families at risk of eviction from public housing. This program will also provide support and skill development for people to sustain their tenancy. TSP is available in Darwin, Katherine and Alice Springs, and 130 people have already been assisted by this program. An additional $1 million has been allocated to expand these services including delivery of TSP in Tennant Creek.
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Case Study - Tasmania's Specialist Intervention Tenancy Support Service
Tasmania is in the process of rolling out new services to complement existing tenancy support programs. This initiative targets young people leaving the care and protection system, youth justice facilities, adults leaving gaol and people who have experienced chronic homelessness.
The new Specialist Intervention Tenancy Support Services (SITS) will comprise four multi-disciplinary teams who respond to the individual needs of clients through active outreach, case coordination and management, ongoing tenancy support, advocacy, and appropriate referral, specialist treatment liaison and brokered support. SITS clients will receive support for up to 24 months to ensure the tenancy is sustained.
Case Study - Victoria's Social Housing and Advocacy Support Program (SHASP)
This project was established with the aim of contributing to more sustainable tenancy outcomes for those Victorians identified to be at high risk of eviction from social housing. SHASP provides advocacy and support to existing social housing tenants and prospective public housing tenants in order to assist them to access housing and sustain it. This program will be further expanded in early 2010 to assist more tenants in high need and to provide longer periods of support to high need clients.