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Community engagement, advocacy and ending homelessness

Community engagement, advocacy and ending homelessness. 5 th Yarra HACC and Homelessness Forum 22 November 2012. The big questions What has community engagement and advocacy got to do with ending homelessness? What do we mean by advocacy? What do we mean by community engagement?

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Community engagement, advocacy and ending homelessness

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  1. Community engagement, advocacy and ending homelessness 5th Yarra HACC and Homelessness Forum 22 November 2012

  2. The big questions • What has community engagement and advocacy got to do with ending homelessness? • What do we mean by advocacy? • What do we mean by community engagement? • A few examples • Your questions

  3. Why are we talking about this stuff? • Services already end homelessness for people on a day to day basis – but we are failing to bring down total numbers • What barriers are there to good outcomes? • Lack of access to housing • Lack of appropriate support (length/type) • Lack of funding/resources • Poorly integrated services and service systems • Poorly designed service models • Other policy/systems/process issues

  4. Who can change these things? • Federal/State Government – Ministerial level • Federal/State Government – Departmental policy makers • Federal/State Government – HSOs/Frontline staff • Local Government • Philanthropy/Corporates – Funds, in-kind, pro bono, vols • Other community sector organisations – Partnerships • Researchers – Evidence, service development • Other community members inc. schools, churches, service organisations, local communities – volunteers, donations

  5. What do we mean by advocacy? • Advocacy, as HomeGround has come to understand it, covers three key areas: • Service delivery advocacy (all staff) • Strategic advocacy (senior staff) • Public advocacy (media, publications, events) • Advocacy in this context means working to secure a better outcome through an improved/changed response, process, policy or resourcing decision

  6. How do we drive change? • Political pressure inc. community attitudes, media coverage, evidence, influencers and changing politics • Persuasive arguments inc. data, stories and cost • Personal representations from, or on behalf of, clients • Engagement with community members with the capacity to contribute if motivated/supported to do so • Challenging misconceptions/stereotypes and building public awareness and support for the people we work with and the changes we are advocating

  7. What do we mean by community engagement? • Not relying on government to solve all our problems • Realising that we can’t end homelessness without broader community support for our work – and the goal • Recognising and realising the potential support – of all kinds – that exists in the community • Acknowledging the vital role people who use services have in communicating the human side of problems and solutions • Making homelessness and housing political priorities

  8. Case study #1 – Elizabeth Street Common Ground • Involvement of private construction firm Grocon and subcontractors, representing a $10 million contribution • Core partnership between State/Fed, HG and YCH • Broader partnership inc. RDNS, MCC, Rotary, CAE, Last Cuppa, medical/allied health, Green Collect and others • Proactive public communication of the harm of long-term homelessness and why the model was needed

  9. Case study #2 – AOF/PRBP • Accommodation Options for Families and the Private Rental Brokerage Program came out of the Victorian Rooming House Taskforce and the Call this a home? Campaign • Both were to be discontinued as of 30 June 2012 • In addition to direct advocacy by service providers, there was significant media coverage and a strong public response that contributed to a reversal of this decision • Both programs were continued for 12 months and are again in doubt as of 30 June 2013

  10. Case study #3 – Alphington PS • Earlier this year, via a school-based philanthropy program, a group of grade 5 students chose HomeGround as the cause they wanted to support • With the help of Bendigo Bank and in-kind donations from local businesses, they put together around 50 backpacks for the children of families who come to our services in housing crisis – with contents aimed at boys and girls of varying ages • These backpacks were greatly appreciated by the children who received them via our IAP service in Collingwood

  11. Case study #4 – Private Rental Management Program/Housing Options Program • Private landlords have made their properties available to HomeGround via headlease for tenants via our services • Some of these offers have followed media stories • We have also invested a lot of time and energy in building strong relationships with real estate agents and other commercial accommodation providers to increase access to appropriate short and long term housing options • The result is an increase in affordable properties accessible to people who need them

  12. Case study #5 – Suzie’s story

  13. Your questions

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