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? -A few examples -Your questions

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 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

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

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

Case study #5 – Suzie’s story

Your questions