6.13 Michael Coffey

What do we mean by home ?A Safe place, Stability, feeling supported,

Basic needs met, Protected, Learning environment, a a caring place, an opportunity,,Fun, Sense of belonging, Connected to community, Relationship with others, Experiment and making mistakes,

Able to leave and come back, Positive and guiding relationships, Loving, Unconditional, Non judgemental, Shelter and other amenities, A place

where conflict is dealt with positively, Family, Values, Trust, Boundaries, Discipline, Ethics

ITS NOT JUST HOUSE - LESS - NESS

2

So what do we mean by homeless?

‘VISIBLE’ HOMELESS (13%)Primary - those who sleep ‘rough’

‘INVISIBLE’ HOMELESS (87%)Secondary - those who frequently move from one place

to another, including specialist homeless clients

Tertiary - people who live in boarding houses, or accommodation without own bathroom, kitchen or

security of tenure.

4

44,000 +CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE (0 – 25 YEARS)ARE HOMELESS EVERY NIGHT IN AUSTRALIA

THIS IS 43% OF THE 105,000 PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESSNESS EVERY NIGHT IN AUSTRALIA

5WHERE ARE THEY ?

From the last census data in 2006 :

19% are in specialist homelessness services

16% are sleeping rough

The majority are with friends, relatives or couch surfing or places like boarding houses.

6

YOUTH PATHWAYS INTO ADULT HOMELESSNESS

In a recent study of adult homelessness.

42% had been in State Care and protection programs when they were young..

7

WHY?ARE CHILDREN AND

YOUNG PEOPLE HOMELESS

Family breakdown

Access to affordable

housing and rents

8

WHY?ARE CHILDREN AND

YOUNG PEOPLE HOMELESS

….. only a 6% of young people

are homeless due to AOD

issues.

9

Poverty, disadvantage, discrimination, exclusion, lack of access to employment opportunity, lack of adequate income,

education, health and legal support and ‘systemic failures’.

WHY?ARE CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE HOMELESS

YAA 2007

YAA 2007

‘

18Supported Accommodation Assistance Program ..

1985 - 2008

“Provides transitional supported accommodation and related support services in order to help people who are

experiencing homelessness to achieve the maximum degree of self – reliance and independence”.

19Small youth refuges (- not ‘shelters’).

Supported transitional accommodation.Scatter site independent housing models.

Case management.Hybrid / integrated ‘youth hub’ models.

Foyer like models.Early intervention – Family Reconnect - services.

20

Youth (Homeless) AllowanceMedicare

Unemployment BenefitsTransition to Independent Living Allowance.

21

National Affordable Housing Agreement / A Road Home .. 2009

To half all homelessness by 2020

To offer supported accommodation to those rough sleepers that need

it.

22

National Affordable Housing Agreement / A Road Home .. 2008

Key result areas:

Turning off the tap.Improving and expanding

services.Breaking the cycle.

23In 2009-2010

$442.6 million for 1550 homelessness projects.34% supported young people.

Additional $800 million over five years 2009-2013 for 192 new projects .

24

Between 2001and 2006 there was a 20%+ decrease of 12-18 year olds

experiencing homelessness.

25In 2009-2010

1 in every 65 young people aged 15-19 years become a client of a specialist youth homeless service.

18% identified as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.

26

1 in 2OF REQUESTS FOR ACCOMMODATION

ARE TURNED AWAY EACH DAY

THE DEMAND FOR SUPPORT AND HOUSING

FAR EXCEEDS THE SUPPLY …