housing

January 2023 Edition

Change the Conversation

The Queensland government has announced new criminal penalties that mean children could face up to 10 years in prison for car theft.These changes don’t address the causes of problematic behaviour but r ather increase the likelihood of arrests and contact with the criminal justice system for young people. Many have criticised the measures, noting that Queensland already imprisons more children per capita than any other state or territory.

Queensland Youth Housing Coalition has long argued in favour of restorative justice and trauma informed practice across all levels of intervention, including youth justice. Punitive measures are ineffective in reducing youth offending. Growing minds need to be taught to take responsibility and understand their behaviours and the reasons they behave as they do.

There are many issues that lead to youth offending, the most prevalent being homelessness.
These underlying factors such as poverty and youth homelessness need to be urgently addressed.

A child’s offending is an indictment on our whole community. A whole of community response is required to holistically address offending behaviours in children and young people. Physically and emotionally well children who have their needs met in a loving and nurturing environment are highly unlikely to be young offenders.

Let’s change the conversation to ensuring we raise physically and emotionally well children. Those who we’ve already let down need significant support to recover.

Last week QYHC joined with multiple organisations led by PeakCare and YAC in an Open Letter to Parliament on Youth Justice.
Read the open letter

Housing Australia Future Fund Draft Legislation

In late December the Albanese Government released draft legislation to establish the Housing Australia Future Fund, Housing Australia and the National Housing Supply and Affordability Council. The $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund will provide ongoing investment returns to deliver new social and affordable homes as well as investments to address acute housing needs. Returns from the fund will deliver the Government’s commitment of 30,000 new social and affordable homes in the fund’s first five years, including 4,000 homes for women and children impacted by family and domestic violence or older women at risk of homelessness.
The fund will also deliver the Government’s commitments to help address acute housing needs, including:
  • $200 million for the repair, maintenance and improvement of housing in remote Indigenous communities.
  • $100 million for crisis and transitional housing options for women and children impacted by family and domestic violence and older women at risk of homelessness.
  • $30 million to build housing and fund specialist services for veterans who are experiencing homelessness or at‑risk of homelessness.
Federal Minister for Housing Julie Collins said the draft legislation is expected to be introduced into the Parliament early this year.

The Government has also released draft legislation to create Housing Australia and establish the National Housing Supply and Affordability Council to provide independent advice to Government.

The Council will also advise on the development of a National Housing and Homelessness Plan, which will be formulated in consultation with key stakeholders and set out what is needed to make it easier to buy a home, easier to rent, and reduce homelessness.
View the draft legislation

SYHS Refunding Update

There have been many enquiries about how funding arrangements for specialist homelessness services which expire on 30 June 2023 will be renegotiated.

The response from the Department of Communities, Housing and Digital Economy is as follows:

The department understands the importance of continuity and certainty of funding for the sector to sustain service delivery and attract and retain the workforce.

As you would be aware, specialist homelessness services are funded by the department through the
Homelessness Program, which comprises joint funding from the Queensland Government and Australian Government, through the National Housing and Homelessness Agreement (NHHA). Queensland’s Bilateral Agreement under the NHHA is due to expire on 30 June 2023.

On 14 December 2022, the Australian Government offered a one-year extension to the NHHA Bilateral agreement to 30 June 2024 to allow time to work through significant Australian Government reforms.

Read more here

Youth Allowance Increase Crucial

The cost of living is impacting most Australians. For young people on income support, living way below the poverty line, it is impossible to meet their basic needs. The Australian Council of Social Service is calling for a real increase to income support payments, given routine indexation is simply not enough.

On January 1 each year income support payments including Youth Allowance and Austudy are adjusted for inflation:
  • Youth Allowance increased by $16.20 per week to $281.40 for a single person living away from home. That’s just $40.20 per day.
LOGO_acoss
The Federal government must take action and increase income support payments to at least $73 a day when the budget is handed down mid-year.

Housing in the News

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Housing affordability is impacting the nation. With soaring house prices, rental hikes and a shortage of homes, it’s a national priority. It continues to be in the news more and more each month:

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES

A new year presents an excellent time to upskill and plan for training opportunities throughout the year. Within the youth housing sector, there are many useful resources, webinars and training oportunities available. Check out a sample below:
LOGO_Queensland Human Rights Commission

Human Rights

The Queensland Human Rights Commission has a range of online and face-to-face training sessions including:
  • Introduction to the Human Rights Act
  • Introduction to the Anti-discrimination Act
  • Human Rights Act for Community Advocates
Read more here.
Dovetail
Dovetail supports the youth alcohol and other drug sector through the provision of training and resources.

Training includes presentations, full day workshops and e-learning modules – find here.

Resources include factsheets, good practice guides and other practical resources to help workers to support young people and their families - find here.
LOGO_Womens Health & equality QLD
Women’s Health and Equality Queensland (WHEQ) provides a range of education and development opportunities for professionals and organisations.
This includes:
  • Foundations of Gendered Violence
  • Trauma-informed Organisational practice
  • Trauma and Healing
  • Youth Ally
Find here.
LOGO_Q Shelter
LOGO_The Deck
Working towards a robust community housing and homelessness sector Q Shelter is committed to supporting the housing and homelessness sector through building the strength and capacity of individual organisations via training, resources and tools.

Find training here.
Register interest in future training here.
Access The Deck Resource Hub here.
LOGO_Emerging Minds
Emerging Minds develops mental health policy, in-person and online training, programs and resources in response to the needs of professionals, children and their families.

Find training here. Access resources here.
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Domestic and Family Violence

Designed for the disability workforce, these training resources focus on responding to disability and domestic and family violence at both worker and organisational levels. They are also suitable for anyone providing services to women with disability including housing and youth workers.
Read more here.
LOGO_Open Doors Youth Service_horizontal

LGBTIQAP+

An important issue within the sector is how to best respond to the over-representation of LGBTIQAP+ Sistergirl and Brotherboy young people experiencing homelessness.

The Affirmative Practice Guide for Working with LGBTIQAP+ Sistergirl and Brotherboy Young People focuses on understanding the issues and how to create a culture of affirmative practice - find here.

Open Doors Youth Service Inc. also has training opportunities to support practitioners to provide affirming and culturally safer services – find here.
LOGO_True Relationship Reproductive Health
True are experts in providing education around relationships and sexual health and deliver their courses face-to-face, online and in self-paced modules – find course catalogue here.

There are also a range of factsheets available on their website. Topics covered include consent, gender and sexuality – find here.
LOGO_Qcoss
QCOSS provides a ranger of online and face-to-face training events that are relevant to the sector.
Find here.
LOGO_AUS GOV family studies
The Australian Institute of Family Studies provides a range of practice resources for staff including webinars, resource sheets and short articles. Topics covered range from DFV, Housing and Homelessness, Mental Health and Working with Children and Young People. Find here.
LOGO_lighthouse resources
Training services offered at Lighthouse Resources are focused on informing and developing practice for professionals in the human services – find calendar here.

There are also a range of useful resources to purchase on their website – here.

FLY INTO FEBRUARY

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QShelter Learning Exchange

You are invited to register for QShelter’s learning exchange. This series will be held online on the first Tuesday of every month – with the first one of the year being on 7 February 2023.

Wellbeing will be a focus in 2023. Each month Q Shelter will highlight information and activities you can try, to better understand wellbeing for yourself and for those around you.

Register here.
LOGO_qld mental health commission

Shifting Minds Community Forums

Join the Queensland Mental Health Commission to give your feedback on the draft vision and priorities for Queensland's renewed mental health, alcohol and other drugs strategic plan and phase two of Queensland's suicide prevention plan.

Find out more and register here.
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Clean Up Australia Day

Clean Up Australia inspires and empowers communities to clean up, fix up and conserve our environment.

Organisations can get involved on Tuesday 28 February 2023. Find out more here.
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Chair Yoga

Set aside 15 minutes a fortnight to stretch your body and mind whilst on a lunch break and without leaving your desk.

Reclink Australia and Q Shelter have partnered to bring the housing and homelessness sector Chair Yoga to target better health and wellbeing... In an Express way! Initially, these 15 minute sessions will be run fortnightly on a Tuesday in February and March 2023 with a view to continuing throughout the year.

Register here.
LOGO_lighthouse resources

Workshops

Check out these training opportunities that are on offer in February:
  • Gender Awareness: One day workshop on Wednesday 15 February, 2023; for those who work with and support the LGBTIQA+ community – register here.
  • Emotional Freedom Techniques: One day workshop on Tuesday 21 February, 2023; provides participants with the development and application of EFT and opportunities to apply the techniques – register here.

CALLING FOR SUBMISSIONS

LOGO_NHC National Housing Conference

Abstracts Now Open

The Call for Abstract submissions for the National Housing Conference 2023 – A Way Forward is now open.

The National Housing Conference (NHC23) is the largest cross-sectoral housing event in Australasia and this year will be the first time that the conference has been held in Brisbane since 2012.
Submissions are invited for abstracts that are aligned with the following major themes:
  • Community and wellbeing
  • Investment and supply
  • Innovation and collaboration
The Call for Abstracts will close on Sunday 5 March 2023.
Find more here.

GRANTS/AWARDS

Image_Communities 2032

Funding to Tackle Social Isolation and Loneliness

Applications for the Communities Innovation Fund are now open. These grants will deliver funding to a diverse range of projects, programs, services and supports across Queensland that will deliver community-led solutions to reduce social isolation and loneliness.

Smaller grants of up to $50,000 are available for eligible organisations to conduct one-off activities or projects, with larger, multi-year grants of up to $200,000 per year available to trial promising interventions and evaluate them over time.

Applications close on Monday 27 February 2023.
Find more here.
Image_QLD reconciliation

Nominate Now:
2023 Qld Reconciliation Awards

Time is running out to nominate Queensland’s ‘reconciliation champions’ for the 2023 Queensland Reconciliation Awards – honouring the businesses, community groups, educational institutions and partnerships making outstanding contributions on the road to reconciliation.

Nominations close at 5pm, Friday 3 February 2023.
Nominate here.
LOGO_QLD Government

New Year, New Round of
Super-sized Grants

Queensland community and not-for-profit organisations can now apply for a super-sized grant of up to $100,000 under the Gambling Community Benefit Fund’s (GCBF) annual Super Round.

In 2023, there will be four rounds of GCBF funding – the Super Round offering grants of up to $100,000, and the other three rounds offering grants of up to $35,000. Applications for the Super Round close on 28 February 2023. Find more here.
Logo_greats awards

Nominate Now: Qld Greats Awards

Time is running out to recognise a Queenslander or Queensland-based organisation for their significant contribution to the Sunshine State and to nominate them for a Queensland Greats Award.

Nominations are open across three categories - Individual, Institution and Posthumous - and close at 5pm, Friday 17 February 2023.

Awards recipients will be announced in June 2023 and honoured with commemorative plaques displayed at Roma Street Parkland, Brisbane. Find more here.

FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

LOGO_Tafe Queensland

Enrol Now for
Fee-Free TAFE in 2023

Recent school leavers and Queenslanders looking to upskill or change careers are being encouraged to enrol in one of the 37,000 Fee-Free TAFE places available in 2023.
Skill shortages are wide spread across Queensland, particularly in the areas of health and community services, agriculture and tourism and hospitality. Fee-free TAFE training in 2023 will provide a pathway for people to be supported locally to obtain skills and fill job vacancies.
Find more here.
IMAGE_Project booyah

Referrals Open for Project Booyah

Project Booyah is a Queensland Police, Youth Mentoring Program that utilises adventure based learning, leadership skills, decision making/problem solving exercises, resilience training, policing strategies and family inclusive principles to help young people aged 14-17 years make better life choices!

Registrations are currently open for the next intake in February 2023.

Find more here.
LOGO_NDIS benevolent

Family Info Sessions and Playgroup

The NDIS early childhood approach supports children aged 0-6 years, who have a disability or developmental delay and their parents or carers.

The Benevolent Society are delivering a series of informal developmental sessions for families to attend throughout February and March. Topics being covered include:
  • Advocacy
  • Speech and Language
  • Emotional Regulation
  • Baby Basics
Read the flyer

A Family Connections playgroup is also being run in various locations starting in February. It is free to attend, runs for 8 weeks and provides a chance to learn, meet and share.

Read the flyer
LOGO_QDN_Peer-Support-Groups-01

QDN-Y Online Support Group is on!

Queensland Disability Network is inviting young people with a disability living in Queensland to participate in their QDN Y online peer support group. This support group will be held on the last Monday of the month from 3pm to 5pm on zoom – with the next group being held on 27 February 2023.

RSVP to QDN on 1300 363 783 or peersupport@qdn.org.au.
LOGO_Nature Freedom

Upcoming Nature Freedom Events

Nature Freedom is all about inclusion and creating positive and meaningful opportunities for participation in the natural environment.

Their programs are designed with a focus on the lived experiences of young people with disabilities and/or mental health issues. Various events and activities are offered both indoors and outdoors in locations around Brisbane City, Moreton Bay and Logan. The programs are all about getting together to help each other experience the joys and benefits of being in nature.
Register for upcoming events here.
IMAGE_Digital Media QDN

Digital Inclusion for
those with a Disability

Queenslanders with Disability Network (QDN) along with GIVIT and QUT are excited that the Project Access Affordability Ability (AAA) Digital Inclusion is now being delivered in the Brisbane, Gympie and Moreton Bay regions.

AAA Digital Inclusion is a project working to make sure that people with disability have user friendly devices that are fit for purpose and have the data, knowledge, and skills to be able to connect to and be included in the digital world.

Read the flyer

JOIN THE CAMPAIGN!

IMAGE_Raise the rate for good
The campaign to Raise the Rate for Good is key to reducing poverty and inequality in Australia. The goal of this campaign is to raise Australia’s social security safety net to keep people out of poverty.

QYHC is consistently reminding government that poverty is the main precursor to homelessness. Income support for young people that keeps them above the poverty line is essential. QYHC is a proud supporter of the Raise the Rate for Good campaign as this is key to reducing poverty and inequality in Australia. The goal of this campaign is to raise Australia’s social security safety net to keep people out of poverty. This requires an income of at least $70 a day. You can take action by signing up to the campaign to raise the rate to above the poverty line.

More information here
logo-everyoneshome
Everybody’s Home is a national campaign to address the housing crisis. It focuses on working together to call on Australian governments to bring balance back to the system, so that everybody has a place to call home.

QYHC is consistently reminding government that everyone needs to be safely housed. QYHC is a proud supporter of the Everybody’s Home campaign as this is key to stopping young people being locked out of all housing options.

More information here

Call to Half Child poverty by 2030

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Poverty affects far too many Australian children and families, diminishing their lives now and in the future. As one of the wealthiest countries in the world, it’s just not right that 1 in 6 of our children grow up in poverty.

The campaign calls upon all politicians to commit to halve child poverty by 2030. QYHC is consistently reminding government and other stakeholders that childhood poverty is strongly connected to homelessness in later life and that if we work to prevent this, we change the course of a person’s life.
More information here.
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