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Every year, Homelessness Australia hosts Homelessness Week. This year in preparation for the Federal government’s 10-year housing and homelessness plan, the theme was: "It is time to end homelessness". We have an opportunity to achieve the scope and scale of changes that are needed to end homelessness. Government needs to be ambitious about what can be achieved.
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Queensland held some wonderful events around the state, many with the aim to highlight and resolve homelessness. QYHC was delighted to present at and attend a few.
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Homelessness Connects have also been occurring throughout Queensland regions.
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Housing & Homelessness Ipswich Q&A Event 2023 - Friday 11 August
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Sunshine Coast Homelessness Week Event
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Queensland’s Social Housing Register
Queensland’s social housing register has been published on the Queensland Government open data website, as part of new quarterly reporting arrangements. As of June 30, 2023 there were a total of 25,364 applications on the register, a reduction of 7.6% in the last financial year.
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Over the last 12 months over 5,000 households have been assisted into social housing.
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Minister Scanlon stated: “We want to make sure that our systems and investment are fit-for-purpose and that Queenslanders receive the right support, at the right time to meet their needs.
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“This is part of my commitment to transparency and being up front with the community about the challenges in the housing market.”
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Access the full dataset here.
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Wear It Purple
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Events were held around Queensland to celebrate Wear It Purple Day. Amongst them, Open Doors with Visible Ink, and BYS held art workshops and community celebrations.
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Check out the 'Growing Up Queer in Meanjin' podcast on the Open Doors website here.
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Black Rainbow StatUS Report
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First Nations Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Intersex, Queer, Asexual, Sistergirls and Brotherboys (LGBTIQA+SB) are the voices of the Black Rainbow. These voices and their stories are as unique, diverse and vibrant as the people and communities themselves. Recognition of this uniqueness has lagged behind in Australia’s health system, policy, and funding which has traditionally managed Indigenous and LGBTIQA+SB affairs as two separate communities.
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This erasure and exclusion causes harm to First Nations LGBTIQA+SB people. Many are forced to delay or go without healthcare, because their needs are overlooked by mainstream, LGBTIQ+, and Aboriginal Community Controlled services.
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This is unacceptable in a fair and equitable society. This report builds a case for self-determination of First Nations LGBTIQA+SB policy and services, amplifying the voices that will ignite change. Read the report here
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National Day of Action
against Bullying
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This National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence, the theme was 'growing connections'. 'We need to help children understand the role of friendship, what it's like to be a friend and what good friends look like' - Lesley-Anne Ey, Senior Lecturer and Researcher from, University of South Australia.
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Schools across Queensland and Australia united to mark the National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence. The 13th National Day of Action saw 1677 schools in Queensland - including all state schools - and 6418 across Australia signal their determination to create school communities that are welcoming and inclusive for all. This year’s theme is focussed on how connections help develop a greater understanding of one another.
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Watch anti-bullying webinar, co-hosted with Emerging Minds Australia, on working with children who are experiencing or engaging in bullying behaviour here.
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National Housing and Homelessness Plan
The Australian Government is developing a National Housing and Homelessness Plan as part of the Australian Government’s broader housing and homelessness agenda. The Plan will set out a shared national vision to improve housing outcomes and help address homelessness in Australia and identify reforms needed across the responsibilities of different levels of government to achieve this vision.
They’ve released and Issues Paper that seeks feedback from the public on key issues in the housing and homelessness system that need to be considered in the development of the Plan. They would like to hear from people with lived expertise, not-for-profit organisations, industry bodies, housing experts and other relevant stakeholders.
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Submissions due by 11:59pm AEST Friday, 22 September 2023. Read the Issues Paper and provide a response here.
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Join QYHC in supporting YFoundations
As the Australian Government has just commenced their consultation to develop a National Housing and Homelessness Plan, this is the perfect time to support Yfoundations and sign the petition if you haven’t already done so. We are so close to our 10,000 signature target which ensures it will be raised in parliament.
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You can share the petition on social media by personalising this suggested text:
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- 1 in 2 children and young people trying to access a crisis bed will be turned away tonight. We have to ask ourselves: Where did the other half go? Returned to a violent home? Couch surf? Sleep rough?
- The Australian Government is currently consulting on a National Housing and Homelessness Plan and Yfoundations is calling on them to develop a standalone national plan to end child and youth homelessness. Why do we need a standalone plan for children and young people? Because the reasons why they become homeless and their experiences are different to adults. Their coping strategies and resources (both financial and emotional) are also different, and we must therefore respond differently. Join me by signing the petition www.yfoundations.org.au.
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Extending Post Care Support for Queensland Young People
Extended post care support options now available for young people until they’re 21 years.
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As of July 1st, 2023, young people turning 18 will receive additional supports including: cultural support, financial support and allowances for extended family-based care. Read all the details are in this important Fact Sheet .
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Crisis Accommodation in Australia
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Each year more than 160,000 people experiencing or at risk of homelessness seek crisis accommodation from Specialist Homelessness Services SHS. Not all can be accommodated, and many are turned away. For those who do access crisis accommodation, experiences vary significantly.
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- Many more people need crisis accommodation than can access it.
- SHS are forced to use purchased short-term accommodation, such as boarding houses, motels and caravan parks. This accommodation is often inappropriate and provides inadequate support.
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Inform the National Housing
and Homelessness Plan
The Australian Government’s consultations on the National Housing and Homelessness Plan end on 22 September 2023. This is an important opportunity to highlight the unique challenges and specific needs that children and young people without a home, or at risk of homelessness, have.
Join this online event on Tuesday 12 September, 11.00am-12.30pm, co-hosted by Yfoundations and Homelessness Australia, and have your say as part of our consultation on the National Housing and Homelessness Plan.
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Queensland Child Protection Week
3-9 September
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Beginning on Father’s Day, QCPW promotes the value of children by focusing attention on the issues of child abuse and neglect, and raising the profile issues connected with child protection, including child abuse prevention, treatment, research, education, service provision and support for children, young people and families.
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Over one hundred events are held throughout Queensland during Child Protection Week. Check out local options in your area here.
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QYHC Congratulates
QCPW 2023 Award Recipients
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Tony Unicomb - Project Booyah, QPS
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Janine Erb - Child Safety
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Professional Non-Government:
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Dr India Bryce and Dr Simone Collier - Unique Minds Consultancy
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Media & Communications Award:
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Act for Kids - "Get Comfy" campaign
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Janita Mason and Natalie Powder - Moonaboola Community Development ATSI Corporation
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Thriving Communities Initiative Award:
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Kingston East Neighborhood Group Inc
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Steve and Norma Armstrong-Ravula - PCYC Aurukun
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Steve and Debbie Haim - Foster Carers, Anglicare
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Child Safe Organisation Award:
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Youth Participation Award:
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Russell Bennet - Anglicare Southern Queensland
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Education Initiative Award:
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AFP (ACCCE), Human Exploitation Strategic Communications. Jack Changes the Game.
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MRFQ Town Hall
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On Thursday 7 September (6pm-7pm) MRFQ will be hosting a Town Hall, in partnership with Tenants Queensland and Queensland Disability Network. The topic is “Minor Modifications in Rentals”. Register here
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Queenslanders cannot be lumped with unfair rent rises with the threat of homelessness, this just isn’t fair.
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Preparing for Sexual Violence Awareness Month 2023
Sexual Violence Awareness Month (SVA Month) is held during October each year to:
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- Raise community awareness about sexual violence
- Promote the support options available to people affected by sexual assault and sexual abuse
- Uphold a clear message that sexual violence will not be tolerated in our communities.
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ZigZag and partners are starting preparation for the month with a survivor art workshop and the opportunity to have artworks displayed via a social media campaign and in Queensland Parliament.
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Important AIFS resources on child protection and prevention of abuse
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Australian legal definitions: When is a child in need of protection?
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This resource sheet provides information for practitioners and researchers on legal definitions of when a child is in need of protection for each Australian jurisdiction.
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Working together to keep children and families safe
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This practice paper focuses on improving cross-sectoral relationships between child protection and child and family welfare practitioners, who are often required to work together to keep children and families safe.
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Invisible practises: Working with fathers who use violence
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This webinar, presented in collaboration with ANROWS, explores how women and children living with violence can experience inconsistent responses from different service systems, and how all-of-family approaches can help address differences between service systems and the need to work with men who use violence.
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Reporting child abuse and neglect
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This resource sheet provides information to service providers and practitioners working in the child, family and community welfare sector on how to report suspected child abuse and neglect.
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Homelessness and housing affordability is impacting the nation. With soaring house prices, dire rental accessibility, and a shortage of homes, it’s a national crisis. With social and affordable housing demand skyrocketing, specialist youth homelessness services are backlogged. Young people are locked out of almost all housing options. August saw significant coverage of matters impacting young people including homelessness.
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Across Australia, concern about the housing crisis has never been greater. Asking rents have been rising steadily for decades, and have surged to extreme levels over recent years. More households are in housing stress, and severe housing stress, than at any other time in our history. And the shortfall in social housing has peaked at record-highs as waiting lists stretch longer than anyone thought possible. Amidst these statistics are the experiences of people. More and more are missing out on the dream of a home, including renters who have been forgotten and ignored in debates about housing for years. They now face a housing market that has never been less affordable or more volatile as they are forced to spend record amounts to keep a roof over their heads.
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Fantastic FREE training for Brisbane SW
ARACY is partnering with Yiliyapinya to offer professional development in South-West Brisbane, Ipswich and surrounds to those who work with children, youth and their parents/carers.
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This training opportunity will enable you and your staff to learn the Common Approach with ARACY and how to use four evidence-based, best practices for working with children and young people to harness optimal outcomes focusing on prevention and early engagement. In combination with the Common Approach, Yiliyapinya will support you to complete a Brain Health screener and learn how to translate neuroscience into action. It will also introduce you to further learning opportunities such as the ‘Understanding Brain Development’ modules developed for ARACY/TQKP by Emerging Minds, the National Workforce Centre for Child Mental Health.
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The Common Approach training® is a blended learning course, comprising of eLearning modules and an in-person workshop. The eLearning modules take approximately 3 hours to complete. Once the modules are completed, participants then attend a one-day workshop Tuesday 24 October 2023 in South West Brisbane where you will complete a Brain Health screener and learn how to translate neuroscience into action.
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Preference will be given to pairs from organisations to undertake the training and attend the workshop together. For more information, click here.
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‘Laying Down the Law’
Online Training
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Youth Advocacy Centre’s ‘Laying Down the Law’ online version of their highly sought after youth worker training program has launched!!!
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Fantastic training for those in the youth support sector that can be completed from your home or office.
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Responding to Young People’s
AOD Use
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In other exciting news Dovetail recently released a new practice video which targets Specialist Youth Housing workers and OoHC Resi workers!
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Youth Work Community of Practice - 2023
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This is a unique opportunity for youth workers to join a state-wide online Community of Practice (CoP) to explore practice frameworks that help improve ethical and effective youth work. There are six pre-planned sessions throughout the year. Interested in joining? Find out more here.
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The Safe and Together Core Training will be delivered from Tuesday, September 12th, to Friday, September 15th.
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The "Safe & Together" Model is a comprehensive framework designed to address domestic violence and child maltreatment in families. It has been implemented as part of Queensland's child safety response to address the increasing number of domestic violence cases. Additionally, the Model is being incorporated within the Australian Family District Courts.
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The training will be facilitated by Ross Tyler at ACT for Kids, Varsity Lakes office.
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Supporting children and young people bereaved by domestic homicide
This webinar will explore how to support children and young people bereaved by domestic homicide and provide insight into the short- and long- term impacts.
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Presenters: Professor Eva Alisic, Kathryn Joy, Dr Joe Tucci and Dr Rachel Carson
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Date: Wednesday 13 September 2023
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Time: 1:00 - 2:00PM (AEST).
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Find more information and register here.
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Preventing emotional abuse of children: The role of parenting support
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Recent research suggests emotional abuse in childhood is highly prevalent and contributes to a range of physical, social and psychological problems. Despite this, emotional abuse in childhood is poorly understood compared to other forms of child maltreatment, such as physical or sexual abuse, and is often overlooked in practice settings.
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Presenters: Dr Divna Haslam, Associate Professor Alina Morawska and Rani Kumar
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Date: Wednesday 6 September 2023
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Time: 1:00 – 2:00PM (AEST). Register here.
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The national trend of school refusal and related matters
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This report, from the Parliament of Australia, about school refusal includes information on: prevalence, drivers, and impacts of school refusal; the need for a national approach to addressing school refusal; and barriers and opportunities related to addressing school refusal.
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Young People Living with Parents
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Leaving the parental home typically represents one of the main steps that young people make in the transition to an independent adult life. AIF’s latest facts & figures show that young people are increasingly living with their parents well into their late teens and early twenties. Read the research paper here here.
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Human Rights Training
The Queensland Human Rights Commission is providing training sessions including:
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- Introduction to the Human Rights Act
- Introduction to the Anti-discrimination Act
- Human Rights Act for Community Advocates
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Find the dates and register here.
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Coercive Control Literature Review
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INFORMATION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
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Helping Hands TV
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Helping Hands TV have recently launched a series accessible on 9Now. Vignettes are presented on the Benefits of Community connection, Young People and Anxiety, Paying It Forward and many others.
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Support your mental health
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Smiling Mind is Australia’s #1 mindfulness app supporting every mind to thrive. It provides daily mindfulness and meditation guides at your fingertips. Their evidence-based tools support people to learn the skills to maintain their mental health in fun and interactive ways. Find out more here.
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Half-day Trauma-Responsive Care for LGBTIQ+ Young People and their Families
This specialised training is designed for people working with LGBTIQAP+ Sistergirl and Brotherboy young people & their families.
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This interactive training utilises current research to provide an introduction to trauma-responsive care and LGBTIQAP+ Sistergirl and Brotherboy affirming practice.
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Topics include: Key Constructs - LGBTIQAP+ Sistergirl and brotherboy histories, identities, cultures, and language; Trauma and Mental-Ill Health - The data and growing up LGBTIQAP+ Sistergirl and Brotherboy in Australia; Creating affirming environments and providing trauma-responsive care.
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AOD Program for LGBTQIA+
Young People
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The Alcohol and Other Drug Program at Open Doors Youth Service provides psychosocial interventions to LGBTIQ+ young people between the ages of 12 to 24 who are experiencing problematic alcohol and other drug use, or who are impacted by the alcohol or drug use of others. Refer here.
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Only a few weeks left to enrol in Fee Free Nursing Diploma
To date more than 2,500 students have enrolled in the Diploma of Nursing through Free TAFE. 43 places are still available in Mater’s Fee-Free Diploma of Nursing October intake.
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Applications for the diploma at Mater Education have surged by more than 330 per cent since the Palaszczuk Government removed course fees as part of their $200 million Fee Free TAFE joint initiative with the Australian Government. The initiative aimed to provide 37,000 Free TAFE positions this year but has exceeded the target with more than 40,000 enrolling.
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The October diploma course will be taught at both Mater South Brisbane and at the new Mater Health Hub in Springfield.
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Free courses in Dental Assistance, Health Services Assistance, Allied Health Assistance, Sterilisation Services and Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Primary Health Care Practice are still available through Central Queensland University and TAFE Queensland.
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To find out more about the Diploma of Nursing, potential students should contact Mater Education student services at 1300 070 350 or go to matereducation.qld.edu.au.
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For information on fee free health certificates, head to the CQU and TAFE Queensland websites.
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Seeking Talented Youth Actors
Mind Blanks is a mental health promotion charity seeking young talented actors to become part of their acting ensemble in Brisbane and surrounding areas. If you know any local young talented creative artists who would love a chance to make a real difference in the community, Mind Blank has a wonderful opportunity to provide:
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- paid casual employment to support a creative career
- social education and youth development experience
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The Sleep Ninja App
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Sleep Ninja is a free adolescent focused app which helps young people improve their sleep. Over 6 weeks, the six training sessions go through the importance and role of sleep, raise own awareness of habits that are contributing to poor sleep hygiene and teaches behavioural and cognitive strategies to change unhelpful sleep patterns. Find out more here.
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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.
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The campaign will be working with their 42,000 partners to strengthen the Government’s 10 year National Housing and Homelessness Plan and the National Housing and Homelessness Agreement. We simply cannot end the current shortfall without Government funding.
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The campaign to Raise the Rate for Good is key to reducing poverty and inequality in Australia. QYHC is an avid advocate for raising the rate. Poverty in childhood is a key indicator of long-term homelessness for young people. Eradicating poverty is key to addressing many social ills faced by members of our society. A level of income support for young people that that ensures they can actively socially and economically participate is essential.
Find out more here.
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Call to Halve Child Poverty by 2030
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Poverty affects far too many Australian children and families, diminishing their life opportunities now and into 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.
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The campaign calls upon all politicians to commit to halve child poverty by 2030. QYHC is cognisant that childhood poverty is strongly connected to homelessness as a young person and in later life. Addressing poverty is essential. Find out more here.
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