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QYHC Chat January 2024
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A 20% Funding Increase and 8 New Foyers around Queensland is the best news for Specialist Youth Homelessness Services and young people!
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The focus on front line staff in specialist youth homelessness services is music to our ears!
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The Miles Government has kicked off its new housing plan: Homes for Queenslanders, revealing it will dramatically increase funding for homelessness responses across the state. Specialist Homelessness Services will receive a 20 per cent increase for the next 18 months to meet demand for frontline and specialist homelessness services as part of an almost $390 million increase in funding for homelessness support.
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Homes for Queenslanders will also deliver another eight youth foyers across Queensland. The foyers provide housing with support to young people aged between 16 and 25-years whilst they pursue education and employment.
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The first additional youth foyer will be delivered in Cairns, followed by two more in Moreton Bay and Hervey Bay with further work to be done to identify five more sites across the state.
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Queensland already has youth foyers on the Gold Coast and in Logan, helping more than 200 young people to-date. The third Queensland Youth Foyer, a 40-bed facility in Townsville is nearing completion.
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Homes for Queenslanders is also funding and supporting a two-worker model for six after-hours Specialist Homelessness Services.
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In addition to a mammoth boost in funding, an independent review will also take place of the whole homelessness service system. QYHC looks forward to working with Specialist Youth Homelessness Services and Rachael Hunter, the independent reviewer. We recognise her extensive experience and her understanding of homelessness, having previously worked with her around youth homelessness issues.
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The Review will assess the effectiveness of Queensland’s current response to homelessness and opportunities for improvement, including for people living in urban, rural, regional and remote Queensland.
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These funding announcements are additional to the previous funding allocations for young people in the 2023 budget and those of Towards Ending Homelessness for Young Queenslanders.
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Platform 1225 Conference 2024
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Please note the date has changed since we issued the date claimer late in 2023.
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We’re excited to announce thought provoking presentations focused on solutions to the issues young people encounter. Platform 1225 Conference, 2024 will be held on Wednesday 15th May at Rydges Southbank, Brisbane.
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16th May - As requested, Platform 1225 expands to a Specialist Youth Homelessness Services Workshop.
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Register at the link below or click on either of the images:
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Share your projects and innovation at Platform 1225
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QYHC is keen to showcase the great work of the youth sector and associated organisations. We welcome your application to share projects, innovative ways of working or good practice examples. This is your time to shine.
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Solutions for families
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Government is busy on their $89 Billion Big Build. A former hotel in South Brisbane has been purchased for families at risk of homelessness. The hotel will be transformed into 20 two-bedroom units and 32 studio units aimed at families and pregnant women. Located within walking distance to the South Bank Parklands the new homes are close to public transport and essential services such as hospitals.
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They’ve also bought a vacant retirement village in Logan, set to be renovated to transform it into 85 one-bed apartments and 39 two-bed apartments to house people in need.
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This development also boasts a 6297sqm land parcel for future developments.
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11 two-bedroom modular social homes in Gympie were delivered. Modular homes take a fraction of the time it would take to build a home from the ground up and they are unaffected by bad weather.
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Free Certificates and Diplomas
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A great opportunity to grow your skills with Fee-Free TAFE. The career of your dreams is within reach thanks to Fee-Free TAFE. Follow your passion with over 70 industry-recognised courses to choose from. Make a great decision for your future with in-demand skills in high-priority areas, including health and science, business, cyber security and IT, education and community, agriculture, and service industries. With a range of skill sets, certificates and diplomas available, now’s the time to get job ready with Fee-Free TAFE. Find out more here
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QYHC is delighted to support the new national housing campaign advocating for urgent reform for young people’s housing.
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The Home Time Plan to fix Australia’s housing system for young people is proposing three urgent actions for federal, state and territory governments to unlock our housing system for children and young people. We are asking policy makers to take decisive action to fix our housing system.
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- Develop and maintain a national pool of 15,000 dedicated youth tenancies for 15-24 year olds
- Provide linked support services so young people can pursue their goals and transition to independence
- Address the rental gap to ensure viability for housing providers and landlords offering tenancies to young people who have been homeless
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Support the National Strategy to end youth homelessness
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National housing investment
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Applications for the first round of funding for social and affordable homes under the $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF) and the National Housing Accord are open. The investments will fund 40,000 social and affordable rental homes and provide a new opportunity for institutional investors, including superannuation funds, to partner with government.
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The HAFF will also provide housing support to remote Indigenous communities, women and children leaving or experiencing DFV, and older women and veterans experiencing or at risk of homelessness. More information here website.
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UPDATE
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A disappointing summary report was released last week. Little mention of young people or the call for a national strategy to end child and youth homelessness, the impetuous for much more advocacy! You can read the report here.
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Putting Queensland Kids First
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Is a blueprint for delivering better outcomes for children and families through early intervention. The strategy is designed to ensure all Queensland children are given the best start in life through more access to essential services, prioritising early interventions to enhance outcomes in:
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- health, wellbeing and development
- access to education, training and employment
- secure and affordable housing
- safety and connection for families and the community
- reframed relationships to empower First Nations peoples.
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The plan will be co-designed by experts, parents and carers. Queenslanders are invited to have their say on the draft plan here by 21st February 2024.
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QCOSS Cost of Living Report
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The QCOSS Annual Living Affordability in Queensland report 2023 identifies cost-of-living pressures associated with increasing accommodation prices and the cost of essential goods and services such as healthy food, energy, healthcare, transport, and digital communications.
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Housing costs were the highest expenditure for each household, with up to 40 per cent of weekly expenditure being allocated to housing. Securing low-cost, affordable housing is challenging for low-income households who may rely heavily on government support.
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Launch of Victorian Youth Housing Framework 2023
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The Victorian youth housing and homelessness sector are providing a framework for consideration in the design of a fit for purpose youth housing model.
To view their Framework click here
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Spatial segregation and neighbourhood change
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This research investigates a range of significant changes in neighbourhoods in Australia’s five largest capital cities (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth) over two census periods, revealing changes in the housing market, social and economic deprivation and employment connectivity to the rest of the city and the wider region. It reveals that segregation in Australian cities is increasing over time, driven by income and economic class segregation. Read the report here
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Australia’s median rent hits new record, surpasses $600 per week
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This article examines the performance of the rental market in Australia. Read the article here
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Homelessness NSW
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Rare, brief and non-recurring: A system wide approach to ending homelessness together (August 2023) Read the report here
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SAVE THE DATE
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Youth Week 2024 7-13 April
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The dates are confirmed!
Queensland Youth Week 2024 will run from Sunday 7 April to Saturday 13 April 2024.
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Queensland Youth Week (QYW) is an annual celebration of young people aged 12 to 25 and the positive contributions they make to Queensland communities. Each year, local councils, schools and youth organisations across the state host community activities and events designed to engage young people, highlight their achievements and celebrate the role they play in sustaining healthy, vibrant, inclusive and cohesive communities.
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Youth Week events will be promoted in an online calendar. Click here to register your 2024 Youth Week event or head to the Queensland Youth Week website for more information.
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More information coming soon!
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Now More Than Ever #NRW2024
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The National Reconciliation Week theme for 2024, Now More Than Ever, is a reminder to all of us that no matter what, the fight for justice and the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will – and must – continue.
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Now more than ever, we need to tackle the unfinished business of reconciliation.
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Together, we must build on the work of the past and create a legacy for the future.
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National Reconciliation Week – 27 May to 3 June every year – is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to recommit ourselves to reconciliation and the fight for First Nations justice in Australia.
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Submit your abstract now
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AHURI is inviting proposals to present at the Australian Homelessness Conference 2024. be held in Adelaide 13 - 14 August, 2024.
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In addition to submissions to discuss policy, best practice and research, AHURI are inviting abstracts that focus on examples of innovation and explore opportunities for system level reform.
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Click here to read the guidelines and here for the Terms and Conditions. Applications close Monday 5 February 2024, 5pm EDST.
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Targeted Responses
to Youth Crime grants
With up to $2.5 million in funds available for communities across Queensland, one-off grants (of up to $300,000) are available for new ideas and projects that support young people who are, or could become, serious repeat offenders, to change their behaviours and improve community connection.
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The Targeted Responses to Youth Crime grants will support change-oriented and intensive responses that:
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- address predictors of youth offending thinking and behaviour
- support family and community to address and manage the varied, and often complex, causes of offending behaviours
- target the unique issues being experienced by local communities
- are designed in partnership with the local community.
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Applications for close at 11.59pm, Wednesday 14 February 2024. Projects must commence from 2024. For more info click here.
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This resource has been prepared for teachers and community members who are caring for, or working with, children and young people who are survivors of refugee trauma, including intergenerational trauma.
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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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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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Introducing Real Talk:
About Sex n' Stuff
A co-designed relationships and sexuality education resource. Through a series of co-design workshops, True Relationships & Reproductive Health asked young people aged 16-25 what was most important to them when it comes to relationships and sexuality education. The result is Real Talk: About Sex n' Stuff, an evidence-based, inclusive, and shame-free illustrated booklet that empowers young people to:
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- Recognise healthy vs unhealthy relationship behaviours.
- Understand consent and communicate with respect.
- Have enjoyable and safer sexual experiences.
- Embrace their unique identity.
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You can access the resource here.
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Coercive Control Literature Review
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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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INFORMATION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
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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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AOD Program for
LGBTIQ+ 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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Support Your Mental Health
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Smiling Mind 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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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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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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QYHC is a member of Make Renting Fair Queensland. Ensuring fair rental laws for young people is essential, it is incredibly difficult for young people to access the private rental market.
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You can find out more about the campaign and become a supporter here.
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We’re also keen supporters of Raise the Rate – it is essential to keep young people out of poverty for them to thrive. You can find out more and join the campaign here.
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Young people and
housing in the news
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A snapshot of January media coverage of matters impacting young people including homelessness.
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