housing

March 2021 Edition

Choose to Challenge

In 1908, when 15,000 women took to the streets of New York city to demand the right to vote, for better pay and shorter working hours the seed for International Women’s Day (IWD) was planted.

The theme for IWD 8th March 2021 was Choose to Challenge. A call to action that was most certainly heard given that the following week thousands marched around Australia at dozens of Women's March 4 Justice rallies to protest against gendered violence and sexism. Read more here
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Platform 1225

Our home-grown talent, Comedian and Author Corey White, will headline then MC our 2021 Platform 1225 Forum on November 23rd. There are few voices in comedy and life as unique and potent as Corey White’s. He deals with real life issues and shares his journey through trauma to reach the other side and become a much sought-after Comedian, Public Speaker and Author of his first Novel: The Prettiest Horse in the Glue Factory.

Corey has utilised his profound resilience and humour to tell his story and build a life and career. As a child and young person who experienced both the care system and homelessness he has much wisdom to share.

“…while Corey’s story is extraordinary, his honesty will make it touch anyone with a heart...” Judith Lucy
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Platform 1225

Youth Homelessness Matters Day Young people have their say:

Youth Homelessness Matters Day (YHMD) is 21st April this year. For this annual national awareness campaign, Queensland Youth Housing Coalition (QYHC) is creating a 2021 YHMD Poster sharing the thoughts and art work of young people. We aim to deliver this to Minister Enoch on 21st April.

We ask young people to share their thoughts
by answering:
Youth Homelessness Matters to me because….

Young people can enter their responses here

Quotes or art work can also be emailed to Lorraine.dupree@qyhc.org.au

As a thank you, QYHC will draw participants names to win several prizes - a $100 voucher, $25 vouchers and surprise gifts.

Laying Down the Law

April 21st and 22nd 2021
QYHC is joining with the Youth Advocacy Centre (YAC) to bring Laying Down the Law to specialist youth homelessness service workers. This 2 day workshop aims to assist workers towards an enhanced understanding of how the law works, particularly within the context of youth justice and child protection.

The training covers:
A framework for decision making which is cognisant of the law, child centred and human rights compliant
Confidentiality
Negligence
Child Protection
Police Powers
Children’s Court
Being a support person at Police interviews

Venue: 55 Russell St, South Brisbane
Cost: Members – free, non-members $150
To register email: Lorraine.dupree@qyhc.org.au

Youth Week 10th- 18th April

Free Youth Event!

Bay Wave Youth and Community Festival will be held this year during Brisbane Youth Week on Tuesday 13th April from 12pm-5pm. The festival will be held on Quandamooka Country at Primrose Skate Park in Wynnum West and will celebrate the importance and achievements of all young people in the local community through a range of activities, workshops, and performances. This is a FREE event, so please share with any of your young people located around Brisbane’s Bayside.
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Speak Out Series

During Queensland Youth Week, the Minister for Youth Affairs, Hon. Meghan Scanlon MP, is interested in hearing from a diverse range of young people about what they want a future Queensland to look like and how we should get there.

There will be three Speak Out events through Queensland including Brisbane, Rockhampton and Mossman Gorge.
If you know of a young person aged 15-25 who would be interested in participating in the Speak Out, please encourage them to register here

Under 18s Domestic Violence Matters

YAC’s legal team can give you advice if you are:
the aggrieved
the respondent
a named person

They can also assist you to make an application for a protection order, vary conditions of a protection order, or if you have breached a protection order.

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Couch Surfing



In this recording of an online Sector Learning Forum hosted by Brisbane Youth Service, they share learnings about the risks and realities of couch surfing as the most common form of homelessness for young people.

Included is key learning arising from 5 years of quantitative research data about young couch surfer’s issues and support needs as well as in-depth qualitative learning from young people’s voices and experiences gathered through 65 in-depth interviews with young couch surfers.

The second half of the Learning Forum then explores how the research learning has been applied to practice through a dedicated couch surfing service (couch surfing hotline and support service) including practice approaches, the use of a purpose-developed couch surfing risk screening tool and recommendations for frontline workers, agencies and policy.

View BYS’s Couch Surfing Forum here

Further reading: here and here
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Child Protection GRANTS

The Queensland Child Protection Week Committee is accepting applications for the following grants:

Activity Grants
Regional Grants
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Community Engagement Grants

Grant applications must be received by
close of business Friday 14 May 2021
Apply here
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Child Protection AWARDS

Nominations are now open for QCPW 2021 Awards

The Annual Queensland Child Protection Awards provide an opportunity to publicly acknowledge the efforts, commitment and unreserved energy of many people who make a significant contribution to our community to prevent child harm and neglect. It is hoped the awards will inspire others to continue to work towards ensuring the wellbeing of our children.

NOMINATIONS CLOSE FRIDAY 28 MAY 2021
Nominate Here
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Understanding and Influencing Budget Decisions

In preparation for the 2021/2022 Queensland Budget, QCOSS presents Rachel Hunter, Under Treasurer, Queensland Treasury to explore how the community service sector can influence and contribute to the state government’s funding decisions. Rachel Hunter is one of Queensland’s foremost public servants and is uniquely positioned to speak to the budget process and how budget decisions are made.

Wednesday, 14 April 2021, 8am - 9am via zoom
Register here
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Lobby for Homelessness services ERO Funding

The Services Union is running a petition in partnership with Homelessness Australia calling on the Federal Government to continue the funding for the Equal Remuneration Order (ERO).

In 2012 the Fair Work Commission made a landmark decision to raise the wages of workers in the social, community and disability sectors, through the ERO. Underpinning this decision was the acknowledgement that the female dominated workforce was undervalued and underpaid in large part due to gender.

ERO supplementation for federally funded homelessness services was funded via the National Housing and Homelessness Agreement (NHHA), between the Commonwealth and States and Territories – which expires in June 2021. In 2020 the Federal Government announced that they would lift the base funding in the Department of Social Services Grants to cover the costs of the ERO into the future. This covers the following Federal programs funded by Department of Social Services: Youth, Disability, Families, Financial Counselling, & Emergency Relief.
However, this does not include Housing and Homelessness Services.
Please sign the petition here
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AHURI

AHURI’s first hybrid event is being held simultaneously in-person in Melbourne or online Thursday May 20th

Long held assumptions about the development of Australian cities have been up-ended by the COVID-19 crisis. The expectation of high and continuous population growth has been undermined and, at the same time, the way we live and work has changed. While we have learned that our systems have capacity and resilience in a time of crisis, new vulnerabilities and hazards have also been exposed.
More information here
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All Your Services in oneplace

oneplace is an online directory for Queensland parents, families and professionals that lists community service throughout Queensland.
There are more than 58,000 services that provide help with a range of issues including parenting, domestic and family violence, legal issues, mental health and counselling, housing, financial and food assistance.
It is free and easy to use.
View oneplace here

Job Club for Young People

Get Set for Work (Youth Job Club) for 2021 is back in Stafford this year.
This program is of no cost to eligible participants and includes:
  • A Certificate II in Skills for Work & Vocational Pathways
  • Responsible Service of Alcohol, First Aid and/or
  • Construction White Card
  • Extensive wrap-around support by a qualified Career Counsellor and dedicated team.
This is a 14 week course for 15-19yr olds, supporting young people to succeed. The next intake starts 27th April 2021.

To register interest, click here
For more information visit the website or call
3719 3177 or 0468 783 254

Some eligibility criteria apply, including that the individual has already finished or un-enrolled from School, and is not currently studying.

Take a Stand Against Bullying!

The National Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence was held on Friday 19th of March.
It is Australia’s key bullying prevention initiative, connecting schools and communities with workable solutions to bullying and violence. About one quarter of young people aged 18-24 years feel unsafe or very unsafe when walking alone in their local area after dark, and around 1 in 10 feel unsafe in their homes at night.

Access BullyingNoWay! resources here

Sibling Ice Skating

CREATE Foundation are hosting an event to encourage Sibling Contact for young people in care. This event will including ice-skating, a hot lunch and an Easter egg hunt!

Free for all children and young people in care aged
0-25 years. Under 18’s will need a carer present.

Date: Thursday 8 April
Time: 10:30am-1pm
Where: Ice World Boondall
RSVP: amy.jasper@create.org.au or 3317 6020
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Finding a First Nations Voice in the Constitution

As called for in their Uluru Statement, From the Heart is currently campaigning to reform the Australian Constitution to include First Nations Voices. We encourage you to follow From the Heart on Instagram and Facebook or show your support by signing the Uluru Statement Canvas here
Find us on instagram and facebook
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Close the Gap

Thursday 18th of March was National Close the Gap Day. It is an opportunity to send our governments a clear message that Australians value health equality as a fundamental right for all. Read more here

Ubuntu: I am Because We Are

Happy World Social Work Day for March 16th to all those working to improve the lives and opportunities for young people who experience or are at risk of homelessness in Queensland.
This year the theme was Ubuntu. We value and celebrate our diverse community and see strength in working together, sharing skills and knowledge, and supporting each other.
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Celebrate Neurodiversity

Every Day!

March 15th-21st marked Neurodiversity Celebration Week, an opportunity to recognise that everyone’s brain works differently and we don’t all learn in the same way. We all have our own unique way of thinking, learning, interacting, perceiving and experiencing the world.
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