New council tool to combat homelessness

As the housing crisis deepens across Australia’s suburbs, local councils now have a new tool to help them manage and prevent homelessness in their communities.

Ending homelessness: a toolkit for local government is an evidence-based resource developed by the Centre for Social Impact at Flinders University, providing guidance for councils on responding to disaster-related homelessness, information on culturally safe responses, and ideas on how local government can play a role in ending homelessness.

On any given night, 122,494 people in Australia are experiencing homelessness. One in seven people experiencing homelessness are children under 12, and 23 per cent of people experiencing homelessness (almost one in 4) are children and young people between 12 and 24.

Associate Professor Selina Tually, Deputy Director of CSI Flinders, said rising financial stress and lack of affordable housing had driven levels of homelessness to new heights in communities across Australia – and councils were often on the frontline providing local services and support to those who need it most.

“The scale of the current housing crisis means that councils are seeing more people experiencing or at risk of homelessness – often in areas where this was not visible before,” she said.

“While some people sleeping rough are highly visible, others hide away. Most people experiencing homelessness in Australia are hidden to some extent, or completely, from public view, but they are there and need support.

“This toolkit is an accessible and practical resource to support councils in this critical area, whether they are taking early steps toward a formal strategy, engaging with other levels of government and external stakeholders, or are already actively working to help end homelessness.”

The Centre for Social Impact at Flinders University has developed the toolkit in consultation with LGA South Australia, councils and stakeholders advancing efforts to end homelessness in SA, nationally and beyond. The toolkit has also been supported by the South Australian Alliance to End Homelessness.

LGA South Australia CEO Clinton Jury said the toolkit, which considers both regional and metropolitan challenges, was a valuable new resource for councils seeking more information and ideas on tackling homelessness in their communities.

“Having safe, stable and appropriate housing is the foundation for essential elements like good physical and mental health, employment, education and family – but we know more adults and children are rough sleeping, couch surfing, in crisis accommodation or in precarious housing arrangements than ever before,” he said.

“Of all the levels of government, local councils are closest to the communities they serve and have a deep understanding of the needs of their community.

“To build even stronger communities, we need to tackle homelessness from multiple angles, and being armed with information and resources like this toolkit, councils can be well-placed to advocate for supports and policy-making based on local priorities and needs.”

The Centre for Social Impact is an education and research collaboration between the Business Schools of four leading Australian Universities, which engages with organisations and communities to ignite social change. It aims to alleviate social inequities through research and education in partnership with businesses, governments and not-for-profits and is the largest provider of social impact education in Australia.