An army of volunteers will hit the streets for the largest ever grass roots assessment of Queensland’s homeless population, as part of a new campaign to tackle homelessness.
The Queensland Government’s new Home for Good initiative will commence with a two-week ‘registry’ project in Brisbane to fill gaps in current homelessness data and give service providers the ability to match people with the support they need to get their lives back on track.
Minister for Housing and Public Works Tim Mander said the direct engagement process would help target services more effectively.
“This Government promised to restore frontline services and it doesn’t get more frontline than housing the homeless,” Mr Mander said.
“But putting an end to homelessness is about much more than just finding a place for people to sleep.
“The underlying causes, like domestic violence, addiction and mental illness don’t just disappear once people have a roof over their heads.
“Home for Good is about identifying the factors that have led someone to become homeless, and then putting in place a response tailored to meet the individual’s specific needs.”
For the Brisbane leg of the campaign, the Queensland Government is partnering with the 500 Lives, 500 Homes team, a coalition of more than 30 homelessness organisations.
Micah Projects Coordinator Karyn Walsh said that the campaign is being modelled on the organisation’s successful ’50 Lives 50 Homes’ campaign.
“Over four years, we surveyed around 700 homeless people to better understand their housing, healthcare and support needs,” Ms Walsh said.
“As a result of this campaign, 240 people have found a place to call home so we know this approach works.”
Mr Mander said similar registry projects would be rolled out across the state later in the year.
To volunteer for the registry project or for more information on Home for Good, log on www.homeforgood.qld.gov.au.
Home for Good fast facts:
– The ABS estimates there may be as many as 20,000 Queenslanders homeless on any given night.
– The Queensland Government spends around $125 million on homelessness programs each year.
– Home for Good is a state wide initiative modelled on Micah Projects’ successful 50 Lives 50 Homes campaign.
– The philosophy behind the campaign is modelled on an outreach strategy developed by Community Solutions in the USA.
