Guides Aim to Improve Homelessness Support

The Victorian peak body for homelessness has released guides aimed at bridging the gap in existing support services for those in housing crisis and experiencing homelessness.

The Council to Homeless Persons (CHP) launched the five-part Guides to Housing-Focussed Support, which the organisation is calling the first practical resource to document the range of activities and interventions that help consumers gain and sustain housing.

“Homelessness services deliver housing-focused support, but it’s often based on in-house training and experience,” CHP CEO, Jenny Smith, said.

“These guides document best practice – and what we know ends homelessness – to assist workers who are new to the homelessness sector, and others in human services.”  

The Guides were developed by CHP through consultation with consumers and homelessness workers in focus groups. The series provides an overview of the key stages encountered by workers when helping someone to access and retain a home, along with strategies to help achieve that outcome.

“The Guides cover how to build rapport with people, what to look for in assessment and what people’s housing history can tell you about their risk of homelessness, how to go about actually finding housing, and what it takes to help people settle in and connect to their community,” Smith said.

“The better trained and skilled the homelessness workforce, the better equipped we’ll be to end homelessness as a community.”

The hard copy Guides are will be delivered to peak bodies and government departments across Australia, and are available for free download at the CHP website.