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A Way Home: Reducing Homelessness in NSW: NSW Homlessness Action Plan
Creating new positions in an Aboriginal leaving care service in Nowra and preventing homelessness and delivering housing with support through the Nepean Youth Homelessness project are two of the actions being undertaken under the NSW Homelessness Action Plan to address youth homelessness in NSW reported John McMillan from the Homeless Unit of Housing NSW in his address on day 2 of the YHM 09 Conference.
Twenty eight per cent of the homeless in NSW according to 2006 Census are aged 12 – 24. But they are not a homogeneous group and so need a range of responses, John said, and that is reflected in the Action Plan.
The Plan, release August 6th 2009, is informed by:
• The Report of the NSW Auditor – General Responding to Homelessness
• Stage 1 NSW Homelessness Action Plan (previously known as the NSW homelessness Strategic Framework)
• On-going consultations with the non-government sector
• National Affordable Housing Agreement, National Partnership on Homelessness, White Paper, Stimulus Package.
• AHURI research synthesis on successful interventions and models. (Is this synthesis available?)
The reform agenda messages from the evidence base informing the plan were:
• Increasing focus on prevention, early intervention and sustaining tenancies.
• Collaborative and coordinated service system
• Housing First approaches.
• Multi-disciplinary approaches to support multi-disciplinary team/ brokerage.
Underpinning policy are three key areas:
• Strategic directions and Outocmes
o Prevention: People never become homeless.
o Effective responses; people who are homeless receive effective response
o Breaking the cycle: People who have been homeless do not become homeless again
Prevention actions in the Plan include:
• Create new positions in Aboriginal leaving care service in Nowra.
• Long term accommodation and support for young women leaving the Juneperina Juvenile Justice Centre
• Expand Brighter Future
• Provide accommodation and intensive support services linked to education, training and employment for young people in South Western Sydney and the Illawarra.
Effective responses actions in the Plan include:
• Research Aboriginal homelessness caused by over-crowding.
• Prevention and long term accommodation and support in rural areas (New England & Albury/ Wagga Wagga).
• Assertive outreach programs for rough sleepers in inner Sydney and Newcastle.
• Expand private rental products.
• Develop regional homelessness plans and establish Regional Homelessness Committees
Breaking the cycle actions in the Plan include:
• Prevent homelessness and deliver housing with support through the Nepean Youth Homelessness project.
• Implement the Inner City Supportive Housing and Support for Young People project building on the success of the Kings Cross Youth at Risk Project.
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