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HOMELESSNESS: EVERYONE’S RESPONSIBILITY A whole of community response to the early prevention of homelessness

Final Report February 2013 A Windermere Initiative, with funding contributed by:

In Partnership with: Casey North Information and Support Services

www.windermere.org.au


Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013

Acknowledgements Windermere acknowledges the contributions and goodwill that have enabled the successful delivery of the Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility project for CALD Communities in the Growth Corridor (hereafter referred to as the Homelessness Project). Specifically, Windermere would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge: The R.E. Ross Trust Homelessness Forums presenters and participants Centrelink Casey North Information and Support Services Victoria Police Consumer Affairs Sheriff’s Office Catholic Care Wellsprings for Women AMES African Community Group Casey/Cardinia Spanish Window Turkish Seniors Group Afghani Women’s and Mum’s Groups Sudanese Group Chinese Group Muslim Women’s Group Vietnamese Group Dandenong Mosque Cook Island / Polynesian Seniors The Southern Integrated CALD Child and Family Network Windermere Housing Program Farah Siddiqui, Homelessness Project Officer Serap Ozdemir, Manager Business Development and Special Proejcts. Our sincerest thanks go to the presenters; the support of the group leaders who assisted with organising the sessions; and the participants for their attendance and interest – thank you! Please accept this statement as a demonstration of our appreciation. Report prepared by Sue Beattie-Johnson, Manager Organisational Improvement Windermere.

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Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013

Table of Contents Acknowledgements .............................................................................................2 Table of Contents ................................................................................................3 Executive Summary.............................................................................................4 Windermere’s Homelessness Project Overview ...............................................5 Project Activities..................................................................................................7 1.

Homelessness Forums ...................................................................................7

2.

CALD Network Homelessness Working Group and Research ........................8

3.

Homelessness Information sessions 2011 ......................................................8

4.

Information Session Findings........................................................................10

5.

Findings 2011 ...............................................................................................22

6.

First Year Project Recommendations............................................................24

7.

Second Year Project Focus ..........................................................................24

8.

Renters Rights Information sessions 2012....................................................25

9.

Information session Findings 2012................................................................26

10. Findings 2012 ...............................................................................................44 Achievement of Project Objectives ..................................................................45 Final Project Recommendations ......................................................................48

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Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013

Executive Summary Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility was a two year project that was initiated in direct response to concern in the welfare sector for the increasing number of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) people at risk of homelessness. The project aimed to reduce this risk through a community education approach involving information sessions, community forums, one to one advice and mentoring, and pathways into support. The project achieved the following outcomes. Conducted 16 information sessions Engaged a total of 469 CALD community members and leaders in the information sessions Information session participants represented 18 diverse cultures, including: Afghani, Turkish, Sudanese, South Sudanese, Somalian, Chinese, Peruvian, Egyptian, German, Vietnamese, Spanish, Sri Lankan, Iranian, Cabodian, Indian, Pakistani, Lebanese, and Cook Islanders/Polynesians. Conducted three community forums on homelessness attracting 620 organisational representatives and community leaders, and one forum on CALD health and wellbeing which attracted 150 attendees. Established a CALD Network Homelessness Working Party and Workplan Initiated a Homelessness Research Project in partnership with Monash University and the CALD Network Established a CALD Network Health and Wellbeing Sub-committee Consolidated relationships with partnering organisations as a basis for further collaboration Enhanced links between key government agencies Informed and educated CALD communities on the homelessness support system, access points, their rights and responsibilities, risk factors, prevention, rental rights and responsibilities, financial assistance and mortgage default and fines. The learnings from the homelessness forums, information sessions and the CALD Network subcommittee meetings, have directly informed the following project recommendations. Rec 1: CALD Network Health and Wellbeing sub-committee to examine the barriers to health screening and medical care, including the apparent lack of accessible interpreting services by health care facilities. Rec 2: Identify a more systematic approach to the provision of information to new arrivals on human rights laws, and the roles of Department of Housing, Consumer Affairs, Centrelink and the Sheriff’s Office. Rec 3: Consider longitudinal research into CALD homelessness in the growth corridor as evidence of the specific needs and issues prevalent within developing communities. Rec 4: Establish relationships with the real estate and banking industries to collaboratively prevent and reduce homelessness among CALD communities. Rec 5: Seek opportunities through the CALD Network to improve financial literacy and educate CALD groups on housing options in the growth corridor. Rec 6: Initiate a process of cross cultural training for workers, focussing on integrated approaches to addressing CALD housing issues, and risk factors such as family violence, settlement, financial stress, and unemployment.

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Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013

Windermere’s Homelessness Project Overview Target Groups The target groups identified and recommended for this project by the CALD Network and through consultations included Afghani, Turkish, Sudanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, Spanish and the Afghani Mother’s Group. This was expanded to target a further eleven CALD groups.

Purpose The purpose of this project was to contribute to the prevention of homelessness among at-risk Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities, through a community education approach involving mentorship, support, information and improved pathways into local housing. It was not within the scope of the project to guarantee housing as an outcome due to the shortage of secure accommodation options in metropolitan Melbourne, however those identified at imminent risk of homelessness, were referred into the system for assistance. Start Date: April 2011

Completion Date: March 2013.

Project Objectives Objective 1: To inform and educate CALD community groups about their rights and responsibilities under the Housing Act 1983, Residential Tenancies Act 1997, Family Violence Protection Act 2008, Children and Young Persons Act 1989, and the Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006. Objective 2: To improve access and equity among under-represented CALD groups to information about the risks of homelessness, prevention, access to the justice system and homelessness support services. Objective 3: To prevent risk of homelessness due to a range of factors through community education. Objective 4: To empower CALD groups to participate more fully in informing social change regarding traditional (unlawful) perceptions of violence, cultural difference and language barriers. Objective 5: To sustain the reach of the project and social cohesion through establishing CALD community members as mentors.

Rationale CALD communities are growing rapidly in the south eastern growth corridor. Consultations conducted through the Victims of Crime CALD Report (Myriad Consulting, 2007) process; and the Windermere initiated and led Southern Integrated CALD Child and Family Network (comprising up to 60 government and community agencies) has identified CALD groups as being at high risk of homelessness. These consultations have specifically found that the majority of respondents chose to not talk about their experiences or seek help; they often had a different perception of homelessness compared to the mainstream definition in the Victorian context; and they faced specific barriers to accessing appropriate housing support, including: Lack of awareness of the range of support services available 5 of 66


Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013 Cultural differences and language barriers Lack of understanding of the various legal options available Fear that reporting family violence will cause more problems, family breakdown and homelessness Unemployment or limited finances Lack of extended family and community support - a particular concern for women, children and seniors Lack of understanding about the housing system Fear that their confidentiality will be breached by service providers Isolation Difficulties in accessing housing support services due to long waiting lists and lack of housing options (although this is widespread and not analogous to CALD communities). Windermere conducted a successful CALD Consumer Credit Project utilising a community education model in 2010. The methodology of engagement was applied to this project as it proved effective.

Expected Project Outcomes The anticipated outcomes of this project were: Establishment of partnerships to improve access to, and navigation through the homelessness support system Increased awareness of homelessness (CALD communities and providers) 4 forums across 2 years conducted across the growth corridor with a target of 50 participants per forum (=200) 4 Local Network Group meetings Establishment of referral protocols and pathways 16 information sessions (approximately 300 participants) Early intervention support and referral for up to 50 families Evaluation findings contributing to evidence-base. Identify, train and evaluate 10 agencies to act as project partners to participate in a train the trainer initiative. Provide mentoring to support the delivery of community education in partner agencies.

Actual Project Outcomes The project activities that have successfully been completed to date, include: Consolidation of strong partnerships within the homelessness support system Increased awareness of the risk factors for homelessness 4 forums conducted engaging a total of 770 participants Monthly CALD Network meetings with a focus on homelessness Promotion of referral protocols and pathways 16 information sessions conducted, engaging 469 participants

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Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013 Participants identified at-risk provided with referral information and support – difficult to quantify numbers due to client’s right to privacy Establishment of a CALD Network Homelessness Working Group (CALD Network member agencies participated in activities that enhanced their knowledge and capacity to up-skill others – train the trainer model and mentoring component) Presentation of project progress to the CALD Network and at public forums, inviting involvement and access to the community education model for their respective organisations Initiation of Homelessness Research Establishment of a CALD Network Health and Wellbeing Sub-committee Formative (process) evaluation findings utilised to implement ongoing improvements to methodology.

Project Outputs Project outputs to date include: Marketing materials produced and distributed Consultations held with Community Group Leaders Session evaluations (pre and post survey) CALD Network Homelessness Working Group Workplan This final project report (evidence).

Project Activities 1. Homelessness Forums Forum Purpose The forums were created to address the correlation of homelessness and cultural standing. In other words, how the process of entry into Australia occurred and how this impacts on an individual’s lifestyle and settlement into Australian society. The main issues linked to risk of homelessness include family violence; the role of men in the family; financial issues; and barriers associated with accessing mainstream service. The final forum focussed on CALD health and wellbeing, recognising mental and physical health as risk factors among CALD communities.

Presenters The forums were introduced by the CEO of Windermere, and delivered by representatives of government departments and agencies, community service organisations, specialist services and Parliamentarians (see Appendix 1 for details).

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Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013

Conclusions The main themes that came out of the forums included the need for: evaluation to better understand the demographics of homelessness (homeless individuals have been incorporated into the next census) a multifaceted approach by the private and public sectors addressing attitudes and stigma associated with homelessness through community education, constructive media portrayal, collaboration and targeted intervention a coordinated approach to all aspects of refugee health and wellbeing.

2. CALD Network Homelessness Working Group and Research Following the 2010 Forum, a CALD Network homelessness planning session was arranged with a flyer and agenda sent to all Network members (see Appendix 2). Over 75 agencies attended this planning meeting and developed the Network’s CALD At Risk of Homelessness Workplan 2011-2012 (see Appendix 3), which details specific actions involving mapping; community education; research; projects; and sector development. All Workplan Objectives have been successfully implemented. This has now been superseded by the CALD Health and Wellbeing Workplan 2012-2014 which was developed in partnership with over 85 agencies. This Work Plan emerged as a direct result of the learning's from the first year of this R.E. Ross Trust funded project. An additional positive outcome as a direct result of the forums, working group meetings and Network advocacy, has been the commencement of a Monash University PhD Student conducting a Homelessness Research Project with Windermere and the Network (for further details see Appendix 4). These unexpected secondary outcomes and flow on effects of this project are significant indicators of the acknowledgement across the sector of the importance of addressing homelessness, and the far reaching engagement capacity of this approach.

3. Homelessness Information sessions 2011 Session Purpose The intended purpose of the sessions was to: Educate attendees on the roles of the guest speakers and how their organisations can help Define the current housing situation and local housing services Present prevention strategies for reducing risks of homelessness Present strategies for managing crises Highlight the role of Police in family violence situations (recognising this as a risk factor for homelessness) Educate attendees on how to access the crisis payment and other services in special circumstances

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Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013 Identifying and highlighting support pathways for people with issues compounding their risk of homelessness.

Presenters Presenters included: Casey North Community Information and Support Services Victoria Police Centrelink Windermere Housing Services.

Evaluation Questions The following questions were developed to gauge the relevance of homelessness to the group, their knowledge, and the effectiveness of the information sessions. 1. Have you experienced or are you experiencing homelessness? 2. Did you receive support? 3. What service did you go to? 4. What support did you receive? 5. What was the outcome? 6. Do you now have knowledge of housing and other services? 7. Do you now have knowledge of who to contact? 8. Was the information provided useful?

Structure The sessions were held at the Group’s community setting to enhance attendance, and the structure of the sessions was informal to enable two way dialogue between presenters and attendees. This approach was well received as indicated by verbal feedback. Interpreters were arranged for each session. The Project Officer asked permission of the Group to take photos of each session. This occurred for all Groups except the Muslim Women’s Group at the Dandenong Mosque. Photos were not taken of this session out of respect for the wishes of attendees.

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Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013

4. Information Session Findings Information Session Afghani Women’s Group, Uniting Place in Hallam 23rd February 2011 Group Details The first information session targetted the Afghani community. Windermere was encouraged to engage consumers and workers in this session. The session was attended by 15 Afghani women. Language spoken at home: Dari. Attendees had been living in Australia for 5 to 6 years. Topics Topics included: ⇒ The roles of the guest speakers and how their organisations can help ⇒ The current housing situation and local housing services ⇒ Prevention strategies to avoid risks of homelessness and how to manage in crises ⇒ Police role in family violence situations ⇒ How to access a crisis payment and other services in special circumstances ⇒ Support pathways for people affected by FV. Attendees were provided with Information flyers which defined access to support services for crisis and homelessness. Information flyers were provided by Centrelink in the applicable language.

Results The survey used to elicit findings for this group represent a mix of quantitative and qualitative questions. Quantitative findings are depicted in figure 1, and qualitative responses are depicted in table 1.

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Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013 Figure 1: Afghani Education Session Quantitative Findings

16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Yes

No

Have you experienced or are you experiencing homelessness? Do you now have knowledge of housing and other services? Do you now have knowledge of who to contact? Was the information useful?

Table 1: Afghani Information session Qualitative Findings Question

Response

Did you receive support?

Whilst only one respondent indicated that she had experienced homelessness, several other attendees discussed being at risk of homelessness due to financial difficulties, family problems, finding a rental property and domestic violence. Majority of respondents indicated that they did not have prior knowledge of support services they could go to, so had not been in receipt of professional services. Three respondents indicated that they sought support from family and friends. Two respondents applied for Department of Housing assistance but received no response.

What service did you go to?

Mostly Centrelink, and one respondent Windermere’s Housing Support program.

What support did you receive?

The respondent who received Windermere assistance, obtained housing within 12 months, prior to this she had been residing in a Mosque with her children.

What was the outcome?

The above respondent indicated that the response was slow due to long waiting periods. One other respondent indicated that she received short term temporary relief, but it was difficult to manage rent due to lack of finances and unemployment.

was

referred

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Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013

Information Session Turkish Senior Citizen’s Group, Hampton Park st 1 March 2011 Group Details

The session attracted 53 Turkish attendees comprising 33 women and 20 men between the ages of 40 and 60 years. Language spoken at home: Turkish. Attendees had been living in Australia for between 5 and 20 years. Topics

Topics included: ⇒ The roles of the guest speakers and how their organisations can help ⇒ The current housing situation and local housing services ⇒ Prevention strategies to avoid risks of homelessness and how to manage in crises ⇒ Police role in family violence situations ⇒ How to access a crisis payment and other services in special circumstances ⇒ Support pathways for people affected by FV. Attendees were provided with Information flyers which defined access to support services for crisis and homelessness. Information flyers were provided by Centrelink in the applicable language. Results

The survey used to elicit findings for this group represent a mix of quantitative and qualitative questions. Quantitative findings are depicted in figure 2, and qualitative responses are depicted in table 2.

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Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013 Figure 2: Turkish Education Session Quantitative Findings

60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Yes

No

Have you experienced or are you experiencing homelessness? Do you now have knowledge of housing and other services? Do you now have knowledge of who to contact? Was the information useful?

Table 2: Turkish Information session Qualitative Findings Question

Response

Did you receive support?

Three respondents indicated they had experienced homelessness. They did not receive support due to lack of knowledge of where to go for assistance. Some people applied for Department of Housing assistance with no response. One woman reported domestic violence to Police, but she stated that she did not get support from the Police and they did not direct her into safe housing. Only short term support was given by agencies, but no housing support. Long waiting, no stable housing support and eligibility criteria is hard to meet.

What service did you go to?

What support did you receive? What was the outcome?

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Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013

Information Session Sudanese Group, Relationship Centre st 1 April 2011

A session was scheduled for this date, however only one Sudanese community member turned up. The presenters waited at the venue for one hour. The session was postponed. The Sudanese community leader explained that the group is representative of three different tribes. Each one has its own language, tradition, culture and values, therefore it can be problematic combining these groups for the provision of information. The community leader also advised that such sessions should provide food and refreshments, and that people are far more likely to attend if the session is conducted on Friday evenings from 7.00 pm. These learnings are useful for informing future engagement activities targeting this community.

Information Session Chinese Group th

6 May 2011 Group Details

The session attracted 48 attendees of mixed gender, with the majority being 50+ years of age. Language spoken at home: Mandarin. Attendees had been living in Australia for 10+ years. Topics

Topics included: ⇒ The roles of the guest speakers and how their organisations can help ⇒ The current housing situation and local housing services ⇒ Prevention strategies to avoid risks of homelessness and how to manage in crises ⇒ Police role in family violence situations ⇒ How to access a crisis payment and other services in special circumstances ⇒ Support pathways for people affected by FV. Attendees were provided with Information flyers which defined access to support services for crisis and homelessness. Information flyers were provided by Centrelink in the applicable language. Results

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Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013 The survey used to elicit findings for this group represent a mix of quantitative and qualitative questions. Quantitative findings are depicted in figure 3, and qualitative responses are depicted in table 3. Figure 3: Chinese Education Session Quantitative Findings

50 40 30 20 10 0 Yes

No

Have you experienced or are you experiencing homelessness? Do you now have knowledge of housing and other services? Do you now have knowledge of who to contact? Was the information useful?

Table 3: Chinese Information session Qualitative Findings Question

Response

Did you receive support?

One respondent indicated that she had experienced homelessness, but did not receive support due to lack of knowledge of where to go for assistance. Unable to seek external assistance due to family boundaries (shame).

What service did you go to?

What support did you receive?

Family and friends.

What was the outcome?

No response.

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Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013

Information Session Vietnamese Group, SICCMA Springvale rd 3 June 2011 Group Details

The session attracted 45 attendees of various ages, comprising 8 men and 37 women. Language spoken at home: Vietnamese. Attendees had been living in Australia for between 3 months and 30 years. Topics

Topics included: ⇒ The roles of the guest speakers and how their organisations can help ⇒ The current housing situation and local housing services ⇒ Prevention strategies to avoid risks of homelessness and how to manage in crises ⇒ Police role in family violence situations ⇒ How to access a crisis payment and other services in special circumstances ⇒ Support pathways for people affected by FV. Attendees were provided with Information flyers which defined access to support services for crisis and homelessness. Information flyers were provided by Centrelink in the applicable language. Results

The survey used to elicit findings for this group represent a mix of quantitative and qualitative questions. Quantitative findings are depicted in figure 4, and qualitative responses are depicted in table 4. Figure 4: Vietnamese Education Session Quantitative Findings

45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Yes

No

Have you experienced or are you experiencing homelessness? Do you now have knowledge of housing and other services? Do you now have knowledge of who to contact? Was the information useful?

Table 4: Vietnamese Information session Qualitative Findings Question

Response

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Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013 Did you receive support?

What service did you go to?

Two respondents indicated they had experienced homelessness. One respondent received support and the other didn’t due to lack of knowledge of support options. One respondent went to WAYSS.

What support did you receive?

Assistance with accommodation.

What was the outcome?

Temporary home and assistance.

Information Session Spanish Window, Dandenong th 11 August 2011 Group Details

The session attracted 14 attendees of mixed ages, comprising 3 men and 11 women. Language spoken at home: Spanish. Attendees had been living in Australia for between 20 and 35 years. Topics

Topics included: ⇒ The roles of the guest speakers and how their organisations can help ⇒ The current housing situation and local housing services ⇒ Prevention strategies to avoid risks of homelessness and how to manage in crises ⇒ Police role in family violence situations ⇒ How to access a crisis payment and other services in special circumstances ⇒ Support pathways for people affected by FV. Attendees were provided with Information flyers which defined access to support services for crisis and homelessness. Information flyers were provided by Centrelink in the applicable language.

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Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013 Results

The survey used to elicit findings for this group represent a mix of quantitative and qualitative questions. Quantitative findings are depicted in figure 5, and qualitative responses are depicted in table 5. Figure 5: Spanish Education Session Quantitative Findings

14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Yes

No

Have you experienced or are you experiencing homelessness? Do you now have knowledge of housing and other services? Do you now have knowledge of who to contact? Was the information useful?

Table 5: Spanish Information session Qualitative Findings Question

Response

Did you receive support? What service did you go to?

Not applicable as this Group did not identify as having experienced homelessness. N/a

What support did you receive?

N/a

What was the outcome?

N/a

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Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013

Information Session Mother’s Group (multicultural), Wellsprings for Women th

6 September 2011 Group Details

The session attracted 35 women of mixed ages. Languages spoken at home: 10 Sudnaese Arabic; 10 Dari; 4 Persian; 3 Tamil; 3 Cambodian; 2 Hindi; 2 Urdu; 1 Lebanese. Attendees had been living in Australia for between 6 months and 5 years. Topics

Topics included: ⇒ The roles of the guest speakers and how their organisations can help ⇒ The current housing situation and local housing services ⇒ Prevention strategies to avoid risks of homelessness and how to manage in crises ⇒ Police role in family violence situations ⇒ How to access a crisis payment and other services in special circumstances ⇒ Support pathways for people affected by FV. Attendees were provided with Information flyers which defined access to support services for crisis and homelessness. Information flyers were provided by Centrelink in the applicable language. Results

The survey used to elicit findings for this group represent a mix of quantitative and qualitative questions. Quantitative findings are depicted in figure 6, and qualitative responses are depicted in table 6. Figure 6: Mother's Group Education Session Quantitative Findings

35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Yes

No

Have you experienced or are you experiencing homelessness? Do you now have knowledge of housing and other services? Do you now have knowledge of who to contact? Was the information useful?

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Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013 Table 6: Mother’s Group Information session Qualitative Findings Question Did you receive support?

What support did you receive?

Response Of the six respondents that identified as having experienced homelessness, three received support and three did not. Two respondents went to WAYSS and one other was referred to another agency (not identified). Temporary accommodation (hostel).

What was the outcome?

Temporary relief.

What service did you go to?

Information Session Muslim Women’s Group, Dandenong Mosque th

28 September 2011 Group Details

The session attracted 25 women of mixed ages. Language spoken at home was Turkish. Attendees had been living in Australia for between 10 to 35 years. Topics

Topics included: ⇒ The roles of the guest speakers and how their organisations can help ⇒ The current housing situation and local housing services ⇒ Prevention strategies to avoid risks of homelessness and how to manage in crises ⇒ Police role in family violence situations 20 of 66


Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013 ⇒ How to access a crisis payment and other services in special circumstances ⇒ Support pathways for people affected by FV. Attendees were provided with Information flyers which defined access to support services for crisis and homelessness. Information flyers were provided by Centrelink in the applicable language.

Results

The survey used to elicit findings for this group represent a mix of quantitative and qualitative questions. Quantitative findings are depicted in figure 7, and qualitative responses are depicted in table 7. Figure 7: Muslim Women's Group Education Session Quantitative Findings

25 20 15 10 5 0 Yes

No

Have you experienced or are you experiencing homelessness? Do you now have knowledge of housing and other services? Do you now have knowledge of who to contact? Was the information useful?

Table 7: Muslim Women’s Group Information session Qualitative Findings Question

Response

Did you receive support? What service did you go to?

Not applicable as this Group did not identify as having experienced homelessness. Not applicable.

What support did you receive?

Not applicable.

What was the outcome?

Not applicable.

No photos were taken in the Mosque out of respect.

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Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013

5. Findings 2011 Figures 1 to 7 above consistently indicate the majority of attendees at all sessions did not identify as having experienced homelessness, although it was noted by the Project Officer that this number changed slightly once the definition of homelessness within the Australian context was discussed. Subsequently, 13 of the 236 attendees at the sessions identified as having experienced homelessness. It is worth noting the validity of these numbers may be contingent on individual and cultural beliefs that prevent divulging personal information in a public setting. There was also an observed tendency to not speak up when asked questions about homelessness. Certainly some CALD leaders have indicated that certain cultures do not talk about their private life publicly. Thus, this could be cultural or it could be generational with aged Anglo-Australians anecdotally expressing similar views. The majority of session attendees who did seek assistance for homelessness did not seek professional support and intervention, but rather, relied upon the goodwill of family and friends. Living with family or friends was not viewed as being ‘homeless’ and in some cultures it is the norm to accommodate ageing relatives. For example, the Chinese Group indicated that according to Chinese culture, most elderly live with their sons and daughters. It is part of the Chinese culture that sons are responsible for taking care of their aged parents. It is considered an affront to the family values if parents seek outside assistance. Therefore, their knowledge was non existent. Those who did seek professional assistance indicated that the support offered was short term. Whilst all groups indicated that their knowledge of where to go for help had increased dramatically as a result of the information sessions, they still didn’t fully understand the housing and broader support system. Two key areas of learning identified by leaders of the Turkish and Afghani groups, were an expressed understanding of the Office of Housing waiting period for public housing and that this is due to a widespread shortage of accommodation options. This was not understood prior to the session. At completion of the sessions, some attendees sought one-to-one advice and they were able to be guided appropriately. Information regarding budgeting and negotiating with the landlord / estate agent appeared to be well received and are often vital links to preventing issues spiralling out of control into homelessness. Language was also identified by attendees as a barrier in accessing information and support from the Office of Housing and community based support services. Presenters encouraged attendees to utilise interpreting services generally to enhance access to government and community-based support services. Attendees were not aware of the Centrelink classification of boarding as opposed to renting which was challenging to explain through an interpreter. Centrelink presenters were pivotal in unravelling complex questions and provided a personalised one to one connection. They supplied contact details and encouraged attendees to call them with any renting, leasing or financial assistance enquiries. Family violence is well documented in literature as being a risk factor for homelessness. Information provision in this regard assisted in demystifying the role of the Police and was useful, however it is yet to be determined if addressing two discrete yet linked topics ‘homelessness’ and ‘family violence’ within a single forum is appropriate and beneficial. There were not any specific comments made by attendees in this regard. The Vietnamese Group indicated the whole package of information was very useful. The Project Officer noted that “One lady stated that she knew there was general help available, but was not sure where to go for specific problems”. In this forum, participants were able to raise personal issues and receive a response immediately from the presenters. This, in addition to brochures in the their language enabled attendees to walk away from the session with a greater understanding of homelessness and support options. The presenters encouraged attendees to seek assistance to prevent / address crises. The Spanish Group comprised two Pastors from different denominations and their groups. Within the Church people come to them with many issues, but the pastors do not have knowledge of where to send 22 of 66


Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013 them. Similar to other groups, the concept of homelessness and risk factors was not known among the Spanish Group. The session increased awareness for this group, and resulted in attendees coming forward and asking presenters for their advice regarding issues in which people they knew were struggling without any support. After the session, attendees indicated that they had a greater awareness that anyone can be at risk of homelessness. The Pastors expressed that they wanted to spread the word and educate their larger community. The Mother’s Group attendees were well engaged with the presenters, especially the Police who discussed family violence, and the associated reporting and intervention process. Beliefs and fears were discussed, including the notion that as Police are not part of or “the boss of our family”, their services are not sought in such situations. Attendees were encouraged to seek assistance and request an interpreter. Similar to all other groups, the Mother’s Group attendees were very pleased with the session. Most of them admitted that they had heard about support services, but were unsure how to make contact especially in view of language barriers. This was also raised by both the Turkish and Afghani groups. The Muslim Women’s Group did not identify as having experienced homelessness and the majority owned their homes. The group appeared to be most interested in financial support options offered by Centrelink and Casey North Information and Support Services. Some attendees knew about support services, but didn’t utilise them due to a sense of shame in asking for help in addition to the language barrier. The sessions generated much discussion and there was evidence post each session, of increased awareness of homelessness and where to go for help. Group Leader

The sessions involved provision of information flyers which outlined support service options and methods of access for people at-risk of or experiencing homelessness. Information was supplied in the applicable language. Interpreters attended each session and were utilised effectively – engaging well with both attendees and presenters. The Project Officer observed that the sessions were generally well organised, informal and friendly. This personalised approach has proven to be effective in conducting previous projects. The strengths of this approach are detailed in Appendix 5. There was consistent feedback that the timing of the Homelessness sessions (commencing 10am) was too early despite publicity and reminder phone calls. This has been modified to afternoons or late mornings for the Renter’s Rights sessions in 2012. Attendees seemed enthusiastic about the sessions and indicated they were worthwhile. comments from Group leaders on the value of the sessions are attached (see Appendix 6).

Additional

The fear of calling the Police for assistance in FV has changed and now they are willing to discuss their issues with the Police. They are more confident and encouraged to seek support and advocacy in case of financial and domestic crises. Group Leader

Many questions were raised by attendees across all groups. Consistent emerging themes appeared to be financial options and renters rights. Specifically, most groups indicated interest in a follow up session with the key topics being: Centrelink payments Rent assistance Leasing arrangements Renting issues

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Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013 Consumer rights Financial assistance and counselling Shared accommodation arrangements Utility payment. In direct response to this feedback, the focus for 2012 information sessions was Renter’s Rights.

6. First Year Project Recommendations Rec 1:

The CALD Network to consider identifying strategies for raising awareness among CALD communities of the way in which the housing system integrates – its structure, the roles of government and community based organisations and access pathways.

Rec 2:

Consider other risk factors such as drug and alcohol misuse, financial disadvantage, and unemployment as topics for future homelessness projects.

Rec 3:

Consider capacity to arrange alternative methods of information delivery for groups that are difficult to engage, such as nights and weekend sessions; and ensure the timing of community education activities is considered in the context of each group to maximise attendance.

Rec 4:

Consider the key outcomes of the Homelessness Forums (need for evaluation to understand the demography of homeless persons; potential for a multifaceted approach by private and public sectors; and addressing attitudes and stigma) when planning future initiatives.

Rec 5:

The Project Manager (Windermere) to consider conducting follow up information sessions on renters’ rights and financial support options to prevent homelessness.

7. Second Year Project Focus In direct response to the themes identified above from the first year findings, the focus for the second year was on renter’s rights and financial support options. This was driven by the participants who had specifically requested these areas of focus, which is a credit to the engagement capacity and responsiveness of the project. In regard to action on first year recommendations, Windermere: Progressed Recommendation 1 through the CALD Network’s active role in addressing homelessness in CALD communities, specifically through the hard work and commitment of the purposelyestablished Working Group. Changed the second year focus in accordance with Recommendation 2, to financial disadvantage and unemployment as risk factors for homelessness through presentations by Centrelink. At some point in the future the CALD Network may conduct a project on drug and alcohol abuse as a risk factor for homelessness. Recommendation 3 was addressed and attendance rates were pleasing. The second year of the project was reconfigured to target CALD students at AMES (multicultural education). Recommendation 4 ties into Recommendation 1 and is an area of focus for the Working Group. Recommendation 5 underpins second year activities. 24 of 66


Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013 There was a hiatus of information sessions between October 2011 and January 2012 to enable the Project Officer to plan and organise 2012 sessions, and also because Group Leaders indicated that any sessions run towards the end of the year and during the summer break, would result in very poor attendance.

8. Renters Rights Information sessions 2012 Session Purpose The intended purpose of the sessions has been to: Educate attendees on renter’s rights and obligations Discuss financial stress as a risk factor for homelessness Highlight support options.

Presenters Presenters included: Consumer Affairs Casey North Community Information and Support Services Centrelink Sheriff’s Office Casey Council.

Evaluation Questions The following questions have been asked of attendees to gauge the link between rental and mortgage payment stress and the risk of homelessness, knowledge of where to go for help and the effectiveness of the information sessions. Pre-session evaluation: 1. How many of you are currently employed? 2. Do you pay rent? 3. How many of you are having difficulty in paying your rent? 4. How many of you have a mortgage (raise your hand)? 5. How many of you are experiencing difficulty in paying your mortgage? 6. What assistance have you sought? (This was a discussion point and is not depicted in the quantitative results below). Post-session evaluation: 7. Do you now have knowledge of rental rights? 8. Do you now have knowledge of who to contact? 9. Was the information provided useful?

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Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013

9. Information session Findings 2012 Information Session Turkish Senior Citizen’s Group, Hampton Park th 28 February 2012 Group Details

The session attracted 55 Turkish attendees comprising 35 women and 20 men between the ages of 40 and 60 years. Language spoken at home: Turkish. Attendees had been living in Australia for between 10 and 35 years. Topics

Topics included: ⇒ Renter’s rights and obligations ⇒ Financial stress as a risk factor for homelessness ⇒ Support options. Consumer Affairs focussed on the Housing Act, condition reports and tenants rights. Centrelink presented on rent assistance, Centrepay, crisis payment, social work support and referral for emergency aid and food vouchers. Attendees were provided with Information flyers on renting rights and responsibilities from Consumer Affairs in the applicable language. Results

The survey used to elicit findings for this group were presented pre and post the sessionas depicted in Figures 8 and 9.

Figure 8: Turkish Education Session Pre Session Evaluation Findings

50 40 30 20 10 0 Do you pay rent? How many of you are having difficulty paying your rent? How many of you have a mortgage? How many of you are having difficulty paying your mortgage?

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Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013 Figure 9: Turkish Education Session Post Session Evaluation Findings

50 40 30 20 10 0 Do you now have knowledge of rental rights? Do you now have knowledge of who to contact? Was the information provided useful?

The main issue among this group was conflict with Council regarding rates payments. Consumer Affairs were able to explain who to contact for assistance. Centrelink staff directly assisted 8 attendees regarding pension related issues. Contact after the sessions with Centrelink staff to obtain advice and support is the real added value of this project. Financial stress for some was an issue that was able to be addressed on an individual basis. See Appendix 7 for a copy of the agenda for this session. This same format was adapted for further Renter’s Rights sessions.

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Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013 Information Session Muslim Women’s Group th

7 March 2012 Group Details

The session attracted 18 Iraqi and Turkish attendees comprising women between the ages of 30 and 60 years. Language spoken at home: Arabic and Turkish. Attendees had been living in Australia for between 5 and 30 years. Topics

Topics included: ⇒ Renter’s rights and obligations ⇒ Financial stress as a risk factor for homelessness ⇒ Support options. Consumer Affairs focussed on the Housing Act, condition reports and tenants rights. Centrelink presented on rent assistance, Centrepay, crisis payment, social work support and referral for emergency aid and food vouchers. Attendees were provided with Information flyers on renting rights and responsibilities from Consumer Affairs in the applicable language. Results

The survey used to elicit findings for this group were presented pre and post the sessionas depicted in Figures 10 and 11. Figure 10: Muslim Wom en's Education Session Pre Session Evaluation Findings

20 15 10 5 0 Do you pay rent? How m any of you are having difficulty paying your rent? How m any of you have a m ortgage? How m any of you are having difficulty paying your m ortgage?

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Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013 Figure 11: Muslim Women's Education Session Post Session Evaluation Findings

20

10

0 Do you now have knowledge of rental rights? Do you now have knowledge of who to contact? Was the information provided useful?

Half of the group (9) indicated they have a mortgage, with 5 expressing they have difficulty making loan repayments. All of those who rent (3) have difficulty paying their rent, but indicated their most common complaints were in regard to plumbing and electrical problems that were not fixed by real estate agents or landlords. Consumer Affairs provided information on how to make a complaint, and the rights and responsibilities of tenants and landlords. Often these information sessions result in other issues being raised for discussion. Whilst not homelessnessspecific, these CALD access issues highlight the systemic barriers within our society that may have broader implications. For example, one attendee indicated there is no interpreter service at her GP clinic. She was advised that it requires a double consultation so they don’t have this facility on offer. Consequently, she avoids going to the doctor. Similarly she indicated similar issues in hospitals. No photo supplied due to cultural restrictions.

Before the session people had no motivation. After listening to the speakers people became very interested in the information provided and fully participated in asking questions. Group Leader

Information Session Wellsprings for Women Living and Learning Together Group th

24 April 2012 Group Details

The session attracted 25 women, their countries of origin being Afghanistan, Iraq, South Sudan, Sudan and Sri Lanka. The women were aged between 30 and 60 years. Languages spoken at home: Dari, Pashto, Iraqi, Arabic, Tamil, and Malayalam. Three interpreters were used for the session. Attendees had been living in Australia for 29 of 66


Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013 between 5 and 15 years. Topics

Topics included: ⇒ Renter’s rights and obligations ⇒ Financial stress as a risk factor for homelessness ⇒ Support options. Consumer Affairs focussed on the Housing Act, condition reports and tenants rights. Centrelink presented on rent assistance, Centrepay, crisis payment, social work support and referral for emergency aid and food vouchers. Attendees were provided with Information flyers on renting rights and responsibilities from Consumer Affairs in the applicable language. Results

The survey used to elicit findings for this group were presented pre and post the session as depicted in Figures 12 and 13. Note: an evaluation question was added to identify the numbers of attendees in paid employment to enable Centrelink presenters to deliver the most relevant information. Figure 12: Wellsprings Education Session Pre Session Evaluation Findings

25 20 15 10 5 0 How many of you / your partners are currently employed? Do you pay rent? How many of you are having difficulty in paying your rent? How many of you have a mortgage? How many of you are experiencing difficulty in paying your mortgage?

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Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013 Figure 13: Wellsprings Education Session Post Session Evaluation Findings

25 20 15 10 5 0 Do you now have knowledge of rental rights? Do you now have knowledge of who to contact? Was the information provided useful?

Participants indicated they had never had this kind of session before on rental issues. They expressed many problems in dealing with home owners and estate agents, especially regarding increases in rent without notice and poor living conditions due to lack of maintenance . They found the information very useful and collected brochures and flyers. Consumer Affairs (CA) explained bond money, the Housing Act, condition reports and tenants rights in this regard. CA explained that if a tenant receives a notice from their landlord, they can send it to CA for verification. They can do rental property inspections for tenants and provide an advocacy service free of charge. This information was invaluable to participants – they didn’t know CA existed but now felt empowered to make contact when dealing with rental issues. Some participants were confused how monthly rent is calculated. Centrelink and CA explained calculations on a whiteboard and this clarified their concerns. This was an invaluable joint government agency process that ordinarily is not accesible to the public in this format. Upon reflection, the additional question of employment status for “you/your partner” could have skewed results, as it is effectively two questions in one, and it may have been unclear if respondents were to provide an answer for their own employment status or their partner’s.

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Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013

A participant told us this is the first time that useful information has been provided. She had no idea before where to go for assistance when dealing with rental issues, issues of property maintenance and financial support. Project Officer Information Session Cook Island / Polynesian Seniors th

15 May 2012 Group Details

The session attracted 12 women and 8 men, their country of origin being The Cook Islands. Most particpants were on an aged pension. The language spoken at home was Maori. Attendees had been living in Australia for between 5 and 8 years. Topics

Topics included: ⇒ Renter’s rights and obligations ⇒ Financial stress as a risk factor for homelessness ⇒ Support options. Consumer Affairs focussed on the Housing Act, refund policies, telemarketers, contracts and cooling off periods, condition reports and tenants rights. Centrelink presented on rent assistance, crisis payment, Centrepay, social work support and referral for emergency aid and food vouchers. Attendees were provided with Information flyers on renting rights and responsibilities from Consumer Affairs in the applicable language. Results

The survey used to elicit findings for this group were presented pre and post the session as depicted in Figures 14 and 15.

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Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013 Figure 14: Cook Islander Education Session Pre Session Evaluation Findings

10 5 0 How m any of you / your partners are currently em ployed? Do you pay rent? How m any of you are having difficulty in paying your rent? How m any of you have a m ortgage? How m any of you are experiencing difficulty in paying your m ortgage?

Figure 15: Cook Islander Education Session Post Session Evaluation Findings

20

15

10

5

0 Do you now have know ledge of rental rights? Do you now have know ledge of w ho to contact? Was the inform ation provided useful?

All participants paying a mortgage found it difficult to make repayments and relied on the contributions made by their adult children. Four participants live in government housing and the remainder of them live with their extended families, due to lack of income or financial support. Those renting within the group indicated concerns regarding property maintenance and rent increases without proper notice. This group was reluctant to share their issues as it was perceived as private. General concerns were raised and discussed in a manner that did not single out anyone. Information booklets on consumer affairs and a directory of community support services within Casey were given to the group and explained. 33 of 66


Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013

Information Session Afghan Women’s Group – Catholic Care th

14 June 2012 Group Details

The session attracted 16 women, their country of origin being Afghanistan. The language spoken at home was Dari. Attendees had been living in Australia for between 2 and 10 years. Topics

Topics included: ⇒ Renter’s rights and obligations ⇒ Financial stress as a risk factor for homelessness ⇒ Support options. Consumer Affairs were unable to present at this session. Centrelink presented on a range of financial support options for families. Results

The survey used to elicit findings for this group were presented pre and post the session. The pre session findings are depicted in Figure 16, however responses were not clearly articulated post session. This is noted below in more detail.

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Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013 Figure 16: Afghan Women's Group Pre Session Evaluation Findings

16 12 8 4 0 How many of you / your partners are currently employed? Do you pay rent? How many of you are having difficulty in paying your rent? How many of you have a mortgage? How many of you are experiencing difficulty in paying your mortgage?

There was no real indication given by the group of understanding post the session. Participants asked several questions of Centrelink regarding the parenting payment, Family Tax A and B, and New Start Allowance. They were able to engage one to one with the Centrelink presenter regarding individual circumstances, which was well received. The key areas of concern for this group was eligibility for rent assistance, high rental costs (in Department of Housing properties and private rentals) and the financial strain this causes, especially for new arrivals from Afghanistan. They were also concerned about the condition of rental properties, with landlords providing a ppoor level of maintenance. It is worth noting this session was originally set up six months in advance for Afghan men as part of their usual weekly session. However only two men arrived, so session was rescheduled. The Group Leader indicated it is difficult to gather men for information sessions even though they attend every week for group activities. No photos supplied due to cultural restrictions.

Information Session Afghan Mum’s Group - P12 School th

14 June 2012 Group Details

The session attracted 13 women in their early 20s, whose country of origin is Afghanistan. The languages spoken at home are Dari and Hazaragi. Attendees had been living in Australia for between 3 months and 5 years. Their husbands arrived by boat and have lived in Australia from between 5 and 10 years. They worked hard as laborers and tradesmen to save money to buy a house before their family arrived. Topics

Topics included: ⇒ Renter’s rights and obligations 35 of 66


Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013 ⇒ Financial stress as a risk factor for homelessness ⇒ Support options. Consumer Affairs focussed on the Housing Act, refund policies, telemarketers, contracts and cooling off periods, condition reports and tenants rights. Centrelink presented on rent assistance, crisis payment, Centrepay, social work support and referral for emergency aid and food vouchers. Attendees were provided with Information flyers on renting rights and responsibilities from Consumer Affairs in the applicable language. Results

The survey used to elicit findings for this group were presented pre and post the session as depicted in Figures 17 and 18. Figure 17: Afghan Mum's Group Pre Session Evaluation Findings

12 8 4 0 How many of you / your partners are currently employed? Do you pay rent? How many of you are having difficulty in paying your rent? How many of you have a mortgage? How many of you are experiencing difficulty in paying your mortgage?

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Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013 Figure 18: Afghan Mum's GroupPost Session Evaluation Findings

12

8

4

0 Do you now have knowledge of rental rights? Do you now have knowledge of who to contact? Was the information provided useful?

There was no indication given by the group of difficulty in paying rent or mortgage repayments. One particpant indicated that management of finances and payment of rent and bills is “men’s business”, as a consequence, there was little knowledge in this regard. The focus of the session shifted onto the key issues for the women currently. They indicated an inability to read and write in their own language, let alone English. They had difficulty understanding Australian culture and lifestyle, and found that obtaining citizenship was extremely difficult without some English proficiency. Another key issue that arose was lack of access to health care due to language barriers. “No matter how sick we are [as a group] we don’t go to doctor, it is embarrassing”. One participant spoke of extracting her own painful tooth at home rather than seeking medical attention. This access issue requires further attention by the CALD Network. The session improved knowledge of where to go for assistance, and Centrelink explained the procedures for requesting an interpreter to enable two way communication. No photos supplied due to cultural restrictions.

Information Session AMES English as a Second Language (ESL) Students - Dandenong th

19 June 2012 Group Details

The session attracted 8 women and 9 men, their countries of origin being Afghanistan, Iran, Sri Lanka, China, Peru and Egypt. Attendees had been living in Australia for between 3 weeks and 4 years. Topics

Topics included: 37 of 66


Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013 ⇒ Renter’s rights and obligations ⇒ Financial stress as a risk factor for homelessness ⇒ Support options. Consumer Affairs focussed on the Housing Act, refund policies, telemarketers, contracts and cooling off periods, condition reports and tenants rights. Centrelink presented on rent assistance, crisis payment, Centrepay, social work support and referral for emergency aid and food vouchers. Attendees were provided with Information flyers on renting rights and responsibilities from Consumer Affairs in applicable languages. Results

The survey used to elicit findings for this group were presented pre and post the session as depicted in Figures 19 and 20. Figure 19: AMES ESL Students Pre Session Evaluation Findings

15 10 5 0 How many of you / your partners are currently employed? Do you pay rent? How many of you are having difficulty in paying your rent? How many of you have a mortgage? How many of you are experiencing difficulty in paying your mortgage?

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Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013 Figure 20: AMES ESL Students Post Session Evaluation Findings

15

10

5

0 Do you now have knowledge of rental rights? Do you now have knowledge of who to contact? Was the information provided useful?

The primary issue among this group was lack of English language skills, which limit their understanding of rental contracts – the majority had signed without knowing their rights. The group did not know who to contact for help and had never heard of Consumer Affairs. There were some specific concerns raised and participants were encouraged to contact CA for assistance. The group was forthcoming in asking many questions of the CA and Centrelink presenters. Being new arrivals in Australia, the group had no knowledge of the support services available, and lacked the confidence to pursue this information for fear of discrimination. The group appeared very isolated from the broader community.

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Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013

Information Session African Community Group Casey/Cardinia nd

22

August 2012

Group Details

The session attracted 17 women from Africa. The languages spoken at home included Arabic, Neur and Dinka. Attendees had been living in Australia for between 1 and 5 years. Topics

Topics included: ⇒ Renter’s rights and obligations ⇒ Financial stress as a risk factor for homelessness ⇒ Support options. Consumer Affairs focussed on the Housing Act, refund policies, telemarketers, contracts and cooling off periods, condition reports and tenants rights. Centrelink presented on rent assistance, crisis payment, Centrepay, social work support and referral for emergency aid and food vouchers. Council presented on support services and transport options. Attendees were provided with Information flyers on renting rights and responsibilities from Consumer Affairs in applicable languages. Three interpreters were present. Results

The survey used to elicit findings for this group were presented pre and post the session as depicted in Figures 21 and 22.

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Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013 Figure 21: African Community Casey/Cardinia Pre Session Evaluation Findings

15 10 5 0 How many of you / your partners are currently employed? Do you pay rent? How many of you are having difficulty in paying your rent? How many of you have a mortgage? How many of you are experiencing difficulty in paying your mortgage?

Figure 22: African Com m unity Casey/Cardinia Post Session Evaluation Findings

15

10

5

0 Do you now have know ledge of rental rights? Do you now have know ledge of w ho to contact? Was the inform ation provided useful?

This session involved presenters from Consumer Affairs, City of Casey, Sheriff’s Office, a real estate agency and Centrelink. The focus was on legal requirements of renting, poor housing conditions, and access to Consumer Affairs to assist in dealing with rental problems and landlords. This was particularly useful as all participants were renting and having difficulty in meeting payments. The group indicated that transport links from Pakenham was a barrier to employment, so it was also useful to have the City of Casey present to discuss services and options.

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Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013

Information Session AMES Dandenong th

14 November 2012 Group Details

The session attracted 27 women and 25 men, their countries of origin being China, Afghanistan, Germany, Somalia and Sri Lanka. Most participants were unemployed and on Centrelink benefits. Attendees had been living in Australia for between 6 months and 4 years. Topics

Topics included: ⇒ Renter’s rights and obligations ⇒ Financial stress as a risk factor for homelessness ⇒ Support options. The Sheriff’s Office covered infringements, court orders for parking fines and mortgage default, types of warrants, and who to contact to avoid escalation. Centrelink explained responsibilities of the government departments such as DHS, Commonwealth Rehabilitation and Centrelink; income support to people with eligible visas; and programs which support people with complex cases. Results

The survey used to elicit findings for this group were presented pre and post the session as depicted in Figures 23 and 24.

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Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013 Figure 23: AMES Pre Session Evaluation Findings

50 40 30 20 10 0 How m any of you / your partners are currently em ployed? Do you pay rent? How m any of you are having difficulty in paying your rent? How m any of you have a m ortgage? How m any of you are experiencing difficulty in paying your m ortgage?

Figure 24: AMES Post Session Evaluation Findings

50 40 30 20 10 0 Do you now have knowledge of rental rights? Do you now have knowledge of who to contact? Was the information provided useful?

All but one participant in this session rented, and had difficulty in making payments. Homelessness was discussed in the context of preventative options such as rent assistance, boarding rooms and shared accommodation; and seeking support earlier in crises to avoid escalation of arrears in payment of fines and bills. The role of Centrelink was explained especially options for extra support to refugees and migrants, people with illnesses that prevent employment, and the elderly. It was raised that Afghanis do not trust government authorities and systems and do not feel their needs are heard. The session was well received and enabled people to ask specific questions of the rpesenters from Centrelink and the Sheriff’s Office – an opportunity that is not notmally afforded to the public.

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Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013 The group indicated increased awareness of Centrelink elgibility criteria for receipt of payment when going overseas; who to contact for help if needing financial assistance; Centrepay arrangements; Centrelink social workers; support service options; and access to interpreting services. The group expressed the session had broadened their knowledge of their rights and responsibilities.

10.

Findings 2012

The Turkish Group and Muslim Women’s Group (Figures 8 and 10) had a far greater number of mortgagors than renters, with approximately half indicating difficulties in making payments. The Cook Islander group indicated difficulty with mortgage repayments and relied on the contributions made by their adult children. The remaining groups (Figures 12-23) were predominately renters with all but one group indicating difficulty in paying rent. The exception was the Afghan Mum’s Group who were not aware of financial difficulties as management of finances is “men’s business”. There were consistent issues expressed among groups as follows. ⇒ Difficulty in making mortgage and rental payments (increasing cost not commensurate with income) ⇒ Eligibility criteria for rent assistance negating some high needs groups ⇒ Poor condition of rental properties – lack of maintenance; issues with plumbing and electrical, rising damp and mould; and difficulty in getting landlords/real estate agencies to commit to repairs and improvements ⇒ Little knowledge of rights and contractual obligations ⇒ Increases in rent without notice. Other issues that arose throughout the sessions were as follows. ⇒ Systemic barriers to access eg. lack of interpreting services in health care settings, which excludes many CALD groups from important screening programs, regular check ups and early treatment (this has potential for much broader implications on the health care system regarding higher demand for emergency and tertiary end care) ⇒ Inability to read and write in own language and English, leading to difficulties in participating in Australian culture and achieving citizenship ⇒ Lack of knowledge of and trust in government departments 44 of 66


Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013 ⇒ Lack of understanding among refugees particularly of basic human rights laws, the housing system, and tenancy rights and responsibilities ⇒ High risk of Afghani refugees not gaining employment due to age, lack of skills and education, in turn, increasing housing instability. Similar to the 2011 sessions, attendees generally did not see themselves at risk of homelessness. Despite such high numbers indicating difficulty in paying rent and mortgage repayments, there was a sense of reliance on family and friends in tough times. This was more evident among groups who were longer term Australian residents. For recent arrivals with limited support networks, the risk was greater. The majority of session attendees did not seek assistance regarding rental issues or mortgage repayment difficulties, because they didn’t know where to go for help. However, their knowledge increased dramatically as a result of the information sessions, especially regarding the role of Consumer Affairs in dealing with rental disputes. Centrelink was pivotal in unravelling complex questions during the 2012 sessions and provided a personalised one to one connection. It was evident information regarding financial support options and the role of social workers at Centrelink was widely unknown among the groups, and was well received. The Sheriff’s Office were vital in explaining fines, defaults and warrants, particularly regarding the dangers of fines mounting when notices are not dealt with. It was a crucial area of learning in the potential prevention of homelessness, to understand the official process that occurs when fines and defaults are not addressed. Participants were supplied with information on payment and support options offered through the Sheriff’s Office, which not only enhanced understanding among the groups, but also appeared to strengthen trust and communications. The sessions involved provision of flyers and information brochures from presenters supplied in the applicable language. Interpreters attended each session and were utilised effectively – engaging well with both attendees and presenters. This two year project was an invaluable initiative bringing government agencies together with the community services sector to enhance knowledge and improve access to housing and support systems in the prevention of homelessness.

Achievement of Project Objectives The key to any project success is achievement of objectives, or acknowledgement of variations to the objectives in direct response to participants’ needs. The purpose of this project was to contribute to the prevention of homelessness among at-risk CALD communities, through a community education approach involving mentorship, support, information and improved pathways into local housing. It was acknowledged that the project scope did not seek housing as an outcome, but did seek improved knowledge and access for those at risk. Objective 1 was to inform and educate CALD community groups about their rights and responsibilities under the Housing Act 1983, Residential Tenancies Act 1997, Family Violence Protection Act 2008, Children and Young Persons Act 1989, and the Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006. This was the primary focus of the information sessions during 2011. The Housing Act and Residential Tenancies Act underpinned the information sessions during 2012, where the focus was more on renters’ rights. It was a key strength that presenters consistently referred to the same legislation and demonstrated a unified approach. Objective 2 was to improve access and equity among under-represented CALD groups to information about the risks of homelessness, prevention, access to the justice system and homelessness support services. 469 participants from 18 diverse groups attended information sessions across two years, and post session feedback consistently indicated that all attendees felt the information was useful and they had a greater understanding of their rights and where to go for help.

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Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013 Objective 3 was to prevent or reduce the risk of homelessness through community education, and whilst this cannot be qualified or quantified, we believe through observation that the project was able to decrease the risk for some people who had one to one discussions with presenters and were able to access specific advice and further guidance to prevent an unstable situation from escalating. Objective 4 focussed on empowering CALD groups to participate more fully in informing social change regarding traditional (unlawful) perceptions of violence, cultural difference and language barriers. This applied more to 2011 activities, where human rights and family violence (as a risk factor for homelessness) were topics included in information sessions. The 2012 sessions focussed more on renter’s rights, but certainly highlighted cultural and language barriers. Objective 5 was to sustain the reach of the project and social cohesion through establishing CALD community members as mentors. This has occurred on two fronts, firstly through acknowledgement of Community Leaders as conduits to information, advice and support; secondly, the CALD Network is continuing to take a lead role in addressing homelessness and advocating the needs of specific groups through the establishment of working groups (sub-committees of the CALD Network). The key performance indicators of the Homelessness Project are illustrated in the following table using anticipated indicators and actual indicators to demonstrate achievement.

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Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013 Table 8: Achievement of Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Key Performance Indicators

Anticipated KPIs

Actual KPIs

Variation / Comments

Tapped into the CALD specific knowledge, linkages and expertise of the Southern CALD Network.

⇒ Homelessness Project on every CALD Network meeting agenda ⇒ Project Officer presented findings mid term ⇒ Established Homelessness subcommittee of CALD Network ⇒ Tapped into the CALD Network membership to assist in coordinating delivery of as many sessions as possible.

⇒ An unexpected additional benefit of the project was the establishment of a sustainable sub-committee to continue the work of the project and keep homelessness on the public agenda going forward.

Consolidated linkages between the CALD Network’s Homelessness Sub-Committee and the housing sector.

⇒ Information sessions and public forums enabled people to meet and greet and establish connections.

Enhanced the uptake of collaborative and coordinated practice to improve access by CALD communities to the housing system.

⇒ Collaboration came more in the form of government agency presenters working together to deliver a unified message and enable access by participants to immediate information and advice. ⇒ 4 Forums conducted attracting 770 attendees

⇒ Unprecedented numbers attended the 4 forums ⇒ The Homelessness sub-committee completed all its work plan actions ⇒ Established a CALD health and wellbeing sub-committee. ⇒ This immediate, personalised assistance is not replicated in any other known forum. The manner in which this approach breaks down barriers to access is noteworthy.

Provided 4 homelessness forums attracting 200 attendees to build knowledge and capacity among providers, for information sharing, and establishment of partnerships and referral protocols / pathways. Improved understanding of the housing system, support options and identification of risk factors among target CALD groups.

Identified up to 150 at-risk CALD families through the Project, CALD Network, Forum attendees, Information sessions attendees, CALD group leaders, mentors and the Project Officer, and referred them into early intervention case management and other support services, thereby preventing homelessness.

⇒ Provided 469 CALD community members and their group leaders with knowledge they did not have previously. ⇒ Post session evaluations found that participants had improved knowledge of homelessness, risks and support options, and improved understanding of where to go for help ⇒ People do not necessarily identify as at high risk of homelessness. Instead they were more likely to have discrete one to one conversations which led to informal referral to support services.

⇒ 285% more people engaged in the forums.

⇒ Demonstrated in Findings section herein .

⇒ Not able to be quantified.

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Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013 Anticipated KPIs Trained 24 CALD community members as mentors, equipped to identify their peers at-risk of homelessness and refer them into appropriate support services.

Engaged up to 300 community members in 16 information sessions and equip them to assist their peers and build knowledge of support services. Southern CALD Network in partnership with housing agencies utilised project findings and attracted ongoing prevention funding from government to specifically support CALD communities experiencing risk of homelessness in the Growth Corridor.

Actual KPIs

Variation / Comments

⇒ Community Leaders were equipped with information to support their roles as mentors to their community members. ⇒ Members of the Homelessness sub-committee of the CALD Network have also been equipped with homelessness specific information to enhance their knowledge as community mentors. ⇒ 469 participants ⇒ 18 diverse cultural groups ⇒ 16 information sessions

⇒ Not able to be quantified.

⇒ The findings are agendaed to be presented at the March 2013 CALD Network meeting. This will enable the CLAD Network to utilise the findings as a basis for guiding the next phase.

⇒ Ongoing.

⇒ 56% more people engaged in the information sessions than anticipated.

This project is demonstrable evidence of a collaborative, action research approach to a priority issue in the community. The CALD Network has been instrumental in informing the direction of this project and progressing the first year recommendations. It is anticipated this report will inform planning and activities of the CALD Network going forward, and will add to the evidence base in the homelessness sector more broadly.

Final Project Recommendations The following recommendations are based on learnings from the homelessness forums, information sessions and the CALD Network sub-committee meetings. Rec 1: CALD Network Health and Wellbeing sub-committee to examine the barriers to health screening and medical care, including the apparent lack of accessible interpreting services by health care facilities. Rec 2: Identify a more systematic approach to the provision of information to new arrivals on human rights laws, and the roles of Department of Housing, Consumer Affairs, Centrelink and the Sheriff’s Office. Rec 3: Consider longitudinal research into CALD homelessness in the growth corridor as evidence of the specific needs and issues prevalent within developing communities. Rec 4: Establish relationships with the real estate and banking industries to collaboratively prevent and reduce homelessness among CALD communities.

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Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013 Rec 5: Seek opportunities through the CALD Network to improve financial literacy and educate CALD groups on housing options in the growth corridor. Rec 6: Initiate a process of cross cultural training for workers, focussing on integrated approaches to addressing CALD housing issues, and risk factors such as family violence, settlement, financial stress, and unemployment.

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Homelessness: Everyone’s Responsibility Final Report February 2013 APPENDIX 1: FORUM AGENDAS

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APPENDIX 2: HOMELESSNESS WORKSHOP

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APPENDIX 3: HOMELESSNESS WORK PLAN


APPENDIX 4: HOMELESSNESS RESEARCH PROPOSAL Proposal for ARC Linkage Grant – Monash/Windermere collaboration Preventing homelessness: Understanding what works to keep people in housing in the new urban growth areas 9 August 2011, Janet Stanley DRAFT Background

Housing policy in Australia tends to be fragmented. Apart from planning regulations it has largely been left to market forces for the bulk of the population and has not been a prominent policy area. Only about 5% of households live in public housing, with about 34% of households fully owning their housing and 35% paying mortgages (Dalton 2009). The present high demand for housing, the high growth in land price and the high levels of household debt are leading to serious pressures and concerns about affordable housing (NIEIR and Stanley 2009). Much of the demand for affordable housing is coming from the present rapid growth in migration. The gap between demand and supply of housing increases annually and will continue to increase according to the National Housing Supply Council (2010). These trends have resulted in a number of serious concerns for those at the bottom end of the housing market, such as increases in rental costs, additional pressure on public housing waiting lists and an increase in homelessness. Windermere is a leading NGO catering for the needs of families living in the new and rapidly growing outer eastern fringe suburbs of Melbourne. These new urban developments offer the most affordable housing for migrant families, newly established families (first home buyers) and those with a low income, such as sole-parent families. However, the convergence of a number of issues is leading to increased vulnerability and risk of social exclusion for many families in these new suburbs. The need to provide housing is tending to outpace other services and resources in the area. These include the essential support structures: transport, employment and education opportunities. The declining investment in transport infrastructure and poor job generation together with fringe suburbs frequently lacking transport connections to areas of major employment and other services, is a major problem (NIEIR 2010). Similarly, the building blocks which provide a sense of community and the frameworks for supporting community growth, community support and networks of social capital are not being put in place. Nor are the local community development and support agencies being adequately supported in this critical element of wellbeing. This absence is particularly acute because of the potential vulnerability of many of the families moving into the area who may be dealing with other difficult issues in addition to low levels of income. With the high new migrant population moving into the area, issues of cultural integration in a new and unfamiliar cultural context may lead to isolation. Such families also commonly lack information about, or knowledge about process to engage with available support. This problem is particularly acute after the first few years of arrival when the initial settlement supports are withdrawn. One unfortunate outcome is that many families at risk reach a crisis point in finances, family relationships or other issues and are unable to meet the mortgage or rental costs, or the costs involved in establishing alternative safe accommodation in a situation of relationship breakdown and family violence. The outcome may be homelessness and accompanying involvement of child protection and other crisis services. Anecdotal evidence suggests that there are many points where communities and support organisations, as well as other service organisations such as banks providing mortgage loans, are aware of concerns in the household. For some families who able to access support, there has been a successful outcome which has avoided a traumatic endpoint crisis and resultant cost intensive (emotional and financial for the family, community, support organisations and government) process to assist the family to return to stability. Assisting more families to move from the crisis trajectory through an earlier and timelier intervention and prevention response would result in much better outcomes for all involved. Research questions

This proposed research will investigate and determine effective early intervention and secondary prevention strategies to assist people who are at risk of becoming homeless or at risk of remaining in the crisis system. The


area for focus is Dandenong, Casey, Cardinia and Mornington Peninsula. The purpose in doing this research is to inform a more integrated system of support that identifies families early through existing services such as community based agencies, local government and other relevant supports services. The methodology will include interviews and case studies of people who have either been identified as close to losing their house or those who have already received a service such as transitional housing. People will be asked to identify the practical, service and infrastructure supports that have or could have helped them overcome the circumstances that led to being homeless. Method

1. Awareness raising letter about the project with local government, organisations, community leaders and members. 2. Literature review and exploration of available documentation about homelessness, related factors and present interventions, in the project areas. 3. Questionnaire and/or consultation with people/organisations to ascertain their experience of the extent of the issue of housing break-down. This should assist in understanding ‘hidden need’ and hard-to-reach people and communities. Opinions will be sought on successful strategies employed to assist clients and the types of options that they would have liked to employ, but were unable, and why they were unable. Information will be sought on the nature of the solutions, who undertook the intervention and the resources needed. 4. Interviews with people who have either been identified as close to losing their house or those who have already received a service such as transitional housing. People will be asked to identify the practical, service and infrastructure supports that assisted them, or those they would have liked in order to help them overcome the circumstances that led to being homeless. They will be asked about the impact of the outcomes on their own, and their family’s wellbeing, now and in the future. The number of interviews, who is interviewed and their location will be determined by discussion with Windermere and other stakeholders, what has been learnt from step 2 and 3, above, as well as how diverse the issues appear to be, and the resources available to the project. 5. Subject to additional funding from a Linkage Grant, a cost/benefit approach could be undertaken in order to understand the value of the redistribution of costs from a crisis service provision to a preventative and early intervention approach. Such information could be used for policy development and advocacy with state and federal government, as well as a basis for attracting resources for this prevention work. Products

1. Interim findings will be presented in a forum with study participants and other interested parties. 2. The findings will be presented in a report, together with key recommendations and policy implications. Personnel

Janet Stanley – Monash Uni Katie Vasey – Monash Uni Research Assistant – Monash Uni Lenore Manderson (To be determined) Assistance with cost/benefit analysis when needed Serap Ozdemir - Windermere References

Dalton, A., 2009, Housing policy in Australia: Big Problems but well down the agenda, in McClelland, A. and Smyth, nd P (eds) Social Policy in Australia: Understanding for Action, 2 ed. Oxford University Press, Australia, pp. 176-193. National Housing Supply Council, 2010, 2nd State of Supply Report 2010, National Housing Supply Council, author, Australia. NIEIR (National Institute of Economic and Industry Research) (with Stanley, J.) (2009), Disadvantage in Melbourne Local Government Areas 2008-2012, Report commissioned from Department of Planning and Community Development, Victoria. NIEIR (National Institute of Economic and Industry Research) 2010 State of the regions 2010-2011, author, Melbourne. 63 of 66


APPENDIX 5: COMMUNITY EDUCATION APPROACH

The key attributes of a personalised community education approach as evidenced by Windermere are summarised as follows. Personalised Approach: Conduct smaller, more intimate groups Ensure sessions are held at the venue of the group’s choosing Sessions are to be conducted in an informal manner - encouraging questions and discussions during presentations Enable one to one dialogue where participants can discuss their personal situations and seek advice from each other and the presenters Empower consumers to make sensible choices through greater awareness and new found knowledge Socialise and network after sessions – this can build trust and relationships that can be sustained. Participatory Style: Participants should be encouraged to ask questions throughout the presentations - a participatory style of facilitation enables group members to share experiences and strategies with their peers Generate robust group discussion, rather than simply bombarding the groups with information only Empower participants to share the learnings with their peers beyond the project. Government Departments More Accessible: Demystify and showcase the human face of the government departments involved in presenting Enable participants to have one to one time with presenters Build confidence among participants to ask for assistance in the future, reminding them that interpreter services are available. Building Relationships: The personalised, informal approach is tantamount to building community relationships Group participants sharing lunch with the presenters after the session is invaluable in building trust and connections Strongly forged relationships between groups and presenters can have positive flow on effects (secondary outcomes) These relationships once established can result in a commitment to continue collaboration (sustainable).

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APPENDIX 6: COMMUNITY LEADERS’ FEEDBACK

The group enjoyed [the session] and know where to go if they are at risk of homelessness. They now know about Windermere housing and other local housing services. They understand the waiting process at the Office of Housing. Now they know limitations of available housing, prevention to avoid risks and manage with their current housing. Most of them did not have this information before and so they wanted to discuss their problems and get assistance. They know more about the effects of family violence to their children. They now understand to report family violence to get assistance and protection. Most of the women now know about Intervention Orders. [The session] raised other questions and fears according to their beliefs. They now have good knowledge of Centrelink, the crisis payment, meeting eligibility criteria and getting support from a social worker. Now they have knowledge of getting financial assistance and counselling, budgeting, paying bills and linking to others e.g. landlords, estate agents, billing agencies etc. Now they know who to contact in crisis in order to secure their homes.

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APPENDIX 7: INFORMATION SESSION AGENDA (EXAMPLE)

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