Enabling Local Communities: Homelessness in Cairns. Preliminary site analysis

Transcription

1 Enabling Local Communities: Homelessness in Cairns Preliminary site analysis March 2016

2 About QCOSS The Queensland Council of Social Service (QCOSS) is the state-wide peak body representing the interests of individuals experiencing or at risk of experiencing poverty and disadvantage, and organisations working in the social and community service sector. For more than 50 years, QCOSS has been a leading force for social change to build social and economic wellbeing for all. With members across the state, QCOSS supports a strong community service sector. QCOSS, together with our members continues to play a crucial lobbying and advocacy role in a broad number of areas including: sector capacity building and support homelessness and housing issues early intervention and prevention cost of living pressures including low income energy concessions and improved consumer protections in the electricity, gas and water markets energy efficiency support for culturally and linguistically diverse people early childhood support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and culturally and linguistically diverse peoples. QCOSS is part of the national network of Councils of Social Service lending support and gaining essential insight to national and other state issues. QCOSS is supported by the vice-regal patronage of His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC, Governor of Queensland. Lend your voice and your organisation s voice to this vision by joining QCOSS. To join visit the QCOSS website ( ISBN Queensland Council of Social Service Ltd. This publication is copyright. Non-profit groups have permission to reproduce part of this book as long as the original meaning is retained and proper credit is given to the Queensland Council of Social Service. All other persons and organisations wanting to reproduce material from this book should obtain permission from the publishers. Page 2 / March 2016

3 Contents Introduction... 4 Methodology... 4 About Cairns and its residents... 5 The homeless population in Cairns... 7 Local processes and practices... 8 Key stakeholders and local leaders Service gaps and barriers Conclusion Page 3 / March 2016

4 Introduction The Enabling Local Communities (ELC) project seeks to support and better enable two communities Ipswich and Cairns to strengthen local leadership, processes and practices in the area of housing and homelessness to improve service and sector integration. A proposal about how housing and homelessness services in these locations could be better delivered to achieve the best possible outcome for individual will also be developed. The ELC project will build on data gathered through the Home for Good Registry Weeks, which captured the needs of homeless people in Cairns and Ipswich, and the perspectives and stories of people who live and work in those communities. Both data and story will be used to provide evidence of what works and where fresh responses may be required. Sound ideas will be tested and embedded in communities, and local action and leadership will be supported. This site analysis provides context for the Cairns element of the ELC project. It summarises the local service system, and identifies leaders and stakeholders, as well as existing integration and coordination mechanisms, and service gaps. Methodology The data for this report was gathered through a desk analysis to find existing information on the Cairns community and housing and homelessness initiatives underway, along with a range of consultation processes, including: attendance at local housing and homelessness networks face-to-face interviews with service providers and community members online surveys with service providers. Interviews with key personnel from both government and non-government agencies (within the housing and homelessness sector as well as broader community services) were designed to elicit first-hand information about the experiences of service integration, what is working well and any potential barriers. Online survey questions were co-designed with members from the Cairns Housing and Homeless Network to supplement the information from the interview process. The contracted time frame to complete this site analysis in a five-week period presented some difficulties in terms of accessing a number of key respondents. Page 4 / March 2016

5 This difficulty was partly overcome by encouraging people within local networks to use the online survey if they did not have time to participate in a face-to-face interview. In the Cairns region, twenty-one government and non-government service providers participated in the interviews while a further 49 organisations completed an online survey. In addition, Leximancer (a content analysis tool) was used to analyse the surveys, interview transcripts, individual stories and reports. Leximancer identified high level concepts and key ideas that will be used to theme issues and provide data for use in the sense-making process with both communities in the next phase of the project. About Cairns and its residents The Cairns Regional Council Area is located in Far North Queensland, approximately 350 kilometres north of Townsville and 1,700 kilometres north of Brisbane. The region sits on the east coast of Cape York Peninsula and is bordered by the Regional Councils of Cassowary Coast in the South, the Tablelands and Mareeba in the West and Douglas Shire Council in the North. Cairns contains a number of sub-regional communities such as the Northern Beaches, Freshwater and Redlynch Valleys, Gordonvale/Goldsborough and the rural south. Fitzroy and Green offshore islands are also features of the regional profile (profile.id.com.au/cairns/home). Bordering the regional in the East is the Yarrabah Aboriginal Shire Council which is approximately 60km by road from Cairns CBD. While this project covers the inner area of Cairns, (from Ellis Beach in the North to Edmonton in the South), discrete communities from the Tablelands and Cape York Peninsula as well as Yarrabah Aboriginal Shire Council will come to Cairns as the main administrative hub in the region, to access a range of medical, health and wellbeing services, housing and homelessness services, education and training opportunities, income support and employment. It is worth nothing here that while Cairns is a popular tourist destination and the gateway to all the tropical north has to offer (including the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and the World Heritage listed Wet Tropics rainforest), it is also part of a significant Indigenous regional area (Cairns/Atherton). Cairns also has one of the highest Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations in Australian who live in some of the most disadvantaged communities in the country. From 2008 to 2014 the Cairns Regional Council area included the Douglas Shire Council following a state government to LGA amalgamation process. In 2013 Douglas Shire residents voted in favour of de-amalgamation from the Cairns Regional Council, which took effect on 1 January Page 5 / March 2016

6 Population figures during the amalgamation years are therefore higher than the new estimated resident population for Cairns from 2014 onwards. Furthermore, the most recent data on population characteristics are derived from the 2011 ABS Census, which for the Cairns region, included the Douglas Shire Council area at the time of the census. Population data cited in this section draws on both the 2011 figures (prior to de-amalgamation) and current estimated numbers (post de-amalgamation) and are subsequently marked (1) and (2) respectively. The estimated resident population (ERP) for Cairns as at 30 June 2014(2) is 158,985 with an average annual growth rate of 2.8 per cent during the last 10 years. Unemployment in Cairns is 7.4 per cent with youth unemployment at 20.5 per cent compared with Queensland at 5.9 per cent and 13.2 per cent respectively. Families with children account for 38.3 per cent of the total population and of these, just under one third (31 per cent) are one parent families. In 2011, Cairns was rated at on the SEIFA Index of Disadvantage. Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA) ranks areas in Australia according to relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage. A higher score on SEIFA (i.e. above 1,000) indicates a lower level of disadvantage in an area, while a relatively low score shows a higher level of disadvantage. In comparison, Logan City scores on SEIFA, Ipswich while Brisbane s rating is Cairns has a high level of interstate and internal migration with 44 per cent of the population having moved once in the five years from 2006 to Cairns residents moving internally within the region account for 21 per cent of all those who had moved while 17 per cent had moved from another part of Queensland or Australia. Internal migration trends indicate that a high proportion of people moving into Cairns came from the LGAs of Cassowary Coast, Torres, Yarrabah and Cook with people also moving to Cairns from Darwin and Mount Isa. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 9.3 per cent of the Cairns population and 14.3 per cent of the total population of Far North Queensland(2). In comparison, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people account for 2.5 per cent of the Australian population and 3.6 per cent of Queensland s population, with the majority (73 per cent) living outside of Brisbane. Page 6 / March 2016

7 The homeless population in Cairns The 2011 ABS Census of Population and Housing: Estimating the Homeless data provides an overview of homelessness in Cairns. There were 3,827 people experiencing or at risk of homelessness in the region including: 343 sleeping rough sleep or in improvised dwellings 353 in supported accommodation 290 staying with other households temporarily 468 staying in boarding houses 363 marginally houses in caravan parks 963 in severely crowded dwellings. Specific details of the characteristics of people experiencing homelessness in the Cairns region is provided in the attached report which draws on a sample of 405 individuals and families who participated in the Home for Good Registry Week project. Figure 1: People experiencing homelessness or in marginal housing Cairns 2011 Persons who are in improvised dwellings, tents or sleeping out 4% 9% 5% 9% 8% Persons in supported accommodation for the homeless Persons staying temporarily with other households Persons staying in boarding houses 27% 1% 12% Persons in other temporary lodging Persons living in 'severely' crowded dwellings 25% Persons living in other crowded dwellings Persons in other improvised dwellings Persons who are marginally housed in caravan parks Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing: Estimating Homelessness, 2011 Page 7 / March 2016

8 Local processes and practices There are a number of coordinating bodies and networks operational in the Cairns region. Cairns Alliance of Social Services The Cairns Alliance of Social Services (CASS) is a major representative body of social services in the region. CASS membership comprises a broad range of organisations from across a number of key sectors and service types including: mental health, family and domestic violence, drug and alcohol, disability, primary health, education and training, housing and homelessness, legal, family and children, income support, Indigenous services and government. Its purpose is to: 1. Be a voice for social change 2. Develop our skill base to better serve our community 3. Enhance our cooperative capacity A key strategy of the network is its ability to bring together organisational decision makers as members in order to facilitate timely decisions on important issues and integrated efforts. Cairns Housing and Homelessness Network The Cairns Housing and Homelessness Network (CHHN) is another long running alliance that has delivered a number of integrated efforts to the region. Membership is primarily comprised of social housing and specialist homelessness services but may also include representatives from Centrelink, youth and family services, family violence services and government. The purpose of the network is to achieve housing justice for all people in Cairns through a range of activities and strategies including: engaging effectively with funding bodies and relevant key stakeholder within, as well as external to, the homelessness sector; identifying services gaps, barriers and emerging issues; and generating potential solutions to local issues. Cairns Homelessness Taskforce The Cairns Homelessness Taskforce (also known as the Cairns Homelessness Project Group) is part of the Regional Managers Coordination Networks (Department of Housing and Public Works) and exists to: Support the coordination and improvement of services to people in public places who are homeless or displaced and intoxicated and Fosters a cooperative and coordinated approach to improve the wellbeing of individuals and communities associated with homeless. Page 8 / March 2016

9 The Taskforce receives regular written and verbal reports from the Cairns Assertive and Integrated Street-based Outreach program, the Case Coordination Working Group (CCWG) and Douglas House (Mission Australia) as well as updates from local networks and alliances. Membership includes senior managers/ceos from: housing and homelessness services, Indigenous services, health, government, justice and corrections, and police. Cairns Homelessness Services Hub The purpose of the Cairns Homelessness Services Hub is to provide easy access to a wide range of services for people experiencing homelessness or people at imminent risk of homelessness in Cairns. There is a strong focus on supporting people who have traditionally experienced difficulties accessing the homelessness service system, including those who may be sleeping rough and those with complex needs. The hub facilitates access for homeless people to a wide range of housing and support services in Cairns including: access to information, referral and advocacy, referral to housing and accommodation options and crisis support. Case Coordination Working Group The Case Coordination Working Group (CCWG) is a collaborative multiagency case management process supporting chronically homeless rough sleepers to achieve independent and sustainable housing. The framework for practice is underpinned by a Housing First model which assumes housing is a human right and aims to ensure the provision of housing to homeless people and apply appropriate wrap around support to assist them to maintain independent accommodation. The group meets every two weeks to develop case plans and review progress to ensure actions are implemented and goals are met. Participants of the working group currently include: Anglicare NQ Mission Australia Ozcare Department of Housing and Public Works (DHPW) Queensland Health Salvation Army Women s Centre Queensland Drug & Alcohol Council (QDAC) Department of Human Services Centrelink Shelter Housing Action Cairns (SHAC) Youthlink Omega Health Page 9 / March 2016

10 Specialist Disability Services Assessment and Outreach Team (SDSAOT) Synapse Lotus Glen Correctional Centre Transitions Other networks and processes Coordinated Care for Vulnerable Young People (CCVYP) Cairns Collective Impact for Domestic and Family Violence Supporting Families Alliance Family Support Workers Alliance FNQ Mental Health Alliance Dual Diagnosis Network Health Justice Partnerships (QPILCH) Key stakeholders and local leaders Consultations were conducted with the following organisations and individuals who are key stakeholders and active participants in the housing and homelessness sector in the Cairns region: DHPW Arther Poa and Gary Roberts SHAC Sharon Large Wuchopperan Health Centre Debra Malthouse Queensland Positive People and Tenants Queensland Bryony Walters Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services Georgie Montague CASS Network Gindaja Treatment and Healing Centre Ailsa Lively Douglas House Mission Australia : Natalie Musumeci YETI Genevieve Sinclair Cairns Integrated Crisis Accommodation Service (Quigley Street Night Shelter) Kim McCoomb Street to Home Mission Australia Mark Jentz Cairns Homelessness Services Hub Anglicare Evan Martin QPILCH Sue Garlick, Donnella & Renee Queensland Health Shane Pointing Access Community Housing Donna-Marie O Conner CHHN participation in network meetings Page 10 / March 2016

11 Women s Centre Cairns Jane Doyle Cairns Accommodation Support Service OzCare Jessica Vidafar Offender Reintegration Support Service Lotus Glen Correctional Centre James Sleep Cairns Regional Domestic Violence Service Amanda Lee-Ross Cairns Homelessness Taskforce A number of additional individuals have been identified as key stakeholders in this space and consultations will be scheduled with them: Bob Paten (Disability) Heather Sinclair Ruths Shelter Rebekah Segar Peer Advocate The Junction Clubhouse Lucas Williams Team Leader, Cairns Homelessness Services Hub Cara Brackstone Centennial Lodge (Salvos) Paula Neal Yarrabah Women s Shelter Anita Laska Innisfail Youth and Family Care Michael White Red Cross Jessie Gilbert St Margarets Girls Shelter Leanne Knowles Warringu Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation James Whitehead St Johns Boys Shelter Christopher Pardey Youth Link Suzanne Andrews CEO of Gurriny Yealamucka Health Service, Yarrabah Service gaps and barriers A number of key themes emerged from the first round of ELC consultations in Cairns and a preliminary desk research of relevant data and information. High proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander service users While mainstream organisations cited differing numbers of Indigenous service users accessing current programs (from 55 per cent to 95 per cent) most noted that between 70 and 85 per cent of people using their services identified as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. This was indicated across a range of service types including youth services, family and children s services, specialist homelessness services, and ex-offender support services. Page 11 / March 2016

12 Most organisations have responded to this demand by ensuring staff undertake cultural competency training and, where possible, through employing Indigenous workers. Consultations with Indigenous services indicated that while small partnerships and joint service delivery initiatives are undertaken at times between Indigenous and mainstream services, these arrangements are often developed as issue specific or ad-hoc responses to newly emerging and identified problems. Major partnership arrangements or high level strategic alliances between Indigenous services or Aboriginal Community Controlled organisations and mainstream services are not currently apparent within the service sector. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander service sector in Cairns is small there are two Indigenous housing co-ops and five community controlled health organisations with Wuchopperen being the major Indigenous health service in the area. In addition, most of these organisations provide services to the whole of the Far North Queensland (FNQ) region in addition to Cairns. Subsequently, service delivery to the majority Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander target group in Cairns appears to be either designed and delivered by mainstream services or designed and delivered by one of the few Indigenous services and/or Aboriginal Community Controlled organisations in the area. Itinerate population from the Cape and Yarrabah As the main service hub in FNQ, Cairns is the destination for many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island community members who come from one of the 13 discrete communities throughout the region and who require health and medical care, housing/support services, education and training services or other resources and services only available in the regional centre. For many, their only form of income are government benefits, which affords little in the way of suitable accommodation particularly in a region that has a significant shortage of crisis, short-term and social housing options. The private rental market has low vacancy rates (2 to 2.5 per cent) with weekly rental prices that far exceed the capacity of a person in receipt of government income support. As a result, many people find themselves sleeping rough or in severely overcrowded housing situations. Another itinerate group are ex-offenders scheduled for release from Lotus Glen Correctional Centre, 25 minutes from Mareeba in the Tablelands. For many in this group, Cairns is the only option as a post release destination in order to fulfil probation/parole and Centrelink requirements. Lack of service coordination for secondary homelessness While Cairns has seen a focused effort in the sector to integrating and coordinating services for chronic homelessness and those sleeping rough in public spaces within the city centre, this group of homeless people does not Page 12 / March 2016

13 constitute the largest. Secondary homelessness that is, those staying in temporary or other short term/crisis accommodation, including homelessness and family violence shelters, make up the majority of the homeless population in Cairns. Among this group is a significant level of youth and family homelessness, most commonly female-led households with children. While there exist a range of organisations that provide services, resources and support to the secondary homeless population, there is little in the way of a specific, sector wide, coordinated effort. The CCWG mentioned early, which is facilitated by Anglicare at the homelessness service hub, is a good example of how such a group can facilitate an integrated response. Another example is the Coordinated Care for Vulnerable Young People which looks at service system integrated efforts to support young people. Further work needs to be done on how a whole system might look and function, that includes primary, secondary and tertiary homeless groups and services. Under-resourced and stretched service system During the consultations all service providers expressed concern over the significant lack of affordable housing options for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Additionally, the under resourcing of the necessary wrap around services that are critical to ensuring that those who are housed are able to sustain their tenancies, was also a key point of discussion. While all agreed that service integration and coordination efforts provide core efficiencies to the system which result in improved and enhanced outcomes for service users, participants in the consultations also agreed that this was becoming increasingly harder to achieve without appropriate resourcing. For example, two of the central networks in the region that have successfully coordinated a range of past initiatives have recently seen their respective long-running Chairperson stand down from their positions. The position of Chair for these important integrated networks encompasses an additional work load that many are no longer willing to take on particularly at a time when services are significantly stretched by high demand and increasingly complex clients, while also experiencing reduced funding and resourcing. Both networks are vulnerable to becoming less than their stated purpose if other champions for the networks are not able to dedicate the additional time and effort to facilitating and driving the group. The consultations also highlighted difficulties and challenges faced by organisations in the competitive tendering process that can have a significant impact on the sector s capacity to achieve integrated efforts. Similarly, it was also noted that the defunding of other broader services, such as drug and alcohol services, mental health, prisoner/ex-offender support and Indigenous services, has a significant impact on specialist homelessness services, who rely on these for wrap around case coordination to meet the needs of clients. Without these resources in place, it is likely more tenancies will break down, recidivism will increase and the effectiveness of the homelessness service system will decrease as client outcomes become poorer. Page 13 / March 2016

14 Conclusion The Enabling Local Communities consultation process attracted strong participation from services operating in the Cairns region and has provided a solid basis for the next stages of the project. Clear messages have emerged that despite the presence of an active service system, challenges remain in terms of having better integration between mainstream and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander services, coordinating services for the large group of people experiencing secondary homelessness, and gaining appropriate resourcing for service integration and coordination efforts. As we lead into the next phase of the project, the local Reference Group in Cairns (made up with key local departmental representatives and community stakeholders) will meet in April to look at the themes from the consultation process and the Leximancer findings. The next phase of the project will also include communicating the findings from the initial consultation with the sector and broader community. It will involve opportunities to bring people together to review the local data and key issues through hosting participatory process activities for the community to determine vision, direction and approaches to integration projects they would like to pursue. The project officer will continue to work closely with the existing networks and key leaders to identify opportunities to broker strategic partnerships to bolster relationships across the sector as well as integration and sustainability. Page 14 / March 2016

15 Published March 2016 by: Queensland Council of Social Service Inc River Tower, Ground Floor, 20 Pidgeon Close, WEST END QLD 4101 (P O Box 3786 SOUTH BRISBANE QLD 4101) Ph: qcoss@qcoss.org.au Website: