Annual Report 2022

Acknowledgment of Country

Hume Community Housing acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians as the original custodians and occupants of this land including the Dharawal, Cabrogal, Gadigal, Wonnarua, Worimi, Awabakal peoples and the Dharug Nation whose traditional lands Hume operates within. We pay our respects to Elders past and present and acknowledge the longstanding relationship that the original custodians continue to have with this country and its peoples.

Hume’s Reconciliation Vision statement

Our vision for reconciliation is to enable and build social equality by working in and with community to create opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. We aspire to see our country healed and acknowledged as a nation where all have opportunities to prosper.

We must be proactive in what we can do to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to succeed and prosper on their terms. To do this, we must recognise inequality and injustice. We must also recognise the disproportionate disadvantage endured by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. We must acknowledge their rightful place in their own country.

Through listening, self-determination, and walking alongside our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander customers, we will strive to achieve social equality through purposeful relationships, the provision of homes, links to employment, training, and support programs.

Hume’s support of the uluru statement from the Heart

We support a First Nations Voice to Parliament, enshrined in the constitution. We accept the invitation to walk with First Nations to a better future for us all.

Reconciliation Action plan (RAp)

Hume continued to implement our first Reflect RAP throughout the year, successfully completing the actions as planned apart from some community engagement due to COVID-19. Hume was well placed to make significant progress given our readiness to begin on this journey. As is typical of a Reflect RAP, Hume has used these first 12 months to focus internally and start to build the RAP into our organisational identity and culture and ensure it truly reflects our values and purpose. Hume established robust governance and other mechanisms with strong support from all levels of the organisation. Our RAP Committee meets monthly and includes two Executives. Three Working Groups were established to coordinate deliverables in the areas of Events; Stakeholder Engagement and Service Improvement. The Committee consisted of 20 engaged members and all the Aboriginal employees were invited to participate. Of the five, four Aboriginal and Torres Strait employees maintained their engagement. Hume’s RAP has been promoted regularly through different platforms and occasions. We achieved a lot in a year, but we also can see how much more there is to achieve that ‘substantive’ change. We are looking forward to increasing our impact with an Innovate RAP.

Lucy Andrews, Victor Prasad and Catherine Cahill at the 2021 Hunter Business Awards.

Chair’s report

Opportunities to improve our services drive Hume forward. That’s why the focus of Hume’s Board are the three strategic pillars of Hume; Growth to provide more homes, Social Impact to improve the lives of our customers and a Thriving Organisation so our future is resilient, effective, and efficient.

growth

Hume’s Board sees the value of growing as providing more homes for our customers but also to ensure that Hume has a property portfolio which is fit for purpose.

Many of the Hunter and Port Stephens region transfer of properties owned by Land and Housing Corporation in 2019 are at the end of their useful life. They are in poor repair, and many are family homes that are not suitable for the future needs of our customers. The repair estimate is significantly more that Hume originally budgeted, and for some properties, it may than be the most prudent investment.

The demographics of Hume’s customers in social housing is changing. Hume’s customers are increasingly single occupiers, with older women being the fastest growing cohort at risk of homelessness, or currently homeless. A better mix of homes is required. Demolishing old, unsuitable housing and building modern, smaller units is a better solution.

More innovative solutions are needed to restructure our regional portfolio to better meet the needs of the community, and to allow Hume to borrow funds in order to build new homes. We need permission from the State government to do this.

We are pleased to report that meetings held during 2021 –2022, with the relevant Government Minister and other agencies were positive. We believe our proposals align with current stated NSW Government objectives to grow social and affordable housing and are worthy of their support.

The new Federal Government also has plans for large investments in social and affordable housing. 50,000 new properties throughout Australia are proposed over the next five years. Hume is ready to partner with these new initiatives.

CoVid-19, resilience and the future

COVID-19, floods, and other significant unprecedented events raised organisation-wide operational challenges for Hume and has forever changed the way we conduct our business.

The Board believes developing and practising organisational resilience leads to a thriving organisation. We are committed to becoming more agile, flexible, and focused on making it easier for our customers to access our services. Through the pandemic, Hume employees have made outstanding efforts by taking on more work to fill the gap as COVID-19 hit their colleagues and absences

increased. They also demonstrated patience and resilience in the massive effort required to introduce our services in the Hunter and Port Stephens regions.

The Board would like to thank the extraordinary people at Hume, our employees and the Executive team. This year has certainly tested our resilience, and through the work done as a result, Hume Community Housing is better placed to thrive in 2022 and beyond.

thanking our Retiring Board members

Robert Vine

With over 20 years’ service on Hume’s Board and a decade as Chair, Robert Vine has guided Hume through the greater part of its journey. Bob’s deep knowledge of the sector and management qualifications have been a great support to Hume’s Executive Team. “Bob has been a very healing Chair in turbulent times, and is totally dedicated to Hume,” said Hume Chair, Sue Holliday. “He and his wife Sandy send donations to the Fairfield office to give to customers who are struggling. Bob and Sandy have been wonderful contributors to Hume over the long years they’ve been involved, and we wish them well on the next stage in their lives.

Larraine eddy

Larraine Eddy has held a position on Hume’s Board since 2005. This was in addition to an earlier 5-year period of service. As a person with both qualifications and 24 years’ experience working with older people, her insights have been invaluable, “Larraine has brought lived experience to the Board, importantly representing customer needs and customer views”, said Chair Sue Holliday.

sue Holliday

Chair, Hume Community Housing

Ceo’s report

We are pleased to present this years’ report to our members, customers, partners, employees, and stakeholders.

COVID-19 lockdowns, floods, and other unprecedented events continued to have a significant impact on Hume’s operations during 2021-2022. For 107 days, families and friends were separated, businesses forced shut and people lost their livelihoods in the lockdown across Greater Sydney. I want to take this opportunity to record for prosperity the unusual year we, like some many other organisations, have experienced.

Fairfield, Liverpool, and Bankstown were the epicentre of those Local Government Areas of concern. That is where all our Sydney customers live and many of our employees live.

The lockdown soon extended to regional areas impacting Hume’s Hunter portfolio. By August 2021, Hume was advised by the Department of Health that an identified COVID cluster was at Motto Farm Motel, Raymond Terrace. Hume uses Motto Farm for temporary accommodation for those experiencing homelessness. This was of great concern, both for those customers and as the motel was used by the public, the potential for rapid spread was great. Hume activated its COVID lock in response plan and worked with other local agencies and organisations to support our customers through isolation.

Hume’s priority throughout the first half of the year was a heightened need to keep both our customers and employees safe and supporting their mental health and wellbeing needs.

Hume’s strategies included empowering and connecting with customers and employees who were spending 23 hours a day in their homes, trying to home -school children or work from home and even becoming socially isolated. Hume worked with other community organisations and with local councils to identify those customers most in need and impacted through this period.

It also became clear, that as our LGAs had more severe restrictions imposed than other areas of Greater Sydney, that there was a sense that they were being ‘ostracised ‘or made to feel as ‘others’ We are proud that as an organisation we advocated for our customers and communities with government and other agencies. We gave our customers a voice with decision makers about the reality of living in our communities during lockdown.

For some, the extent of policing the lockdown in Western Sydney was a traumatic reminder of what they had fled. Listening is at the heart of Hume’s commitment to personcentred support. When customers contacted Hume, the right questions could uncover their deepest concerns. Our employees could see the impact it was having and put in place different types of supports for those customers.

our communities really appreciated that we stood by them in a time of need

Hume is also proud of its employees, who, when safe to do so, continued to put their own health on the line to go out and work with vulnerable customers.

To achieve this, Hume undertook such extensive work in risk assessment, work, health, and safety procedures that we managed to support our customers, serve our customers, let our properties, and not once did a transmission of COVID occur because of the work we were doing.

Hume conducted a pulse survey of our employees 85% of whom responded. We wanted to understand the impact of the pandemic on their wellbeing. Our employees told us that we had very effectively managed communication, health and safety and enabled them to ensure a work, life balance during challenging times.

Our management of COVID-19 and our care for our team and customers was recognised by the Australian HR Awards and by the NSW State Business Award for Outstanding Employer of Choice.

Change in Australia’s understanding of safe, secure housing

There was an unintended but positive outcome from lockdown. The lockdown demonstrated to everyone in Australia the value of a safe, appropriate, and secure home.

The general population started to understand something Hume has always known, the link between good health and housing, and how much inappropriate accommodation can lead to mental and physical ill health.

We gAVe ouR CustomeRs A

VoiCe WitH deCision mAkeRs

ABout tHe ReALity of LiVing in tHose Communities duRing LoCkdoWn.

The lockdown showed who essential workers really were and highlighted the dependency that Sydney has on workers from Western Sydney. A new appreciation for South Western Sydney has begun to take place.

Resilient property management

In February and March 2022, major flooding events occurred in the Hunter and Western Sydney. Hume has very experienced crisis response teams, however Hume has had to stand up these teams more times in the past two years than we have done in the past 15 years.

Hume has identified which properties are prone to floods and have a specialised crisis response system. Hume worked with our contractors, worked with our customers, and knew who our vulnerable customers were.

Hume worked around the clock to keep people safe, find temporary accommodation and after the weather events make affected homes protected from weather and safe.

This was not without impact on our teams, so Hume has recognised that to enable ongoing resilience, these flood, fire, and significant events should not be treated as crisis events but a normal part of business. Hume has undertaken the necessary planning of the associated risks and responses to incorporate these events into day-to-day operations.

Housing market challenges and responses

The influx of households moving to regional areas continued and 2021-2022 saw a further deterioration of both housing affordability and available rental properties in the Hunter and Port Stephens region.

By June 2022, Sydney’s vacancy rate was the lowest on record at 1.4%. In the regions it was even more dire at 0.5%. Under 2% is considered a rental property shortage. Our team has gone to extraordinary lengths to find rental properties for customers. We are actively seeking strategic solutions to provide more temporary accommodation in the regional area.

new initiatives

Planning was undertaken for construction of 23 new affordable and social housing units in Charles Street, Liverpool. This $10 million project, secured by $5 million from the Community Housing Innovation Fund, will commence in 2022-2023.

Hume also established a multi-trader maintenance agreement to manage Hume’s regional and metropolitan portfolios. This has resulted in significant savings and efficiencies.

Hume also undertook significant advocacy work in securing $1.3 million in funding for Tranche 3 of the Together Home program, accommodating a further 19 long-term homeless customers in both the regional and metro areas. We are particularly pleased with the increased regional packages as the demand is very high. We are working to further advocate for that region and that community.

Hume demonstrated when appropriate funds are available, how efficiently we can respond. Successfully completing renovations to 70 properties in 70 days using just under $4 million in economic stimulus funding awarded by the Land and Housing Corporation. The renovations focused on properties in the Hunter region and have transformed homes and lives.

social impact and return on investment

Over 2021-2022, Hume has developed a framework to report on social mpact using a return-on-investment model. Calculating and managing the Social Returns on Investment (SROI) is a challenge for any organisation investing in generating social capital. The idea behind the calculation is to assign a dollar figure to the work carried out by our organisation with our customers and within the community. This allows Hume to track the positive economic and social impact of our programs and supports services.

This work is critical to understanding how we deliver on and measure our attainment of purpose. Not only will this work allow Hume to understand what activities or investments return the best value for money but will be foundational in our advocacy work, as it quantifies the savings to government or contributions to the economy made by our interventions. Initial data has been compiled and a summary is provided within.

Despite an unusual and turbulent year, Hume rose to the challenge, led by our collective commitment to Hume’s values, supported our customers and one another, advocated for our communities and, through our strong governance and risk management skills, weathered the storm.

Thank you to the Board for always bringing their skills and commitment, the Executive for their resolute dedication to Hume’s purpose, and of course, all our employees who are always going above and beyond and without whom, the outlook for our customers and our organisation could have been very different.

nicola Lemon CEO, Hume Community Housing

About us

What we do

We provide homes and services to more than 9,000 customers across New South Wales. We believe that having a safe, secure and affordable home is a human right and an important first step to building a stable and prosperous future.

We take a ‘housing-first’ approach, providing safe, secure and sustainable housing in the first instance. We work with our customers to determine their housing options and support them to secure and maintain their rental tenancy We build connected and vibrant communities by:

• Developing and providing a wide range of high-quality housing solutions.

• Designing and delivering sector leading services

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our housing options

transitional Housing

our purpose

To create opportunities for people to prosper.

• Champions of change

• Determined to succeed

• Creators of connectivity

• Builders of resilience

our point of difference our values our principles

• Housing is a human right

• Homelessness is an experience not an identity

• Housing continuum – enabling people to prosper

• Person-centred case management

• Respect for customers rental income through wise investment

Operating in diverse metro and regional markets, we use our scale and commerciality to drive value for money and provide a safe pair of hands for government, partners and investors.

We are proud of our long history of strong community links and a people-focused culture. We are driven by providing a person centric customer experience and community informed localised services.

We solve complex social needs resulting in life changing impact for our customers.

Our temporary accommodation and transitional housing programs operate for customers who have been experiencing homelessness and require support in finding a long-term home and evidencing they are able to sustain a tenancy. Temporary accommodation program offers accommodation up to 28 days and transitional housing up to 18 months.

social Housing

We provide housing for those on very low to low incomes, and unable to secure affordable or private rentals.

Housing first

A model for housing and supporting people who have experienced long term and reoccurring homelessness and who face a range of complex challenges. Hume’s Housing First model supports strategies to end homelessness and effectively assist some of the most vulnerable people in our community.

Affordable Housing

We provide housing to customers earning low to moderate incomes, particularly essential workers.

youth Housing

We work in partnership with support services to provide suitable housing for youth between 15 and 24 years.

supported Housing

We work with specialist homelessness services and community service organisations to provide housing.

Housing for people with disability

We are a registered Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) and NDIS provider, delivering a range of disability housing services. for people that require specialist property design and support.

seniors’ Housing

We provide housing for people over 55, focusing on outcomes we know are important to them and to support ageing in place.

private Rental Assistance

We provide private rental assistance for people in need and eligible for this support to help secure private rental accommodation. $ $

How we deliver our housing and services

Customer service centres

We strive to provide a customer experience that instils high trust in Hume and minimal customer effort to resolve inquiries from first contact.

Housing options

Our customer-focused housing aims to match a customer’s needs with the right housing while supporting them through the process of securing a home.

Customer accounts management

Our financial inclusion strategy supports customers in meeting financial commitments, including rent and utilities.

Housing services

We provide housing and community services so customers can sustain their tenancies and homes, while living in a vibrant and connected community, contributing to a broader social impact defined by the social outcomes achieved by customers through the services and programs delivered by Hume.

Construction, development and asset management

We build, develop and offer project management services for the development and construction of properties. We provide robust asset management services delivering quality homes and value for money.

Awards

2022

Zest AWARds

Won: Outstanding Project Working with Aboriginal Communities in Greater Western Sydney

2021 nsW stAte Business AWARds

Won: Outstanding Employer of Choice

2021 WesteRn sydney AWARds foR Business exCeLLenCe

Won: Excellence in Social Enterprise

2021 HunteR Business AWARds

Won: Outstanding Employer of Choice

our homes

2021

fResHWoRks

RefResH gLoBAL AWARds

Won: Freshworks for Good

2021 HunteR diVeRsity And inCLusion AWARds

Won: Outstanding Employer

2021 Zest AWARds

Won: ZEST Hall of Fame Award

2021

poWeRHousing AustRALiA AWARds

RunneR-up: Excellence in Customer Services and Business Support 1.

our homes by property type

We manage a range of rental property types in various LGAs across New South Wales. New properties reflect Hume’s expansion of programs in response to homelessness through Together Home program and Women at Risk – Hume’s Carinya program. Hume works with the community and has offices in five local Government areas – Parramatta, Campbelltown, Fairfield, Maitland and Port Stephens.

stRAtegy

our three strategic pillars to create opportunities for people to prosper.

Hume has three strategic pillars informing our work through to 2025

In 2021-22 Hume worked to achieve the following objectives within each pillar.

Achieve profitable diversified growth growth through partnerships

1

2

3

soCiAL impACt gRoWtH

tHRiVing oRgAnisAtion

goAL

Deepen and consolidate our footprint with profitable, diversified portfolio. Growth increases the number of people we help prosper.

goAL

Maximise social impact through customer driven services that change lives.

goAL

Deliver value for money through a progressive and high achieving organisation.

• Together Home Program grows to 51 tenancies overall and support funded packages

• Assets and Growth team expanded to accommodate future growth growth through development

• Charles Street Liverpool Development of 23 units progressed.

maximise social impact through customer driven services that change lives

design and implement social Housing outcomes framework

• Developed framework to report on social impacts using a return-on-investment model

• Data warehouse was designed and delivered to support social outcomes framework

• Phase 1 of social housing outcomes framework implemented

improve customer experience

• Year two implementation of the Customer Experience program

• Voice of Customer program launched

• Utilised the LAHC stimulus funding to upgraded 70 homes in 70 days in the Hunter, improving the lives of all involved

minimising homelessness

• Together Home program expanded to assist an additional 24 people

• 76% of customers leaving our Housing Independence Program made a positive exit into sustainable housing options.

deliver value for money through a progressive and high achieving organisation

High Achieving organisation

• Awarded eight state and regional awards demonstrating a high achieving culture with exceptional capability

• Designed an organisation wide transformation and implemented a new organisational design structure

• Boosted employee engagement with All-Team Strategic Planning Away Day event

• Completed Organisation Cultural Index survey with 133 employees participating with a 72% response rate

Leading influencing and Broadening engagement

• Stakeholder Engagement strategy developed and implemented

• 47% increase in Facebook followers. Against competitors Hume ranked No.1 on Instagram, No.2 on LinkedIn and Facebook

Creating a positive environmental handprint

• Carbon emission analysis undertaken by KPMG for our offices

optimal technology and digital engagement

• Enhancements made to support systems including Freshdesk, Folio, etc.

• Introduction of a new real estate marketing platform to reduce costs and improve customer experience

Real Value for money

• Instigated safety-first priority repairs system to drive responsiveness and value for money outcomes.

growth

During 2021 - 2022 the Growth team concentrated on the consolidation of our property portfolio delivering millions of dollars in property upgrades.

Asset growth

Property Portfolio Planning was undertaken for construction of 23 new affordable and social housing units in Charles Street, Liverpool. This $10 million project will commence in the 2022-2023 financial year.

The development features 12 social and 11 affordable 1 and 2-bedroom units and demonstrates Hume’s innovation in utilising land supply and through leveraging the State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) to deliver six times the housing yield than would be achieved by a private developer on the site. We prioritised a site in an area of high need where affordability will be further impacted by future development. This demonstrates our alignment with NSW Government Policy and Future Directions through partnering with local organisations to deliver a range of support services customised to individual needs, on a property designed to exceed Land and Housing Corporation (LAHC) design standards and offering high amenity for residents.

environmental sustainability

As a thriving organisation we are committed to reducing our carbon footprint. This year Hume engaged the services of KPMG to conduct an environmental baseline inventory of Hume’s five corporate offices.

The audit measured consumption data over the past three years and opportunities to implement practices that are also cost effective for Hume.

Findings from the project will support drivers for change in our practices and assist Hume to improve our future environmental performance.

Phase two of the project will apply these learnings across Hume’s property portfolio.

To reduce our environmental impact, this year we chose to transition our customer magazine HumeLife online, further reducing our reliance on paper and printing.

Housing upgrades in the Hunter Hume demonstrated when appropriate funds are available, how efficiently we can respond.

In July 2021, Hume successfully completed a major project, renovating 70 homes in 70 days using just under $4 million in stimulus funding awarded by Land and Housing Corporation (LAHC). The renovations focused on Hume managed properties in the Hunter region and transformed not only 70 homes, but the lives of hundreds of Hume customers.

The challenges of the project cannot be underestimated in terms of size, scope, and timing. Hume worked closely with LAHC, and followed a thorough project management methodology to identify, scope and upgrade 70 dwellings. Many of these properties including the replacement of 322 individual dwelling components including new kitchens, bathrooms, and floorings. The most outstanding aspect of this project is

the building works were completed in only three months and constitute the largest planned works program ever delivered by Hume.

The project was delivered 5 days ahead of schedule and underbudget.

Whilst the tight timeframe was risky and extremely challenging, it would deliver the greatest impact to customer satisfaction by improving the amenity level on homes with an average age of close to 50 years. Many had no planned maintenance undertaken for 20 to 30 years.

It is important to note that our commitment to deliver value for money and cost efficiencies meant Hume undertook additional works on dwellings outside the scope of the initial project, including remedial repairs, and addressing wear and tear typical of dwellings of this age, in effect bringing forward repairs and/ or planned work that would have been required in the short term. This was an innovative approach to take advantage of an opportunity that presented itself during the course of the project.

The impact on customers during the renovation project was significant and, in many cases - life changing. A key objective of the 2021 Stimulus Project was to positively impact on customer health and wellbeing outcomes. This aligned well with Hume’s values of prioritising safe and functional housing as a key foundation for health and wellbeing of customers.

Ongoing operational difficulties arising from COVID and flooding limited Hume’s ability to make significant headway on further planned works. Hume operates a safety-first priority protocol for repairs to ensure customers’ homes are safe and we continue to delivery responsive maintenance in accordance with our service delivery timeframes.

23 neW AffoRdABLe And soCiAL Housing units in CHARLes stReet, LiVeRpooL. tHis $10 miLLion pRojeCt WiLL CommenCe in tHe 2022-2023 finAnCiAL yeAR.

Customer numbers and tenancies

Customer numbers were steady in 2021 -2022. As of June 30, 2022, Hume increased tenancies to 4,502 and our customer base remained stable with 8,878 customers. This financial year our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander customers increased to 8.97% and we recorded 19.88% of customers with a disability.

Hume successfully housed 73 new households within our affordable housing portfolio in 2021-2022. During the year Hume increased our affordable housing portfolio taking on the management of 8 additional properties. This has been a particularly challenging year given the shortage of affordable rental housing across Australia. Our teams have worked exceptionally hard to engage with real estate agents and landlords to secure properties in areas experiencing unprecedented rental demand.

Hume’s Housing Options (HOPs) team and Property Coordinator sourced eight properties for the program in the private rental sector and secured three-year leases. The program also saw eight women and their children successfully housed with the goal of the tenancy being transferred into the customer’s name at the end of two years.

Our Housing for People with a Disability team (HPWD) welcomed 12 new customers into our portfolio, an increase from 7 last financial year. We actively promoted our vacancies using Housing Hub, along with a Hume quarterly electronic newsletter

aimed at Supported Independent Living providers. In the later part of the 2021 financial year, we were able to participate in person at Disability Expos and meet potential customers, their families, and Supported Independent Living (SIL) providers to explain Hume’s property and service offering. As a result, we have seen a steady growth in enquiries and placements.

We also commenced work on an important project with one of our Supported Independent Living partners, Northcott to tackle the transition of young people living in aged care. The Younger People in Residential Aged Care (YPIRAC) Project was established following the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Neglect and Safety Interim Report to assist younger people to move out of residential aged care homes and into the age-appropriate options within the community.

Many aged care providers are working against the clock to meet mandated targets that include - no people under the age of 65 entering residential aged care by 2022: no people under the age of 45 living in residential aged care by 2022; and no people under the age of 65 living in residential aged care by 2025.

Hume and Northcott are supporting aged care providers and families struggling to navigate alternative, age-appropriate accommodation options to meet the Federal Government targets for NDIS participants.

our customers

At Hume, we value our customers and respect their diversity. Recognising and understanding the needs of our customers helps us to offer safe, secure, and sustainable housing – and keeping within our principal of housing being a human right. Along with appropriate support services driven by a person-centred informed approach, we can provide our customers with a genuine opportunity to prosper.

improving Customer experience

Hume was the first Community Housing Provider (CHP) in Australia to embark on a journey to design and implement a customer Experience Strategy. Hume’s Customer Experience Program aims to deliver an excellent, measurable customer and employee experience in every area of Hume’s operations.

Hume’s Customer Experience Strategy, with a four-year implementation program, commenced in 2021. The program looks at people, process, data and technology improvements to enable Hume to tailor solutions to meet customer needs and expectations. In 2021, Hume commissioned customer and employee interviews to develop a deep understanding of the current experience of Hume customers, employees, and partners. We sought to understand the motivators and drivers which influence perceptions and behaviours, whilst discovering customer and employee needs, preferences, and ideas about how these could be met in the future. This Insights Report and a companion Customer Experience Maturity Model informed the development of Hume’s Customer Experience Strategy.

In 2022, Hume launched its first Voice of the Customer Program to listen and learn from our customers. Our Voice of the Customer Program measured our customer’s experience by probing a wide range of key customer touchpoints: such as repairs and maintenance, customer service, rent review, customer accounts, housing options, feedback mechanisms. This resulted in establishing a baseline for overall scores on customer’s perception on the ease of dealing with Hume, satisfaction with repairs and maintenance, professionalism of Hume and overall trust in Hume to do the right thing.

Our customers rated overall customer experience satisfaction with Hume at an average of 6.3 on a scale of 0 (Extremely Dissatisfied) to 10 (Extremely Satisfied). One in four customers said they were “Extremely Satisfied” with Hume and one in five customers

24% STRONGLY AGREED THAT HUME HOUSING WAS AN ORGANISATION THEY CAN TRUST

“Strongly Agreed” that Hume was an organisation they can trust. The highest performing measure was in customers’ experience of staff professionalism and respect at 7.2 and given the COVID lockdowns is a tribute to Hume’s employees during difficult times.

These scores offer a snapshot in time, and reflects expectations about repair responses during COVID, the age of some of the properties, as well as the increased expectations of our regional customers. Hume has committed to being a customer centric organisation with aspirational 3-year targets set for each measure. We are embarking on a journey change for our people to develop a culture of customer centricity that is focussed on improving our employee and customer experience.

Although COVID lockdowns have impacted the Customer Experience Program, Hume was able to produce a Service Experience Map of all our services, programs, and all the points of interaction with customers that matter. This will enable us to reflect on moments that matter for our customers, which in turn will lead to a focus on designing and testing solutions to the biggest ‘pain points’ for our customers such as gaps in service delivery and our responsiveness.

Repairs are a key area of customer interaction, so bringing Assets and Customer Experience under the direction of a single Executive will help with this alignment. As there can be missed opportunities to complete repairs due to communication gaps, training and reporting protocols for contractors is also part of our journey to truly listen, learn and lead.

The Customer Experience program also involves understanding our employee’s experience of our programs, processes and policies and making improvements based on this information, translates into a better customer experience. Hume wants to make it as easy for our customers to deal with us.

Customers want safe, secure homes and do not want to have to retell their stories multiple times. We are focussed on delivering a high trust low effort service delivery model, so our customers know we are doing the right thing by them.

New technology will be key, and a technology road map has been developed to achieve this over the next three years.

Our goal is to build trust with customers, with our communities and stakeholders, and be the preferred partner of choice for Government. It’s a significant journey of transformation.

CustomeRs oVeRALL CustomeR expeRienCe sAtisfACtion WitH Hume

6.3

1 5 10

ExTREMELY DISSATISFIED

ExTREMELY SATISFIED

our customer centric approach to deliver the future experience

operational focus Areas

1

Simplify our customer facing process and increase transparency

•Improve Customer experience

•Improve ease of doing business

•Increase trust

proficiency focus Areas

Align the organisation on the Cx strategy and organisational purpose

1 2

Tailor solutions to meet customer needs through modern systems

3

Align, simplify and integrate our customer channels and communication

4

Make customer facing information more accessible, transparent and easier to understand

Define, measure and monitor the business value of Customer Experience

Enable employees and contractors to deliver leading customer experience

Create a golden thread, generate customer insights across the organistion

Listen Learn Lead - respond to customer insights through strategic decision making

2

3

Build customer centric awareness, capability, and practices to deliver services

Create innovative customer experiences that differentiate Hume

value me understand me make it easy for me

5

6

4 5

our customer journey

Hume is committed to ensuring a positive customer experience at every step. We understand the importance of customer interaction and aim to deliver quality service, be transparent and accountable, and ensure we listen to our customers’ voice.

the need for housing is the first step, and Hume’s Housing options (Hops) team assists in assessing needs supporting customers to ensure tenancy is sustained

Housing is secured

the Housing team helps customers understand their rights and responsibilities

Repairs and maintenance ensuring quality homes Connecting community

A

delivering access to training, employment, and education

paying rent and receiving rental assistance

the Housing Continuum: social and affordable housing to private rental and home ownership, plus the opportunity to bypass or exit social housing

social impact and outcomes including social inclusion, connected communities, and improved socioeconomic stimulus

Housing and Impact

Our Housing & Impact teams faced a number of highlights and challenges during 2021-2022. Our resilience stood the test of time and our focused remained on customers being at the heart of what we do and delivering on our purpose to create opportunities to prosper.

Customer support

During the last 12 months, our Customer Support Coordinators and Tenancy Sustainment Coordinators worked with 173 customers providing supports to manage multiple areas of need.

Our coordinators engage with customers from their tenancy commencement or during a tenancy, managing ongoing collaboration with a wide range of organisations such as the NDIS, domestic and family violence and welfare services. Coordinators work hard to build customer trust early in the relationship, which in turn leads to improved tenancy sustainment outcomes.

Our Housing and Impact Team and Specialist Housing Teams incuding

TAP, HIP TH and HPWD, were significantly impacted due to their locations, particularly those in South-Western Sydney during the severe lockdown. The moratorium on the requirement to exit people especially in TAP, typically within 14 days, reduced some challenges.

All teams transitioned to contactless sign-ups in order to ensure Hume continued to provide customers in housing need with a home.

Our teams increased our focus on engagement by phone providing information, access to food hampers and undertaking property deep cleans on vacant dwellings.

During 2021-2022, Hume were able to provide homes to 684 customers.

together Home

Housing options

the maitland Court Hub

Homes were provided under our supported housing program to 162 households including families with children, young people, people exiting incarceration, or living with mental illness bypassed experiencing homelessness.

At the end of June 2021, Hume received a further $2.9 million from the NSW Government to support an additional 39 people sleeping rough in South-Western Sydney and in the Hunter region over two years as part of the government’s state-wide tranche 2 of the together Home program.

In January 2022, tranche 3 funding was received to enable a further 24 people to access the program.

79 new households entered the program. During the same year, 83 households transitioned from this program with a 75% rate of positive housing outcomes: 14% obtaining private rental, 1% entering affordable housing, and 27% moving to social housing. Our customers who access our supported and specialist housing programs such as TAP, HIP and TH are supported by Hume and our Supported Agency Partners to learn tenancy management skills, independent living skills, increase their access to other appropriate support services.

Hume’s Together Home has also been able to access a range of additional funding through the High needs package scheme to obtain specialist supports such as functional assessments for the NDIS, dental treatment, and allied health where these were beyond what is available through government funded schemes.

Hume’s Housing Options Program (HOPs) team successfully supported customers impacted by lockdowns in temporary accommodation over a 4-month period and then supported them when a person was a close contact or tested positive to COVID-19. HOPs initiated outreach services at Motto Farm a local temporary accommodation provider.

The HOPs team also collaborated with the Hunter New England Mental Health Service to create the inpatient mental Health – Homelessness Referral pathway – Hunter region.

This collaboration means that people who are admitted to hospital for mental health concerns and, who are experiencing homelessness, are referred into a homelessness service as early as possible so appropriate support is provided.

HOPS partner with key support organisations to assist people who need Housing or other support by attending Maitland Court weekly and collaborating with domestic violence services, awyers, corrections, and other providers to offer services direct to people facing criminal charges. The purpose of this Hub is to prevent domestic violence perpetrators from reoffending through support intervention.

HOPs also researched and procured new affordable housing real-estate software to make Hume easier for our customers to work with us. The software centralises marketing, enquiries, and reporting functions for the Affordable Housing program

tenancy sustainment

Hume

were able to ensure customers were supported during FY22 to sustain tenancies. Hume’s eviction rate was 1.9% which is below our compliance benchmark of <10%.

Customer survey results

The 2022 Annual Survey results are reflective of extended periods of COVID-related lockdowns within local government areas where Hume operates. This disproportionately affected not only customers, but also our ability to operate and meet the needs of our customers.

The long-standing relationship that Hume has with our customers and the condition of properties in the Metro areas has resulted in 79% of our customers being satisfied overall. This is an outstanding result given the constraints we faced.

Hume took over our regional portfolio from the NSW Government in 2019 as part of the Social Housing Management Transfer. Hume’s contractual responsibility for repairs and maintenance commenced on 1 July 2021 and our customers had high expectations that we would

About the survey

address longstanding property condition issues. It has become apparent that the properties in the region require greater than forecasted maintenance and our regional customers have confirmed that the regional property condition and repair and maintenance performance is adversely impacting overall satisfaction, resulting in an overall satisfaction score of 64%. Our focus will be on utilising the results to improve the delivery of our services whilst improving the overall satisfaction of our customers.

Despite the challenging environment experienced by both our customers and employees over, 81% of our customers agreed that our employees are polite, professional, and engaging. 76% of customers are satisfied with the way we provide information and 74% are satisfied with their overall experience at Hume.

The survey provides valuable insight into our customers satisfaction with Hume’s services. It also allows us to benchmark performance against our industry and inform future service delivery improvements.

Hume’s CustomeR suRVey

WAs sent onLine And By post to 3,964

HOUSEHOLDS IN mARCH 2022 BY THE COMMUNITY HOUSING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION (CHIA)

The survey measured key areas determining results by program and by region, differences in satisfaction of key indicators by demographics and customer comments and covered;

Satisfaction that customers rights are upheld is the strongest predictor of overall satisfaction for both Metro and Regional customers.

Metro customers' overall satisfaction is impacted by Hume listening to customers views and acting on them and their ability to influence Hume’s decision making. Regional customers' overall satisfaction is impacted by information provision and customer involvement.

from tragedy to home ownership

A young customer’s resilience inspires us

In an instant Tom Spratt’s life changed forever. A healthy, active 18-year-old, he crashed his SUV on Sydney’s busy M1 freeway. Thanking his lucky stars, he was shaken but unhurt, then called his dad and got out of the vehicle.

He never saw the car that hit him.

When Tom finally woke in hospital, he had sustained damage including traumatic brain injuries and upper body nerve damage which left him without use of his left arm. It was the beginning of 8 months rehabilitation. Tom had to learn to talk, walk and perform basic tasks again. And that is not all he had to learn. Tom could remember almost nothing about his life prior to the accident.

tom had to start his life again.

That is when Hume’s Neighbourhood Officer, Annah Sorrenson-Cox, met Tom for the first time.

In 2016, Hume offered Tom a modified affordable housing unit in Telopea, suitable for someone in a wheelchair.

These units were built under the National Rental Affordability Scheme to meet the housing needs of low to moderate income earners.

Tom’s dad moved in to help care for him for the first 6 months. And at first, because of his brain injury, Tom had to accept a guardianship of all his affairs.

Annah says she had an instant connection to Tom, who was shy and reserved but had a cheeky smile.

Hume always conducts customer wellbeing visits. During a wellbeing visit, Annah would not just be inspecting the property condition but also checking in with Tom and how he was managing. Did he need additional referrals or help?

Tom was working with a wide range of health professionals daily, but Tom’s dad had since moved out, and Tom was now living alone. Annah noticed he could benefit from being more socially connected. She suggested Tom join other residents in the shared Community Room for the monthly morning tea and to participate in activities such as a consultation program for artworks for the unit building.

“I remember saying you are locked up in that unit all the time by yourself, come down.”

It was through conversations encouraging Tom to join in, that the friendship between Annah and Tom deepened.

“The sorts of things he started to get involved with took him out of his own complicated scenario,” she said. Tom was very conscious that he was a young person with a disability and was also juggling a complex family background. He worried that people would judge him. Annah having grown up in public housing herself, could relate. “That does not define who you are. That is just your circumstances.”

“Having gone through that journey myself and saying I’ve been there, I’ve done that. I’ve got you. You know we are on this road together. It’s OK.”

Annah described her role as a sounding board. “It wasn’t that I made the decisions for him. It was just that he could bounce ideas and figure out how that decision may impact him.

As another step towards Tom’s independence and wellbeing, Hume offered his dad a rental unit close by to Tom. Now more connected to the community, Annah said “other residents at the Telopea property, also took Tom under their wing.”

The Telopea unit was central to Tom’s recovery. Tom felt it was important he could eventually cook for himself, which he could do in his modified kitchen. His brain injury led to poor memory retention, so being able to set up stable home and travel routines, was important. And as the years progressed, Tom continued to take control of his own life, being released from guardianship, securing a job at Coles, and beginning to study, in the room he had set up. “It was proving to the world that he was capable, and he took charge of that- and I know that he is really proud of that,” said Annah.

In 2018, inspired by his allied health professionals, Tom decided on a career and is well on his way to completing a Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance. Tom is well on his way to becoming an occupational therapist with a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy. Tom currently works as an independent support worker.

Although with lifelong disabilities, Tom can now walk again.

When asked about why he was able to show such resilience, Tom says it’s a choice he made. “Resilience is about persistence and doing activities that exercise that. My motto was to make the best fresh start I could. To make best of my life that I can, and I live by those words’ day in and day out, and they would inspire me.”

Annah says Tom is a very different person to the shy 18-year-old she first met. “He’s such a bright, happy person, so driven to give back and help others,

“I think Tom shows resilience is a matter of keeping fighting to better than before. His family history, and his past decisions, are not going to define him and that he can be whatever it is that he wants to be.”

Tom has recently achieved something many 25-year olds can only dream of, buying his first home and is now beginning the next exciting chapter. Annah says for Tom it wasn’t just about buying the home. “It was about getting him to a place where he was able to make the right decisions, able to care for himself and do all those things that he learnt in that time that he was with us.”

Tom describes Annah as “a legend”. “She and the other team members at Hume enabled my resilience, both personally and professionally and in keeping stable housing.”

Annah says she is grateful to have been a part of the team who have created opportunities for Tom to prosper. “To see somebody, grow and be able to support them along that journey, that’s why I love my job” she said.

Tom and Annah still keep in touch.

Right: Hume’s Neighbourhood Officer Annah Sorrenson-Cox.

i HAVe mAde so mAny neW fRiends And HAVe neVeR

LAugHed so muCH in ALL my Life –tHis is LiVing.”

growing bolder

Growing older comes with benefits for Hume’s senior customers. We encourage customers to be bold and to step out of their comfort zone. By offering a wealth of programs and supports we are encouraging older customers to thrive, build friendships, improve their fitness and learn new skills.

This year, Hume was able to invest in services to seniors through a grant awarded under the NSW Department of Communities and Justice’s ‘Reducing Social Isolation for Seniors’ program. The funds enabled the establishment of Hume’s ‘Seniors Hubs’ in Raymond Terrace, East Maitland, and Rutherford and supports all facilitated classes on offer.

Senior customers enjoy a dedicated place to socialise, volunteer, and learn, as they participate in ongoing programs and weekly activities. The Hub’s members determine the programs on offer which have included gentle exercise, ukulele, tai chi, social outings, knitting groups, trivia, meditation, art class, group games and line dancing.

Customers are encouraged to share their skills with the goal they will eventually assume the dayto-day running and administration

of the Hub, and Hume will step to the sideline offering support as needed. The grant funds covered the purchase of a computer, audio-visual equipment, weekly morning teas, and a performance group facilitator for each Hub.

Hume customer Wendy, sixty from Metford, said her life literally “turned around” when Hume took over the management of social housing properties in the Hunter. “During the pandemic I was living on my own and felt lonely and isolated.

“Over the past two years have become involved with Hume’s fantastic seniors’ programs and absolutely love every opportunity to meet new people, learn new things and get fit. I feel like am part of a community.”

Wendy is proof that growing bolder is good for you. She participates in the aqua fitness classes, has learnt tai chi, took painting classes, and enjoyed line dancing sessions. “I have made so many new friends and have never laughed so much in all my life – this is living.”

Wendy and members from the East Maitland and Raymond Terrace Seniors Hubs are now planning a picnic in the park once the weather warms up. They have a list of great ideas for the future and will be putting them into action to ensure the Hub goes from strength to strength.

A room to call her own

It is difficult to imagine what it must feel like to living in an aged care home where the average age of residents is mid-eighties and yet you are only in your mid-forties. For Glenys, this was her reality for the past 17 years.

In 2005 Glenys suffered a significant brain injury after she was hit by a car one evening. Despite life-saving operations and rehabilitation, Glenys was unable to live on her own, and an aged care home was the only available housing option available.

According to family friend, Steve, Glenys’ life has been excruciatingly difficult living in homes that were not age appropriate. Steve mentioned a lack of privacy and along with having no age-appropriate activities or social programs to alleviate the boredom, as being his greatest concern.

Following the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Neglect Safety interim report, the Australian Government announced Younger People in Residential Aged Care (YPIRAC) targets and an intention to develop a strategy to meet those targets is now underway to assist younger people (those aged under 65)to move out of nursing homes and into the community - with all the

supports they need to live safely, healthily, and happily.

Glenys was able to access Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) under her NDIS plan. Now in her early sixties, she finally has a room to call her own and life is looking much more positive.

Hume worked with Northcott who Glenys’ Supported Independent Living provider and her NDIS Support Coordinator, Ability Options to determine what Glenys needed to live successfully in the community. A suitable group home was identified, after careful matching with compatible residents to ensure the new environment was one that could support her physical and mental wellbeing.

Today Glenys lives in her own home. She has a private sun-filled bedroom in the group home in Sydney’s West. She sits happily at the dining table playing her beloved board

games with her support worker and is gradually developing new friendships. She loves mealtimes and is soothed by the gentle rhythm of the homely environment. Hume manages the maintenance and upkeep of her home and supports Glenys to maintain her tenancy agreement.

“The change in Glenys has been amazing since she moving to her new home,’ says Steve. “She is more alert, more stable, her medication has been reduced and it’s so good to see how much one-on-one time she gets with her support workers. I do not think she has ever had the attention or support she is receiving now.”

One of the long-term goals in her new home is to gradually introduce Glenys to the homes garden and outdoor areas. With Glenys’ disability, it will be a planned and slow process, but life is finally looking up and there are blue skies ahead for Glenys.

our programs

minimising homelessness

Hume was able to grow our range of services and supports to people seeking a pathway out of homelessness.

Hume’s services in the metropolitan region include the Temporary Accommodation Program (TAP), providing a short-term housing option which diverts people from motel accommodation and supports them to progress to long-term stable accommodation. Through our Temporary Accommodation Program, Hume engages with people to ensure they have access to further support where needed to obtain longer term housing.

The Housing Independence Program (HIP) provides transitional housing to customers for a period of up to 18 months, offering supports to enable customers to be able to sustain a tenancy longer term.

In the Hunter region, Hume’s Housing Options (HOPs) team manages the service provision of temporary accommodation for customers who present experiencing homelessness with private rental subsidy applications. Customers who present to Hume seeking accommodation are provided with a housing options assessment to understand their housing needs and eligibility for social housing, so we can determine the options available to them.

During 2021-2022, Hume expanded our Together Homes program with two more tranches of funding from DCJ to provide housing and intensive support for people experiencing homelessness.

numBeR of peopLe moVed fRom expeRienCing HomeLessness to stABLe ACCommodAtion

410

togetHeR Home

96%

71 PEOPLE ACCESSED THE PROGRAM WITH 96% REMAINING IN THE PROGRAM

temporary Accommodation program (tAp)

This year, we continued to reduce homelessness by finding temporary accommodation for 339 households experiencing homelessness, with 48.2% of TAP customers having a positive exit from homelessness and into a home or more suitable accommodation.

Housing independence program (Hip)

During 2022 HIP provided services to 50 households, with a focus on supporting customers to be able to live independently in order to achieve long term stable housing when they are transitioning out of the independence program.

339

HOUSEHOLDS ACCESSED PROGRAM

48.2%

POSITIVE ExITS

Housing options program (Hops)

Hume’s HOPs team also facilitated 1067 instances of temporary accommodation and addressed a further 2,528 inquiries in the Hunter region.

1,067 TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATIONS At A gLAnCe

2,528 CUSTOMER ENQUIRIES

50

HOUSEHOLDS SUPPORTED

76%

OF HIP CUSTOMERS MOVING FROM HOMELESSNESS TO AFFORDABLE AND STABLE ACCOMMODATION

the Carinya program

The programs support women and children who are experiencing homelessness due to domestic and family violence by providing stable, long-term housing and a place for families to rebuild their home and lives.

This year, Hume’s HOPs team and Property Coordinator sourced eight properties for the program in the private rental sector and secured a three-year lease. Neighbourhood Officers worked with the Customers and Support Partners to support tenancy sustainment and transition to housing interdependence.

The program has allowed for eight women and their children to have safe, secure housing with the goal of the tenancy being transferred into the customer’s name at the end of two years.

8 WOMEN SUPPORTED

87.5% TENANCY SUSTAINMENT

3 ENGAGED WITH EDUCATION, TRAINING OR EMPLOYMENT

Vibrant and connected communities

Hume’s Community Cohesion Team kept the community connected over the past 12 months with various activities.

Creating vibrant communities

tenambit mural project

O’Hearn Park in Tenambit was transformed with a kaleidoscopic mural. The mural is the result of a special collaboration between, Hume, UP&UP, Mindaribba Land Council, Maitland Council, and the Tenambit community. Earlier in the month, a workshop was held so the community could brainstorm words, colours, and imagery for the mural. The colourful mural that now surrounds the park features respectful words and handprints painted in bright colours and the outline of the eagle spirit, Kawal. On the day of the mural painting, Mayor Cr Phillip Penfold and Jenny Aitchison MP watched on as the energetic crowd of families and community members brought the fences of O’Hearn Park to life. Also present to support the project were

representatives from Maitland Council, NSW Police, Mindaribba Local Aboriginal Land Council, and Youth Off the Streets. It is hoped that the vibrant mural will encourage the Tenambit community to take pride in O’Hearn Park, enjoy the colourful surrounds and represent a fresh start for kids and families in the area.

Community cohesion

Hume Seniors’ Hubs aim to address issues of loneliness as well as meeting the need for social connection, Hume have established Seniors’ Hubs in East Maitland, Raymond Terrace and Rutherford. With $22,500 funding from the Department of Communities and Justice under the Reducing Seniors Social Isolation grant program, the Hubs commenced operation in May 2022. The Hubs offer social support plus a range of group activities and facilitated classes.

Facilitated classes have included tai chi, ukulele, gentle exercise, line dancing, and art. There is also a weekly morning tea, digital device support, games, and other fun group activities.

Dementia Australia have delivered information sessions at each Hub on navigating the aged care system, and Hume’s popular Smartphone Skills 4 Seniors program has also been delivered. The Hub program evolves each term depending on the interests and preferences of Hub members.

The Hubs’ philosophy is by Hume Seniors for Hume Seniors – members are encouraged to contribute to the day to day running of The Hub and in time, may choose to share their skills and interests with others by leading a small group activity.

Feedback from participants has been overwhelmingly positive “I love attending the Hub – I’ve made new friends, learnt new skills and now have something to look forward to each week.”

45 senior customers participated in Hub activities.

maitland drug Action team

Wellbeing packs project

Hume is committed to supporting positive mental health awareness as well as education around use of alcohol and other drugs and its potential impact on relationships.

399 wellbeing packs distributed

Hume seniors olympics

Around 40 Hume senior customers travelled from Sydney and the Hunter to meet halfway at Avoca Beach for the inaugural Hume Seniors Olympics.

The Seniors’ Olympics, a collaboration between Hume’s Metro & Regional Program Officers for Seniors, was sponsored by a Seniors Festival grant from Department of Communities and Justice.

After two years of COVID lockdowns, the Olympics offered an opportunity for Hume to reconnect with our senior customers. More importantly, the event offered Hume’s senior customers an opportunity to reconnect with each other as they also reconnected with the natural environment and with their sense of playfulness.

The stereotypical myth of older people being inactive, and passive was well and truly busted by our group of enthusiastic seniors as they engaged in the egg and spoon race, rhythm gymnastics, walking soccer, hula hooping, thong throwing, and the marathon!

There were many highlights of the day including the amazing skills, teamwork, and sportsmanship demonstrated by the soccer teams.

Home and community pop up Repair day

Hume’s innovative ‘Pop Up Repairs Day’ challenged how maintenance services could be delivered to a housing community while also providing social connection for the residents of a 51-unit seniors’ complex in Rutherford.

Local contractors and Hume employees worked with customers to complete minor repairs with a valuefor-money service that delivers great customer service, and fast results whilst fostering a sense of community.

88% of Hume customers in the complex registered for the day with the most popular call for repairs included doors and locks, replacing flyscreens, checking power sockets, and leaking taps.

The day also provided a great opportunity to discuss with residents Hume’s community programs and support available through My Aged Care and other government agencies.

Vegepod edible gardens project

Nine Vegepod gardens generously donated by the Community Greening Team from the Royal Botanic Gardens were set up at Hume complexes across both metropolitan and regional areas. 20 Vegepod winners were also announced from as far as Raymond Terrace and Rutherford in the Hunter region to Girraween in the west of Sydney.

street Cleans

March saw a series of street cleanups in our communities across the Hunter and Sydney regions.

A big thank you to all our customers for getting involved and our partners including Seven Skips and Big Rat Skips. skip bins made available.

properties had access to the skip containers.

RegionAL

1,599 CUSTOMERS ENGAGED

225 ACTIVITIES OFFERED metRo

1,844 CUSTOMERS ENGAGED

94 ACTIVITIES OFFERED

Hume seniors olympics

streets and blocks.

tenambit mural project

Vegepod edible gardens

Housing for people with disability

Hume is a leading Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) provider and houses close to 500 customers in group homes across the Sydney metropolitan and regional areas. Safe, secure and functional homes are vital for people living with disability, so maintenance, repairs and home modifications are priority. Again, this year we negotiated challenging COVID lockdowns using innovative solutions to keep customers safe in their homes.

Customer safety and satisfaction is achieved through our close working relationships with our Supported Independent Living (SIL) partners. We invest in ensuring we are accessible, proactive and have solid processes and procedures in place and this was again important during the pandemic to ensure we could reliably and safely deliver responsive and planned maintenance where possible.

Hume also began working with customers using a more flexible modifications schedule. Due to the unprecedented events this year, a substantial amount of planned and funded work was not commenced. This gave us the opportunity to go back to our customers and their SIL

Restricted practices

A major piece of work completed was our restricted practices training to ensure that our employees are trained on safeguarding practices and maximise customer safety within the home.

We inVest in ensuRing We ARe

providers and ask if this is still the best solution or is there something more meaningful or with more impact we can achieve for the customer.

Customer engagement strategy

This year we launched the Specialist Disability Accommodation Customer Engagement Strategy. This strategy aims to educate customers on their rights and responsibilities and what they can expect from their housing provider and their SIL provider. This strategy defines a clear decision-making process for customers and supports those with an intellectual disability.

This allows us to have the tools and training in place to distinguish between a general modification request and a restrictive practice. We now have a mechanism to keep our customers safe, protect their dignity and their rights and their agreements through us.

supporting young people Living in Aged Care Homes

A significant focus area for Hume and the sector has been the transitioning of younger people living in aged care homes into more appropriate community-based housing.

Following the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety interim report, Neglect, the Australian Government announced Younger People in Residential Aged Care (YPIRAC) targets to assist those aged under 65

ACCessiBLe, pRoACtiVe And HAVe soLid pRoCesses And pRoCeduRes in pLACe.

to move out of nursing homes and back into living in the community – with all the supports they need to live safely, healthily, and happily.

This year Hume, partnered with Northcott on the Young People in Residential Aged Care Project (Yip Rac). We are delighted to welcome the first of these young people into Hume’s SDA properties and we are working closely with several aged care providers to continue this lifechanging work.

together Home

Hume successfully secured three consecutive tranche allocations since 2020 to deliver the Together Home Program. The program is a $177.5 million investment by the NSW Government to support the Premier’s Priority to halve street homelessness across NSW.

The Together Home Program follows Housing First principles and is unique in that it guarantees housing and wrap around support services over a two-year period – a strategy that has paid off with considerable successful outcomes among participants. The overall goal of the program is to support people who are experiencing primary homelessness into permanent safe accommodation and support services to maintain their tenancy, improve health and wellbeing and move towards training and employment.

Together Home demonstrates that with dedicated, longterm funding and expert support, customers thrive and can radically alter their future circumstances. In total, Hume has received $5.3m in funding and enrolled seventy-one metropolitan and regional customers in the program over the past year.

96% SUCCESS RATE

Importantly, Hume is one of only a small number of community housing providers able to fully deliver the program in-house and does so by drawing on their expertise in working with complex customers.

According to Sally Regan, Senior Manager, Social Outcomes, “Hume’s team are achieving strong results because we have an experienced team who understand how to support pathways into housing stability and a brighter future.”

Hume’s team of specialists work a coordinated way to source and secure suitable, safe housing in a location that is familiar and appropriate for each participant. Furnishing and equipping the home to make it a place to be proud of. Hume works with support partners in each region, including disability and mental health supports. This collaboration increases the likelihood of long-term success within the program.

‘Start Safely’ – is a private rental assistance product Hume offers through the Housing Pathways program of the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) to assist customers experiencing family and domestic violence, and as a result experience homelessness or are at risk of becoming homeless.

Support is provided through a rental subsidy. Customers pay 25% of their income in rent. Alongside the subsidy is brokerage of up to $2,000 per customer to assist with essential household items or to purchase goods for study or employment opportunities. Customers are supported throughout their tenancy

to sustain and rebuild their lives and recover from the trauma of violence.

Hume has witnessed many individuals who, with the assistance of the subsidy and support from DCJ’s Special Homeless Services, have managed to leave a violent, often life-threatening situation, to move into a private rental where they are safe and free from violence.

One customer, with the support of her domestic violence support workers, obtained employment and with the assistance of the subsidy was able to save for a deposit and buy her own home.

Affordable housing

This year, Hume’s Affordable Housing Program continued to deliver homes to families and individuals on low to moderate incomes both in Sydney and in the Hunter region. Our fee-for-service owners supported our customers to access housing with reductions in rent where possible.

supported Housing

Hume’s Supported Housing program is a transitional housing approach aimed at breaking the cycle of homelessness. Hume collaborates with over 21 support agencies in Western and South West Sydney to provide 12-18 months of accommodation to customers who are working their way out of or experiencing homelessness. Support partners provide customers with person-centred

During 2021-2022, Hume managed the cessation of National Rental Affordability Scheme (NRAS) across 3 complexes and 152 units in our Telopea portfolio. Our customers received easy to read communication from Hume and were able to access our information sessions within the community.

from experiencing homelessness to becoming a business owner

Ashti is a bright, vivacious professional and the General Manager of her own Supported Independent Living company, providing support services to NDIS customers. Due to our shared commitment to customers living with disability and a chance business meeting, we discovered how Hume had helped contribute to Ashti’s inspiring career trajectory.

Today it is hard to reconcile the confident business entrepreneur with her former self, a young single parent who would experience years of unstable housing and couch surfing all the while barely managing to make ends meet.

As the daughter of Kurdish refugees, Ashti admits she was a handful and struggled through her early adult life. “I made bad decisions along the way. I was challenging, I broke with traditions and eventually people lost patience with me.”

Ashti married young and fell pregnant, but unfortunately the marriage was plagued with problems. By the time her child had turned one, she realised it was not a healthy relationship and filed for divorce. Her family were not pleased and eventually cut all ties with her and her son.

“Because of Hume’s support, the switch in my brain finally flicked for me. I realised someone for the first time, believed in me. They had faith in me to take on a home lease, to raise my son, and to start afresh. Because Hume believed in me, I was ready to believe in me ”

Moving into a stable, secure housing meant the mum could now set about transforming her life. Buoyed with a new-found confidence she was now ready to take on every opportunity available. She applied and won a nursing scholarship through TAFE and began working at Bankstown Hospital, eventually graduating as a Registered Nurse.

case management every step of the way. Hume team members support our customers to learn tenancy management skills and learn about their rights and responsibilities.

A number of families with children, young people, people exiting incarceration, or living with mental illness bypassed experiencing homelessness through the program.

14% OBTAINED PRIVATE RENTAL

1% ENTERING AFFORDABLE HOUSING

27% MOVING TO SOCIAL HOUSING

As a single parent, she felt stigmatised and abandoned by her community. “I had nowhere to turn, I had no support.”

Ashti describes this time as among the darkest days she had ever experienced. “I was depressed, felt helpless, and frightened. I did not know where to turn and wondered how my child and I would survive.”

A friend suggested the young mum call Hume to discuss her housing options. “I had not known about community housing but once I spoke with Hume, my life turned around. Hume helped Ashti lodge her application for affordable housing and not too long after she received a call to advise that a property in Bankstown had become available. When I went to inspect it, I was blown away, it was beautiful and modern. I could not believe this was to be our home.”

Fast forward a couple of years and her life is now one she is immensely proud of. Ashti has a supportive new husband and a beautiful 10-month-old baby. She also took the leap and decided to work for herself, launching her Supported Independent Living business. Most importantly, she has reunited with her family. “I feel that while everything we went through over the years was incredibly tough, it has made me stronger and served as important life lessons that I am thankful for”

Today Ashti is happy juggling a busy family life with a growing business. “As a nurse I understand how important it is to provide people living with disability with security, choice, and control. I love my work and helping others enjoy their independence and quality of life.”

Ashti believes a home is the most important foundation in life. “My life turned around the day Hume handed me the keys to my home. I realised I had the fight in me, and I was not going to give up. I would build a better life for myself and my family – and that is exactly what I am doing.”

partnerships

partnering for success

Hume’s success is only possible thanks to the calibre of partnerships we maintain. We seek out organisations who share our ethos and commitment to social justice. We work local, identifying community partners who are knowledgeable and understand the unique challenges and opportunities within each of the communities we operate in.

We respect our partners’ expertise while leveraging our own in-house skills and social housing knowledge to always deliver impactful, efficient, and responsive services. Together, we change peoples’ lives.

Our long-standing partnership with Tharawal Aboriginal Corporation is a good example of how we seek to support mutually beneficial opportunities aligned with our vision of creating opportunities to prosper.

The partnership recently won a prestigious 2022 ZEST Award for Outstanding Project Working with Aboriginal Communities in Greater Western Sydney in June this year.

The partnership delivers on the Aboriginal Outcomes Strategy with NSW Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) and first commenced with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between our two organisations back in 2019 with the aim of improving economic and social outcomes for Aboriginal people living in social housing. Under the MOU we supported Tharawal to secure registration as a Tier 3 Community Housing Provider, making Tharawal the first NRSCH-approved provider in SouthWestern Sydney for the Aboriginal Housing Organisation.

Hume also delivers repairs and maintenance services to Tharawal’s properties. Hume is actively assisting Tharawal to grow their housing portfolio with a specific focus on sharing our expertise in asset management.

The partnership ensures effective collaboration and culturally appropriate service delivery, a direct link to Aboriginal health checks and ongoing care through the Aboriginal Medical Service at Tharawal and the ability to access appropriate support to connect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander customers with their communities.

In return, Tharawal has supported Hume to deliver culturally safe services to our customers and Cultural Awareness Training to Hume’s employees. The mutually respectful and beneficial partnership highlights the aligned values of both organisation and commitment to serving South-Western Sydney.

The partnership has enabled Hume to make significant progress on our Aboriginal Outcomes strategy. From 2019 we have recorded a stable average of 20% of positive exits from social housing (tenant-initiated exit to affordable, private rental or home ownership) and a 20% reduction in negative exits for social housing (breaches of tenancy agreements). This is a positive step in the right direction in us providing our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander customers with opportunities to prosper.

our partners (commercial, investors, delivery, peak bodies, etc.) elected representatives in all levels of government our neighbours our customers and their families and advocates our communities our employees and Board of directors the media

Who we work

with

people and culture

We believe employee experience and satisfaction is the most significant contributor to delivering exceptional customer service. Our vision of providing opportunities to prosper also extends to our employees and we invest significantly in employee engagement, communication, training and development, rewards and recognition, work flexibility and a number of well-being initiatives, including our Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

Inducting high-calibre, values-aligned employees is a hallmark at Hume. This year we invested in further boosting our employee induction program. Lessons learned during COVID-19 showed the importance of cementing the early relationship new employees have with Hume and their manager. It’s essential to ensure new employees feel connected and can contribute and work effectively as soon as they join Hume. We created a range of digital assets to help with remote on-boarding and continued to prioritise face-to-face sessions with new recruits, our CEO and Executive team.

employee surveys

At Hume, we pride ourselves on two-way communication and a desire to support employees to feel engaged and give them different mechanisms to communicate and contribute. Listening and responding to feedback is our way to ensure we have an evolving employee value proposition.

We employ several tools to measure, understand and develop plans to enhance the culture, wellbeing and performance of Hume’s employees.

Employee Opinion Survey (eos)

This survey was conducted in February 2021 and measures how engaged employees feel with the organisation.

This survey is conducted by independent researchers, The Voice Project and provides a benchmark against other community housing providers (CHPs).

The EOS helps Hume understand how current work practises affect employee engagement and current performance. Using anonymous feedback, the survey shows Hume how employees ‘feel’ about the organisation, their passion/ engagement, their feelings about the organisation’s progress and their perceptions of the organisation’s performance.

Hume first participated in the EOS in 2012, with the 2021 survey conducted to provide a new benchmark since the expansion of the organisation..

136 employees contributed, resulting in an excellent 95% participation rate In the 2021 survey. The survey was conducted following periods of floods, fire and the COVID- 19 pandemic.

90%

Hume employees rating for the areas of Purpose and Values, Results Focus, Organisational Direction and Diversity

Strengths also included recruitment and selection, renumeration and benefits, performance and appraisals and leadership.

Areas of improvement included internal processes, cross unit collaboration and career opportunities. These areas have been a focus of Hume’s strategic planning in 2021- 2022.

Organisational Culture index (oCi) Culture is a shared system of values, beliefs and expectations that shapes how people behave and how work gets done. Both Engagement and Culture are critical to business success and leads to a sustainable and thriving organisation. This survey is conducted by independent researchers, Human Synergistics and provides a benchmark against many organisations across Australia/ New Zealand.

This OCI survey was first conducted in 2018, with the March 2022 survey providing a new base line for the expanded organisation.

133

employees participated in the survey, representing a 72% response rate.

In order to have a thriving organisation, you need to have a Constructive Culture. This is a culture where employees feel trusted, encouraged, and have a strong sense of achievement and belonging.

The results indicated that Hume’s strength remains in the Constructive Culture sector with our primary style and strength remaining as Humanistic/Encouraging (67%).

Work is being conducted across the organisation to develop plans to enhance our constructive culture with a focus on key areas of role clarity, quality of service and employee satisfaction.

the pulse survey

The Pulse Survey measures employees’ perceptions of wellbeing and progress at a given point in time. The 2021 Pulse Survey was conducted by independent researchers, The Voice Project.

136 employees participated in the survey during the COVID-19, representing a high response rate of 82%.

Employees are integral to strategic planning at Hume and use the two days offsite to work collaboratively to translate Hume’s five-year business strategy into concise business unit and individual plans that will support the attainment of Hume’s strategic goals.

A highlight of the event was the Employment Service and Reward & Recognition night.

training and Learning

Other Training delivered included:

• Introduction to Complaints & Compliments

• Management of Complaints

• Restrictive Practice

• Project Management Fundamentals

There was also ongoing training for employees in the following courses:

• Accidental Counsellor

• NCAT Training

73% reported wellness and feelings of safety at the time of the survey.

Our cultural awareness training was enhanced through the addition of a Reconciliation Action Plan endorsed module in our Learning Management System. Also the delivery of an inhouse designed program for frontline employees known as Working Respectfully with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Customers in partnership with Alison Croall from Tharawal Housing Aboriginal Corporation.

• Trauma Informed Care

• Social and Affordable Housing Induction

85%

Progress score, with employees saying they are satisfied with the organisation’s response to the COVID-19 situation. With particularly high scores of 93 - 95% for health and safety elements.

A variety of elements contributed to these positive results, including Leader and Team support and Hume’s investment and usage of our Employee Assistance and Wellness Coaching providers.

strategic planning Away days

For the first time in over two years, Hume was able to bring employees together at the annual All-Team Strategic Planning Aways Days on the 26 & 27 May 2022. The event was an opportunity for employees to reconnect and connect with new and former colleagues in person.

5 year employment Recognition Award

• Anna Brachmanis

• Sheridan Gibson

• Renee Gordon

• Lara Hook

• Michelle Kemp

• Michael Kourakis

• Nicole Maher

• Deepa Malhotra

• Anna Nguyen (P&C)

• Ashtika Prasad

• Natalie Risby

• Maree Ross

• Teryza Segi

• Annah Sorrenson-Cox

• Sarithya Tuy

• Nisha Vaswani

• Sririsay Vukovic

10 year employment Recognition Award

• Julie Davenport

• Noha Gabriel

Away days

15 year employment Recognition Award

• Vivian Lisciotto

• Dusanka Mrdjenovic

Ceo Award

Katherine McLean

–Data Business Partner

emerging Humestar Award

Ashleigh Hanshaw

–Team Leader, CSO Housing

Cool in a Crisis Award

Patricia Brown

–Office Manager

Leadership Award

Catherine Cahill

–Manager, People and Culture

Leadership Award Runner up

Christine Malton

–Customer Solutions Manager

people’s Choice Award

–Housing Options Team

Hume’s AnnuAL

governance and finance

our management and accountability

Hume is a registered Tier 1 Community Housing Provider (CHP) and operates under the regulations required by the National Regulatory System for Community Housing (NRSCH).

It is a requirement of NRSCH that Hume operates in accordance with a code of governance that is consistent with the Australian Securities Exchange (ASx) Corporate Governance Principles.

The ASx describes corporate governance as ‘the framework of rules, relationships, systems and processes within and by which authority is exercised and controlled in corporations.’ It encompasses the mechanisms by which Hume, and those in control, are held to account.

As a not-for-profit organisation, Hume is not a listed entity, therefore ASx’s Corporate Governance Council recommendations may not the relevant or appropriate to Hume’s circumstance. However, our Board believes that Hume must provide the same robust governance framework and operate in accordance with the principles of the ASx’s Corporate Governance Council Corporate Governance Principles and these have been included into Hume’s governance principles below.

our Board

The Hume Community Housing Board of Directors is structured around principles of good governance. We are governed by an independent skills-based board that has up to 10 directors. Our directors have experience and skill sets that support the scale and scope of our business as well as our planned growth. The Board is committed to strong governance, community spirit and advocacy for those who require assistance. Hume’s directors provide skills and expertise in governance, legal, risk and compliance, information technology, marketing, property development, financial management, human resources, community services, urban planning, housing, disability services and asset management.

Our Board undertakes annual reviews of its performance to ensure that it is performing to its maximum effectiveness and the appropriate governance arrangements are in place. In addition to a skills matrix and annual skills gap analysis, all directors are encouraged to attend training and professional development courses, as required, at Hume’s expense.

We recognise that while our Board of Directors are ultimately responsible for corporate governance, good corporate governance is a shared responsibility.

Members of the Board, CEO and Executive Team and our employees have a responsibility to ensure that Hume is well governed.

All employees and directors must comply with Hume’s code of conduct.

meetings of directors

The number of meetings of the registered entity’s Board of Directors (‘the Board’) and of each Board committee held during the year ended 30 June 2022, and the number of meetings attended by each director were:

our governance committees

To assist effective governance, the Board has nominated the following committees to discharge its responsibilities:

• Governance, Audit & Risk Committee

• People and Culture Committee

• Growth, Development & Sustainability Committee

• Customer Experience Committee

Hume’s Board Directors and their attendance in 2021–22.

BoARd pAtRon: pAt mARtin

Patricia Martin OAM, Dip.E, Dip. ME, JP, MAHI, MOAA has been involved with Hume’s operations for the last 21 years including serving a 17-year term as President of the Hume Board before her appointment as Board Patron in 2007.

Pat has also served terms as President of the Fairfield Community Resource Centre as well as the NSW Federation of Housing Association. Pat owned and operated a successful travel study company, Cindela Consultants, which coordinated study visits to and from Japan for government officials in the areas of retirement, stock exchange and police and fire brigade. Pat is also a former secondary teacher with 15 years teaching experience. In 1982, Pat was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for her service to youth welfare.

Pat is a current member of the Australasian Housing Institute and member of the Order of Australia Association.

Each committee has a charter and is chaired by a non-executive director. Each committee is entitled to obtain professional advice at Hume’s expense.

Table 2 shows our governance subcommittees, their membership and functions, and the number of times they met during the year.

name function

governance, Audit & Risk Committee

This Committee assists the Board with the following functions:

Ensuring good corporate governance and processes.

Reviewing and approving Hume’s budgets, financial statements, accounting policies and the control environment.

Ensuring compliance with legislation, oversight of risk management and internal control policies.

Monitor solvency of Hume.

people and Culture Committee

Current members number of meetings

Phillip Hepburn (Chair)

Nathan Rees

True Swain

Shirley Liew

6

growth, development & sustainability Committee

The purpose of the Committee is to assist the Board to discharge its obligations in respect of the appointment, performance and remuneration of Directors, including the Chief Executive Officer.

Setting Hume’s overall People & Culture policies.

The purpose of the Committee is to assist the Board in the development and implementation of Hume’s growth strategies and make recommendations to the Board with respect to investments in such growth strategies as well as oversee the Hume sustainability strategy.

Robyn Parker (Chair)

Robert Vine

Susan Holliday

Jeffrey Cummings

True Swain (Chair)

Nathan Rees

Phillip Hepburn

Jayson Bricknell

Jeffrey Cummings

3

Risk management

Hume has a risk management framework in place for the identification and effective management of risk consistent with AUS/NZ ISO 31000:2018.

The CEO is responsible for completing the risk matrix to assess risks and potential risks effecting Hume. Hume is not exposed to material environmental or social risks.

Internal controls are in place to mitigate against any material business risks. Risks of strategic, financial, and operational natures are reviewed on a regular basis by the Audit and Risk Committee, which makes recommendations to the Board.

Operational risks are managed by our Executive Leadership Team and material operational risks are reported to the Board.

Compliance framework

Hume has established a Compliance Management Framework that enables the organisation to demonstrate its commitment to complying with relevant laws, including regulatory requirements, industry codes and organisational standards of good governance, best practices, ethics and community expectations. It has been developed with reference to AS ISO 19600:2015 Compliance Management Systems.

The management of compliance obligations at Hume is based on the ‘three lines’ model of risk management. Inherent in this model is the separation of the audit and management functions, and the relationship between each and with the Board.

Accountability and transparency

Hume has compliance procedures in place to ensure timely and balanced disclosure of information, in line with the Registrar, Legislation, Australian Charities and Non-profits Commission, and Australian Securities and Investments Commission funding body requirements.

Our Company Secretary is responsible for ensuring that necessary steps have been taken within Hume and that they are brought before the Board for discussion, and subject to amendment, approval.

Culture of acting lawfully, ethically and responsibly

Hume has a number of policies that instil a culture of acting lawfully, ethically and responsibly and specify appropriate and expected standards of behaviour for all staff (including management) and the Board.

These policies include:

• Code of Conduct

• Standards, Ethics and Values Statement

• Conflict of Interest Policy

• Whistle-blower and Employee Disclosure Policy

• Fraud and Corruption Prevention Policy

• Gifts and Hospitality Policy.

These policies are developed in accordance with our values (which are based on the principles of social justice and ethics), and in line with legislative requirements.

5

The Board is ultimately responsible for organisational compliance. As delegate of the Board, the Governance, Audit and Risk Committee is responsible for:

• effective oversight of the compliance management system

• monitoring how actual or potential non-compliance is addressed and rectified

• reporting to the Board as appropriate

Hume employees are expected to always operate in a professional manner, with a customer-focused approach. Our governance policies clearly set out the expectations for behaviour to ensure that conduct and decision-making are consistent with our values and uphold our reputation.

Reward and Recognition

Customer experience Committee

The purpose of this committee is to assist the Board to understand and give the necessary priority to the needs and expectations of Hume’s customers.

Jayson Bricknell (Chair)

Robyn Parker

Robert Vine

Shirley Liew 4

• receiving internal audit reports.

internal audit

Internal Audit is delivered through the Legal, Risk and Compliance function and provides assessment and assurance to the Board, the Governance, Audit and Risk Committee and Executive Team regarding the effectiveness of Hume’s Enterprise Risk Management Framework and the effectiveness of controls. The work of this function allows for continuous improvement of the Enterprise Risk Management Framework and Compliance Framework and the strengthening of controls.

The Board has a framework for the reward and recognition of employees which is overseen by the People & Culture Committee. Remuneration is based on the SCHADS award for the majority of employees. Hume performs market reviews for non-executive directors, the CEO and Senior Executives.

directors’ remuneration

Total board remuneration in FY 22 was $272,399.

Table 2: Hume’s subcommittees, their membership and functions, and the number of times they met in 2021–22.

diReCtoRs’ RepoRt - 30 june 2022

The directors present their report, together with the financial statements, on Hume Community Housing Association Company Limited (referred to hereafter as ‘registered entity’ or ‘Hume’) for the year ended 30 June 2022.

directors

The following persons were directors of the registered entity during the whole of the financial year and up to the date of this report, unless otherwise stated:

• Susan Holliday

• Robert Vine

• True Swain

• Larraine Eddy (resigned 20 October 2021)

• Phillip Hepburn

• Jayson Bricknell

• Nathan Rees

• Robyn Parker

• Shirley Liew (appointed 3 February 2022)

• Jeffrey Cummings (appointed 3 February 2022)

objectives and strategy for achieving the objectives

The registered entity has a strategic plan (2020-2025). The objectives of the strategic plan are to consolidate and deepen our footprint, maximise social impact and develop a thriving organisation.

The registered entity’s activities resulted in the continuation of the registered entity’s Tier 1 registration by the NRSCH and produced a surplus that will be used to further the registered entity’s long-term objectives.

Ongoing assessments have been undertaken to determine the impacts that the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has had, or may have, on the company. This consideration extends to delivery of services, impact on customers, staffing and geographic regions in which the entity operates. Based on current assessments there does not currently appear to be either any significant impact on the financial statements or any significant uncertainties with respect to events or conditions which may impact the entity unfavourably as at the reporting date or subsequently as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

principal activities

During the financial year the principal continuing activities of the registered entity was the provision of tenancy and property management services, as well as providing a wide range of housing options and support services to improve housing security and reduce homelessness.

performance measures

The registered entity measures its performance by meeting the objectives established in the annual business plan and departmental service delivery plans to deliver the strategic objectives. Key performance indicators are also established and monitored both internally and as a comparison to external benchmarks. Hume’s performance for 2022 is reported in the 2022 Annual Report.

sue HoLLidAy

Chairperson (from 20/10/21 to 30/06/22), deputy Chair (from 01/07/21 to 20/10/21), Chair of Customer experience Committee (from 1/07/21 to 7/12/21), member of the growth, development & sustainability Committee (from 01/07/21 to 7/12/21), member of people & Culture Committee;

Life Fellow, Planning Institute of Australia, FPIA, CPP, GAICD, BA (Economics), MPhil (Town and Country Planning)

Sue is a city planner and economist. She was Professor of Planning Practice at UNSW until February 2020. She ran her business, Strategies for Change, an urban strategy consultancy, until 30th June 2019.

Sue had a long career in the public service and has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to affordable housing. She was Director General of Planning in NSW from 1997 to 2003. She was instrumental in establishing the City West Housing Company to achieve ongoing

infoRmAtion on diReCtoRs RoBeRt Vine

affordability options in Pyrmont and Ultimo. She introduced affordable housing as a planning objective into the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (NSW) and introduced inclusionary zoning into planning instruments to enable development to contribute to affordable housing outcomes.

Sue was elected to the Hume Board in April 2014 and became Chair in October 2021.

Chairperson (from 01/07/21 to 20/10/21), Chair of people and Culture Committee, member of governance, Audit and Risk Committee (from 01/07/21 to 7/12/21), growth, development & sustainability Committee (from 01/07/21 to 7/12/21), and member of Customer experience Committee.

Dip.Mngmt. Grad Dip. HR, MAICD

Robert has served for more than 20 years on the Hume Board including time as Chairman.

Robert has been involved in not for profits management since 1972 culminating in retirement as CEO of one of the State’s largest groups of Co-operative Housing Societies. With tertiary qualifications in Management, Human Resource Planning, Accounting and Financial management Bob brings to Hume an all-round raft of experience. Still serving on the NSW Government Co-operatives Advisory Board he is actively involved in the provision of affordable housing.

tRue sWAin

director, Chair of growth, development & sustainability Committee and member of Customer experience Committee (from 01/07/21 to 07/12/21), member of governance, Audit & Risk Committee (from 07/12/21 to 30/06/22)

JD, MBA, M. Pro Dev, B. CPM, GAICD

True is passionate about providing quality homes and services that enables Hume’s Customers to thrive.

As an experienced senior executive manager and director, True has a wealth of professional property development, project management, risk management, corporate governance and business expertise, in both public and private sectors. His property development experience covers the entire development lifecycle, including master planning, development feasibility, business case, site identification, conception of innovative property development outcomes, authority approvals, procurement, delivery management & property asset lifecycle management. This experience has been

LARRAine eddy

successfully applied across a diverse array of complex and diversified property portfolios throughout Australia, which has enabled these organisations to grow and achieve their strategic objectives.

True’s experience delivering multi-billion property development outcomes is further complemented by his broad tertiary qualifications, including Juris Doctor of Law, Master of Business Administration, Masters of Property Development, Graduate Certificate in Commercial Arbitration, Bachelor of Construction Project Management and Graduate of Australia Institute of Company Directors course.

True was elected to the Hume Board in March 2014.

director, member of people and Culture Committee and Customer experience Committee (from 30/06/21 to 20/10/21)

JP

Larraine holds a Certificate in Welfare as well as an Advanced Certificate in Working with Older People.

Larraine has over 23 years’ experience working with older people and for the last 18 years has been advocating housing ssues for the aged community through the Assistance with Care and Housing for the Aged Program

pHiLLip HepBuRn

Larraine has held a position on the Hume Board since 2005 (Larraine previously held a position on the Hume Board from 1998-2003) and is an active member of People and Culture Subcommittee and Customer Experience subcommittee from 30/06/2021 until her retirement from the Hume Board on 20/10/2021.

deputy Chair (from 20/10/21), Chair of governance, Audit & Risk Committee (from 7/12/21 to 30/06/22) and member of growth, development & sustainability Committee

B EC, LLB, LLM, Grad Dip Company Secretarial Practice

Phillip has extensive experience in setting up legal, governance and compliance functions, advising Boards on all aspects of legal and compliance issues. Phillip was previously General Counsel and Group Secretary at Stockland where his role also included providing commercial and legal advice on business and property acquisitions and sales, and on all aspects of property

development and capital management activities undertaken by the organisation. Phillip has extensive experience in management across the property, banking, retail and agricultural sectors and has also acted as a mentor to senior executives. Phillip has a strong interest in the areas of Board governance, risk and compliance.

Phillip was elected to the Hume Board in February 2016.

jAyson BRiCkneLL

director, Chair of governance, Audit & Risk Committee (from 01/07/21 to 07/12/21), Chair of Customer experience Committee (from 07/12/21 to 30/06/22), member of growth, development & sustainability Committee (from 07/12/21 to 30/06/22) and member of people and Culture Committee (01/07/21 to 07/12/21)

B Ec, GAICD

Jayson is an experienced Financial Services executive with broad business experience across a number of disciplines. He has specific expertise and a proven track record in customer experience, program and project management for system deliveries, stakeholder engagement, transformation programs, operational performance improvement, growth and strategy definition and execution (including mergers and acquisitions).

tHe Hon. RoByn pARkeR

His experience includes ten years with Westpac/BT Financial Group, two years with Third Horizon Consulting, 15 years with Macquarie Bank and over 5 years with Arthur Andersen & Co and PricewaterhouseCoopers. After a long history in the financial services sector, Jayson is now working full time in the social sector supporting organisations with his experience on projects and transformation programs. Jayson was elected to the Hume Board in March 2017.

director, member of growth, development & sustainability Committee (from 01/07/21 to 07/12/21), member of people and Culture Committee and member of Customer experience Committee

GAICD, JP

Throughout her life, Robyn Parker has worked to support, develop and strengthen individuals, families and communities. Robyn has over 32 years of public sector experience which included roles in Child and Family Services, as a TAFE teacher, and as CEO of Ageing and Disability Services.

Robyn served in the NSW Parliament for twelve years serving first as a Member of the Legislative Council, followed by four years as the Member for Maitland. Robyn chaired many Parliamentary Inquiries and was the NSW Minister for the Environment and Minister for Heritage (2011-2014).

Since leaving politics, Robyn has been appointed as a nonexecutive Director to a number of environment, education and for-purpose organisations.

tHe Hon. nAtHAn Rees

Commercially focused and community driven, Robyn brings to Hume in-demand capabilities of leading transformation and applying the right level of strategic thinking required as the organisation embarks on a bold future

In particular, as a long-term resident Robyn has a unique, strong and well-established network of contacts and relationships coupled with a deep understanding of the Maitland and Port Stephens LGAs and their people which was invaluable in Hume’s transition to manage over 2,000 homes under the NSW FACS Social Housing Management Transfers program.

Robyn was elected to the Hume Board in February 2019.

director, member of growth, development & sustainability Committee and the governance, Audit and Risk Committee

Nathan has lived his life in Western Sydney and has 28 years’ experience in public administration. After completing a horticulture apprenticeship, he undertook an Honours degree in English Literature at Sydney University.

Nathan served in the NSW Parliament from 2007 to 2015, including as Premier of NSW, Minister for Water, Minister

for the Arts, Minister for the Central Coast and Minister for Emergency Services. He was the member for the Western Sydney seat of Toongabbie and has a passion for Western Sydney and social justice.

Nathan was elected to the Hume Board in February 2017.

sHiRLey LieW

director, member of governance, Audit and Risk subcommittee, member of Customer experience subcommittee

BBus (Fin), MBA, FAICD, FTIA, FCPA, IIA, CRISC (ISACA), FINSIA(Aff)

Shirley is a professional non-executive director and has a range of business interests. She has a strong focus and knowledge of governance, risk and compliance, business strategy, mergers and acquisition backed by practice-led partner audit, corporate and project finance, fund raising and advisory roles in banking, financial services, health, hospitality, FMCG, retail and wholesale sector

Shirley is an active board member with more than 15 years’ experience as Chairman, Chair of Audit & Risk Committees, Chair of M&A, Safety and Clinical Governance committee and Nomination, Remuneration committee experience, across Publicly listed, private and not-for-profit, for purpose entities. She is also experienced in Stakeholder Engagement and achieving change/outcomes in difficult circumstances.

jeffRey Cummings

Shirley has more than 20 years’ experience as a senior executive, CEO/CFO across broad industries and over 12 year’s senior roles including international firm, Ernst & Young, and as head of risk and audit partner in Chartered Accounting firm Grant Thornton and Moore Stephens.

Her recent director roles include non-executive director and chair of the Audit Risk Committee at Hunter United Credit Union, Lantern Hotel Group (ASx:LTN), Bellamys Australia Limited (ASx:BAL), Bridge Housing Limited, Chair and director of Outset Group (Amber Tiles) Australia Pty Limited.

Shirley was elected to the Hume Board in February 2022.

director, member of growth, development and sustainability Committee, member of people and Culture Committee

B Bus, FAICD

Jeff has been engaged in the property industry for over 30 years as a senior executive and director. For the past 20 years he has been self-employed as a consultant and strategic advisor to both government agencies (Landcom and NSW Dept. of Health) and corporate entities, both public and private. His principal activities have been in residential land development and housing.

He has been a Non-Executive Director of Devine Limited, Sekisui House Australia Holdings Pty Ltd, Nordcon Pty Ltd and is the principal of The Urban Partnership.

Jeff has also had extensive involvement in voluntary humanitarian work throughout Papua New Guinea and New Zealand and is currently the Deputy Chairman of SEIROS Limited, a not-for-profit research organisation.

Jeff was elected to the Hume Board in February 2022.

Leadership team

Our Executive Team is passionate about Hume, the role it plays to improve people’s lives and the creation of communities where people want to live. The team has a depth of experience to guide Hume into the next stage of its growth, sustainability, and delivery. In August 2021, experienced executive Victor Prasad joined Hume from Hunter Water to head up the Customer Experience Project and Assets Team.

niCoLA Lemon

Chief executive officer

BA (Hons), LLB, MAICD

Nicola is focused on building a more equitable world— one where those most vulnerable have access to safe, secure housing and services to enable them to prosper, contribute to their community and assume their meaningful place in society. She positions Hume as a profit-for purpose organisation, in the conviction that community housing providers must be outstanding business organisations. Since her appointment in 2008, Nicola has forged a thriving organisation, one that is financially sustainable, focused on business growth, innovation, commitment to purpose, and accountability. Nicola champions consultation with customers, employees, and partners to foster continual organisational and industry improvement. She is committed to providing holistic, long-term solutions that support education, and well-being. Equipping people with a roof over their heads, as well as opportunities to improve their economic and social wellbeing, has seen record numbers of Hume customers successfully navigate their way into private housing, secure jobs, volunteering opportunities, and improved social outcomes. She has been a member of the Board of PowerHousing Australia since 2012 and has been the Chairperson since 2016. Before joining Hume, Nicola held roles in housing associations in the United Kingdom. She has led regeneration projects, large-scale real estate renewal programs, new-build constructions, and service delivery design projects.

seAn pARkeR

Chief financial officer and Company secretary CA, AGIA

Sean joined Hume as the Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary in 2018. Sean has more than 20 years’ experience in senior management, including CFO roles for two publicly listed companies. He has strong finance and risk management skills and recent

experience includes strategy and business development responsibilities with a positive impact on stakeholder value. He is experienced in property funds management and previously had responsibility for large scale financing as well as mergers and acquisitions. He was also responsible for acquisition and development of childcare centres as part of a senior management role with a premium childcare provider. Sean was elected to the Tharawal Housing Aboriginal Corporation Board in September 2019. Sean is also Chairman of the Board of Gowrie NSW, a leading provider in early learning. Sean has led Hume’s business continuity planning team in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

sHARn CHisHoLm executive manager – people, Culture and Communications Dip. HRM

Sharn joined Hume in 2019, bringing with her an impressive record of strategic business outcomes for some of Australia’s largest ASx companies and nonprofit organisations. Sharn is a resilient, values driven, empathetic leader, who is committed to building and sustaining high-performance cultures.

ViCtoR pRAsAd executive manager – Customer experience and Assets

BE (Hons), Grad. Dip. Project Management, Member of the Australian Institute of Company Director

As the Executive Manager of Customer Experience and Assets, Victor leads a very capable team that is responsible for all aspects of the customer strategy and experience across Hume including digital transformation, customer contact & success, customer accounts management and customer care operations and asset management.

AndReA

RitCHie

executive manager - Housing and impact

Cert in First Line Managing, Chartered Management Institute Executive Manager

Andrea is a highly experienced executive manager with expertise in Australia’s community housing sector and the UK’s government housing and homelessness sector. She has proven ability achieving results, whilst demonstrating strong leadership skills in a dynamic and complex environment.

She draws on her expertise to serve as a creative disrupter, positively challenging the status quo to propel an organisation forward. Sharn’s experience in delivering complex programs, such as large start-ups and mergers and acquisitions, is underpinned by an innate understanding of an organisation’s capacity and readiness for growth and change.

Sharn is an influential all-rounder, working collaboratively to design, develop and implement innovative communication, marketing and people-centric strategies and programs that will deliver long term transformational growth, while ensuring organisational and financial sustainability. In her spare time, Sharn volunteers her expertise to Inala Disability Services.

Victor joined Hume in August 2021 from Hunter Water, a water utility, where he was the Executive Manager Customer Strategy & Retail for over 7 years. At Hunter Water, he delivered major infrastructure and technology projects, with hands-on experience in customer centric business transformation, customer centred design thinking and implementing voice of the customer programs.

Victor is passionate about the role Hume plays in building a more inclusive community and ensuring people facing adversity can enjoy fulfilling and meaningful lives and is keen to engage our community and industry to tailor products and services that meet the expectations of our customers, ensuring their experience is valued at every touchpoint.

Victor is also an Executive Member with the Maitland Business Chamber and has strong relationships with senior leaders within business and government.

Andrea has served as an Executive for Hume since 2018, during which she led the largest transformation project in Hume’s history and its success draws on Andrea’s extensive experience in project management, change management and team building.

Andrea was appointed Executive Manager, Customer Experience in 2019, where she led the development of Hume’s Customer Experience Strategy. In December 2021 after a short career break Andrea was appointed as Executive Manager Housing & Impact focusing on Housing services and Social Impact across our diverse housing programs.

financials

As

glossary

affordable housing Housing to help people who are earning a low to moderate income and are finding it difficult to pay the amount of rent being asked in the private market. Eligibility criteria apply.

arrears When a customer is behind with payments such as rent, power or water bills.

the Collectives A lived-experience hoarding support group that meets at Hume’s Parramatta office and discusses strategies on helping loved ones with hoarding disorder.

Community Cohesion team

A team at Hume that delivers activities and programs that ensure our customers feel safe, secure, resilient and connected.

complex cases Significant health, social or behavioural issues or a combination of these, that need to be taken into consideration when supporting a customer to achieve an outcome.

customer support plan

disability service provider

fee-for-service home

housing continuum

Housing options

Housing pathways

nsW Housing Register

placemaking

powerHousing Australia

service agreement

shared areas

A tailored plan created for customers that targets the achievement of housing stability.

A person, business or organisation who delivers funded services to people with disability.

Providers have different areas of experience and expertise.

A home that is managed by Hume on behalf of its owner for which we are paid a fee.

A concept that considers the broad range of responses available to help a range of households access affordable and appropriate housing at all stages in tenure and life.

A program in which a customers’ housing needs are assessed to determine the housing options available to them.

A common housing register for applications seeking social housing assistance.

A list of people waiting for social housing, sorted by approval category, required location, and approval date.

An approach to the planning and design of communal spaces that promotes customer wellbeing and happiness.

An important network of 32 community housing providers across Australia that allows members to collaborate and share knowledge.

An agreement between a Disability Service Provider and a participant about the provision of services and support.

Areas of a Specialist Disability Accommodation property that are not someone’s designated bedroom or the staff office space.

social housing Housing to help people on very low to low incomes. social outcomes framework

A framework developed to support Hume in embedding social outcomes into service management, planning, delivery and evaluation.

specialist disability Accommodation Accommodation for people who require specialist housing solutions, including to assist with the delivery of supports that cater for their extreme functional impairment or very high support needs.

supported independent Living Help with and/or supervision of daily tasks to develop the skills of an individual to live as independently as possible. These are the supports provided to a participant in their home, regardless of property ownership, and can be in a shared or individual arrangement.

tenancy sustainment

Supporting customers to meet their tenancy obligations over a period of time. The long-term goal of managing their rental obligations, creating opportunities to access other housing options in the future.

transitional housing Short-term, fixed tenure housing for customers who present as homeless or are exiting from rapid rehousing programs.

Abbreviations

AHBA Affordable Housing Bond

Ceo Chief Executive Officer

CHiA Community Housing Industry Association

CpA Cerebral Palsy Alliance

dCj Department of Communities and Justice

eos Employee Opinion Survey

faCs Family and Community Services, former NSW Department of Justice

Hip Housing Independence Program

Hops Housing Options program

HpWd Housing for people with disability

LAHC Land and Housing Corporation NSW

LgA local government area

ndis National Disability Insurance Scheme

nHfiC National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation

nRsCH National Regulatory Scheme for Community Housing

oCi Organisation Culture Index

p&C people and culture

sdA Specialist Disability Accommodation

sHCif Social Housing Community Improvement Fund

sHmt Social Housing Management Transfer

tAp Temporary Accommodation Program

WHs workplace health and safety

yHop Youth Housing Options Program

fairfield

7 Hamilton Road Cabrogal Country Fairfield NSW 2165

maitland

464 High Street

Wonnarua Country

Maitland NSW 2320

Raymond terrace

46 William Street

Worimi Country Raymond Terrace NSW 2324

The report should be attributed as the Hume Community Housing Annual Report 2021.ISSN 2652-3280 (Online) ISSN 2652-3272 (Print)

This report is available at www.humehousing.com.au All reporting is at 30 June 2022 unless otherwise indicated. All amounts are in Australian dollars unless otherwise indicated. The Communications and Marketing team would like to thank everyone who contributed to this annual report at the various stages of the production process. Your assistance is greatly appreciated.

PROJECT MANAGER: Lynelle Johnson. DESIGN: Peter O’Donoghue.

Enquiries about this annual report are welcome, and should be directed to:

MS NICOLA LEMON - CEO

Hume Community Housing

7 Hamilton Road Fairfield NSW 2165

1800 004 300

hume@humehousing.com.au humehousing.com.au

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