TOGETHER HOME REPORT

Together Home Report

The NSW Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) awarded both the housing and support provision of the Together Home Program to NCCH in July 2020. Together Home is a $122.1m program that aims to transition people away from rough sleeping and into long-term stable housing, while improving overall personal wellbeing. Housing and support is provided through the program, which aims to address people’s support needs, build individual capability and capacity, and foster connections to community. This program is based on the highly successful Housing First Principles. Together Home is a key contributor towards efforts to achieve the NSW Premier’s Priority to reduce street homelessness by 50% by 2025. This first round of funding from July 2020 provides for 30 people, over the age of 18, to move into accommodation and receive intensive casework support. NCCH made the decision to establish an in-house support team rather than broker to other agencies. This was a great opportunity for NCCH to not only assist with the physical housing but also with the casework support for people with complex needs. The Together Home team have worked in a space that is complex, with clients who have experienced high levels of disadvantage and ongoing stigma and discrimination as well as:

A Mental illness; A Drug and alcohol issues; A Childhood trauma; A Physical and sexual assault; A Being removed from their family and growing up in out of home care; A Having children removed into care; A Post-Traumatic stress disorder; A ADHD; and A Chronic health issues.

It has been a learning curve to work within Housing First Principles which have proven effective in other countries including Scotland and Canada. Delivering successful outcomes for our clients has truly been an organisational effort. From the Tenancy Teams finding head lease rental properties (in this incredibly difficult market), to the increased processing of invoices, to the setting up of a whole new team with cars, desks and computers, to our partnership with the Tenancy Managers ensuring that our clients succeed in their tenancies. It has been a huge advantage for the program that we sit within the Operations General Manager’s portfolio who oversees both the tenancy and support aspects of the program. As of 30th June 2021 we had housed 25 of the 30 clients with the other five in temporary accommodation.

Recognition needs to go to Vicki McMillan and Lili Wangechi who worked tirelessly from October 2020 to establish all 30 clients in the new database, meet all clients and to start housing them. It took until April 2021 for a full team to be on board with Clayton Dunn as Program Lead, Paula Flynn as Project Officer, and caseworkers Vicki McMillan, Ylinne Chien and Jessica Ferreira. We have had numerous successes in our work with the Together Home clients including:

A Moving people into their new homes with furniture and making their house a home; A Getting Birth Certificates and Medicare Cards; A Getting their licence and learning to drive; A Regularly seeing their GP, dentist and Psychologist; A Accessing training and employment opportunities; A Receiving an extra $100 000 in High Needs Packages from Homelessness NSW for additional support; A Successfully preparing and passing their lease inspections with real estate agents;and having had their leases renewed.

It is a privilege to be a part of an organisation that is taking on this challenging and life changing work.

Clayton Dunn

Clayton Dunn – Together Home Project Lead