Homelessness Advocacy

Service (HAS)

Advocacy/effective complaint management

Rights based service delivery/culture

Consumer participation

Consultation/Partnerships/Education

Organisational Context

Parity

Policy

Peer Education Support Program

Training/Education

Secondary consultation

Advocacy

Council to Homeless Persons (CHP)Homelessness Advocacy Service

(HAS)

Systemic advocacy

Homeless people form one of the most powerless and marginalised groups in

society. Responses to their need should aim to empower them and

maximise their independence. These responses should be provided in a way that respects their dignity as individuals, enhances their self

esteem, is sensitive to their social and economic circumstances, and

respects their cultural backgrounds and their beliefs.

SAAP Act 1994

Transforming rights rhetoric into rights culture

Background

• Victorian Homelessness Strategy

• Homelessness Advocacy Service incorporating

thePeer Education Support Program

• Homelessness Assistance Service Standards

• Integrated complaints Management SystemOffice of Housing Complaints Management Unit

• The Consumer Charter and Guidelines: Your Rights and Responsibilities

The Homelessness Advocacy Service (HAS)

• HAS was established in 2005 to provide

• Direct advocacy to people who require assistance in making a complaint with any OoH funded homelessness agency including SAAP, THM, Rooming House and Social Housing Residents

• Secondary consultation to agencies regarding complaints policy and practice

• State-wide Training incorporating rights based service delivery, the Homelessness Assistance Service Standards, the Consumer Charter of Rights and Responsibilities, consumer participation and effective complaint mechanisms

• Consumer participation through the Peer Education Support Program

• Underpinning the vision, mission, goals and strategies of HAS is the understanding that we are all partners in working together to advocate for continually improved sustainable outcomes for people who have experienced homelessness.

Advocacy

Promoting, supporting & protecting the rights of service users

On service user’s instructions, speak, act and respond on their behalf

Ensure issues are articulated in a clear format and are responded to in a transparent and consistent manner

HAS is not an initiator, mediator, investigator, prosecutor or arbiter of disputes

Examples of Complaints

• Lack of respect and dignity

• Eviction

• Breach of privacy

• Service exclusion

• Discrimination

• Withholding information regarding rights

and responsibilities

• Prescriptive/patronizing attitudes

Appropriate, affordable and accessible?

Dignity, Respect and Justicewe can we can’tbe respectful know what is best

for otherslisten and consult rely on

assumptionsoffer another view impose

our viewschange ourselves change

othershave a vision for the future force

others to share itlearn from our experiences deny the validity of

other experiencesmake ourselves available make others

engage with usprovide constructive feedback denigrate or

defameencourage change control processes or

outcomeshave hope decide if someone

is hopeless

change the world change the world

St Luke’s innovative resources 1999

Peer Education Support Program (PESP)• List some interesting facts about Women’s

History Month

PESP launch The Consumer Charter of Rights and Responsibilities for community –managed housing and homelessness services

Respect, Dignity, Fairness, ParticipationFlexibility, Privacy, Inclusion These values are central to the 11 mutual rights articulated in the consumer charter

Equal Service Guidelines

ResourcesHAS is a statewide program with four funded positions – Coordinator, Advocate

x 2 and a PESP Supervisor.

The PESP team is made up of six volunteers who have experienced homelessness

Free call number – 1800 066 256

Service providers can contact HAS on 03 9419 8529 or email has@chp.org.au

Website: www.chp.org.au To visit: 34 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy 3065

Useful Resources Commonwealth of Australia Ombudsman A good practice guide to effective complaint handling

www.comb.gov.au/publications