Advocating for change
Through research and gathering evidence, we aim to support our clients more effectively, encourage social and policy change, and champion a fair, egalitarian and inclusive society.
HomeGround’s seeks to influence government policy about housing and homelessness and community attitudes about what homelessness is, who homeless people are and what to do about it.
Part of our role is to advocate for change to policy and attitudes to homelessness and for proven models for ending homelessness.
In our advocacy we focus on several areas:
- Shifting the focus away from managing homelessness to ending homelessness
- Increasing affordable, social and public housing supply
- Introduction of Housing First and Supportive Housing approaches
- Making private rooming houses safe for residents
- Improving conditions for homelessness sector workers
As part of our advocacy activities we played a leading role in the Call This a Home? campaign which highlighted the often appalling conditions of private rooming houses. The campaign called for minimum standards and licensing. In late 2009 the Victorian government committed to improving rooming house standards and regulation.
We have also signed on to the Australian Services Union campaign to improve pay for community sector workers and the Victorian Council of Social Services' campaign to improve the standard of private rental properties.
An Advocacy Group made up of staff from across the organisation work on advocacy projects.
Every day our workers advocate on behalf of clients to represent their interests to government, housing providers and other services.