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QDHC

QDHC. Welcomes you to reflect on and celebrate our 21 years. 21 years. A Journey to Maturity From 1987 “innocent, hopeful, naïve, trusting” To 2008 “ more self-aware, focused, realistic, tenacious”. COMING OF AGE.

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QDHC

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  1. QDHC Welcomes you to reflect on and celebrate our 21 years

  2. 21 years A Journey to Maturity From 1987 “innocent, hopeful, naïve, trusting” To 2008 “more self-aware, focused, realistic, tenacious”

  3. COMING OF AGE That time in life where you reach a new awareness of who you are and what life is all about. It doesn’t have to be at a certain age. Traditionally it was 21, more recently 18. For some, it is 50 or 70. And you don’t necessarily have only one!

  4. THE JOURNEY TO THE COMING OF AGE!!

  5. 1987….THE INDIVIDUAL IDENTIFYING THE REALITY • Isolated • Congregated • Shut out of the community • Shut out of design • Struggling for support

  6. THE INDIVIDUAL…along the way DEVELOPING THE VISION • Daring to dream • Struggling to fly • Wanting to be heard • Getting stronger

  7. 1987….THE ORGANISATION EMPOWERING • Recognizing the need for change • Identifying how to create change • Supporting the dream • Resourcing the individual

  8. THE ORGANISATION… along the way • Ongoing growth and sustaining hope • Promoting change • Developing projects • Consulting with individuals and families • Advocating • Standing with and for

  9. 1987…THE SYSTEM • Reluctant partner • Slowly recognising benefits of change • Collaborating in identifying need • Developing first policy documents • Adhering to strong value base

  10. THE SYSTEM…along the way • Began to struggle • Too hard • Too risky • Too demanding • Pulling back • No collaboration • No consultation

  11. THE OUTCOME • Fewer options • Greater difficulty getting a ‘home’ • Congregation • Segregation • Isolation • Shut out of the community • Shut out of design • Struggling for support

  12. Coming of Age Traditionally, it is a time to be given the key to the door. QDHC sees it more as a key to the future.

  13. The future It must be an inclusive future ………where the community naturally includes, plans for and caters for everyone in the community.

  14. LOOKING AT THE HOUSING MARKET What are the major issues facing people who have a disability?

  15. AFFORDABLE HOUSING Given the financial constraints most people and their families experience due to • Limited access to employment and just remuneration for their work • Costs incurred in relation to equipment, transport etc • Often reliant on fixed income

  16. HOUSING APPROPRIATELY DESIGNED • Design is not just about physical access • Housing must have the capacity to respond to the needs of people who may experience anxiety, altered reality or auditory hallucinations. (private entry, physically separate access points in multi-dwelling sites) • Physical appearance blends into surrounding neighbourhood

  17. HOUSING APPROPRIATELY LOCATED Location relates to housing that is • Situated in neighbourhoods with ready access to community, social and medical facilities • Alternatively housing that is close to efficient, accessible and reliable public transport hubs

  18. ONE SOCIAL HOUSING SYSTEM The implementation of the One Social Housing System and the associated Client Intake Assessment Process have effectively excluded many people with a disability from Social Housing

  19. WHY? • People living at home with their family will not meet the criteria of homelessness • People who may be beneficiaries of family trusts set up to provide for their future or alternatively existing tenants inheriting liquid assets or property (risk of being assessed as no longer eligible due to financial security)

  20. AND MORE…. • Changed policies relating to ongoing contact with Department of Housing. (not responding to correspondence and not providing requested information to the Department within one month is a reason for a person’s application for housing to be cancelled.)

  21. AND MORE….. • The time within which an application can be ‘revived’ for a person whose application was cancelled due to having ‘lost contact with the Department’ was reduced to three months from 12 months. • However, people can reapply for housing assistance at any time.

  22. ESTABLISHING NEED • Establishing a high level of housing need is part of eligibility process • Department doesn’t always identify the full extent of an applicant’s needs and circumstances • Department does not have a way of supporting an applicant who, for example, may not have the ability to get supporting evidence from agencies and specialists

  23. MORE ON ESTABLISHING NEED… • Applicants and existing tenants who apply for housing or who are sent review forms, or who are making appeals, must provide as much evidence as they possibly can. • Applicants and existing tenants may need assistance from their supportive family and friends to gather such things as reports and supporting letters from DSQ, Child Safety, Community support services.

  24. DISCRIMINATION Discrimination has always been an issue for people with a disability. Some factors making this worse at the moment: • Current low vacancy rates in the private rental market • Group inspections of properties • Agents and lessors accepting multiple applications for properties

  25. SUPPORTED ACCOMMODATION FACILITIES The ongoing practice of placing people with a disability and people who have a mental illness in privately owned and managed boarding houses/supported accommodation facilities together with the return to other models of congregated living means that all people with a disability or a mental illness are at risk of this practice

  26. APPROPRIATE SUPPORT • Access to adequate and appropriate support that is provided independent of housing management • Ability to be supported around individual needs and not reduced to placement in a group home with a group response

  27. INFORMATION Access to adequate, accessible information about: • Systems and how they work • Housing options • Support options • How others might be doing it • How can we construct a sustainable option

  28. ADVOCACY People need access to two levels of advocacy • Systemic Advocacy that represents the voice of people with a disability • Individual Advocacy that has the capacity to support a person to have their voice heard in relation to their housing needs and choices

  29. AND SO THE JOURNEY CONTINUES…… The recognition of these issues and a committed response to addressing them will go some way to people being acknowledged and welcomed into communities

  30. “I must create a system, or be enslav'd by another man's.” - William Blake

  31. The Beginning of a new phase!

  32. Like a good red wine We look forward to the next phase of our life being

  33. … tantalizing … flaunting …

  34. … mature …

  35. … with a long, soft, integrated finish

  36. AGM 2008 Cheers!! And Thank You

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