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Interact Australia Building & Supporting Communities

Interact Australia Building & Supporting Communities. 7th National Homelessness Conference - Making It Home CLIMBING EVEREST BACKWARDS IDHP Pilot Project. Who are Interact Australia?.

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Interact Australia Building & Supporting Communities

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  1. Interact AustraliaBuilding & Supporting Communities 7th National Homelessness Conference - Making It Home CLIMBING EVEREST BACKWARDS IDHP Pilot Project

  2. Who are Interact Australia? Interact Australia was established in 1991 to provide developmental opportunities for people with disabilities living at Kew Residential Services in Melbourne, following the decision to close Kew Special School. IDHP Pilot Project

  3. Interact Australia Services • Community Services – Vic. & Qld • Disability Day Services • Recreation • Respite • Employment & Training – Metro Melbourne & Regional Vic. • Jobs Services Australia (JSA) & Disability Employment Services (DES) • iLearn – Interacts Registered Training Organisation (RTO) • Stepping Up Consortium • Alcohol & Other Drugs Counselling (Metro Growth Corridors) • Ex- offender Re-Integration Services (LoddenMallee) • Bridging the Gap • Ex- offender Re-Integration Services (South East Queensland) IDHP Pilot Project

  4. Intellectual Disability & Homelessness Pilot Project (IDHP) 2011 - 2013 Funded by: Ian Potter Foundation Project partners: Waverley Emergency Adolescent Care (WEAC) Southern Directions Youth Services (SDYS) IDHP Pilot Project

  5. IDHP Pilot Project 2011 - 2013 Project Aims 1. Reduction of homelessness amongst people with an intellectual disability / cognitive impairment and their families 2. Developing the skills and capacity of people with a disability to successfully access and maintain long term sustainable housing. 3. Build the capacity of the SHS sector to respond to the unique needs of this client group 4. Advocate to Government on the issues facing people with a disability experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness - service gaps, barriers & unique needs IDHP Pilot Project

  6. IDHP Project Model Three tiered approach: 1. Advocacy 2. Intensive Case Management and Secondary Consultations 3. Specialist Homelessness Services (SHS) Sector Capacity Building IDHP Pilot Project

  7. Advocacy Steering Committee - To guide and advise the project Representatives from: • Leaving Care • SHS Agencies, • University researcher, • DHS • Local Government • Philanthropy Presentations & submissions - To peak bodies and relevant government departments

  8. Intensive Case Management & Secondary Consultations Case Worker – Janice Anderson • Partnerships with Leaving Care & SHS Agencies in Inner Middle South of Melbourne • Care team approach • Outreach to clients • Developing positive behaviour strategies with SHS workers • Telephone support for SHS workers IDHP Pilot Project

  9. SHS Sector Capacity Building Community Psychology Student Christine D’Souza • Literary review • Awareness to Action Training Package - Participant Handbook - Trainers Handbook IDHP Pilot Project

  10. IDHP Client Profile Client Demographics • 21 young people (16 M 5 F) aged 18 – 23 (5 M later disengaged from IDHP) • 4 indigenous (3 F 1 M) • 62% of IDHP clients eligible for Leaving Care support • 15 IDHP clients had a diagnosed Intellectual disability often co-morbid with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), mental health issues, Acquired Brain Injury (ABI), physical health issues • 3 IDHP clients had children accompanying them or had supervised access. A fourth client lost supervised access due to behaviours of concern unrelated to his access IDHP Pilot Project

  11. IDHP Client Profile (Cont’d) Accommodation at time of referral • 16 young people were accommodated in either SHS services or leaving care transition accommodation • 2 clients in private rental • 1 client in OoH ongoing accommodation • 2 insecure accommodation IDHP Pilot Project

  12. IDHP Client Profile (Cont’d) Income Support on presentation to IDHP • 11 Youth Allowance • 2 Youth Allowance + Youth Disability Supplement • 5 Disability Support Pension • 1 Parenting payment • 2 No income Income Support after 6 weeks engagement with IDHP • 2 Youth Allowance • 6 Youth Allowance + Youth Disability Supplement • 6 Disability Support Pension • 1 Parenting payment • 1 No income IDHP Pilot Project

  13. IDHP Client Profile (Cont’d) Employment • 48% of clients were in part-time or casual employment when they presented to IDHP. The jobs involved cleaning, packing shelves and some customer service contact with the major supermarket chains (Woolworths, Coles & ALDI) • IDHP clients worked on average 8 to 12 hours per week but were all wanting more hours. • 2 IDHP clients have formally reported workplace bullying related to their disability, with the assistance of the IDHP caseworker IDHP Pilot Project

  14. Case Study ‘Mike’ - 21 • Mike has an intellectual disability (IQ 57) and Asperger’s • Disability Support Pension + part-time work at Coles • Mike is unable to read or write • Mike is independent with daily living skills but needs prompting to remind him to complete specific tasks • Taken into residential care in 2008 due to violence from step-father but was deemed vulnerable in a residential setting moved to lead tenant accommodation • Mike has an 18 month old daughter, she is also suspected of having a learning disability • Criminal issues IDHP Pilot Project

  15. IDHP Outcomes – Year 1 1. Reduce homelessness • 4 clients at risk of eviction maintained stable accommodation • 1 client moved into accommodation in another region • 2 clients returned to homelessness 2. Skills development • Successful interventions to build living skills in 80% of client IDHP Pilot Project

  16. IDHP Outcomes – Year 1 (cont.) 3. Sector capacity building Training package developed 4. Advocacy • Representation to the National Disability Service (NDS) National Accommodation Committee – Canberra July 2011 • Presentations to the Southern Housing & Support Services Network • Submission to National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Productivity Commission • Presentation to the 7th National Homelessness Conference IDHP Pilot Project

  17. Where to from here? To complete current project (April 2013) • Action research evaluation • Feedback on trial trainings package • Social Return on Investment evaluation • Roll out sector training in 2013 Secure future funding partnership 2-3 years • Relevant government departments • Philanthropic sector • SHS sector Include appropriate assessment and a rigorous evaluation component in future projects IDHP Pilot Project

  18. For more information INTERACT AUSTRALIA Darielle Crawford Manager Community Development Ph: 8650 7053 Mob: 0409 709 104 Email: dcrawford@interactaustralia.com.au Ken Young Research & Policy Officer Ph: 8650 7046 Mob: 0418 548112 Email: kyoung@interactaustralia.com.au Website: www.interactaustralia.com.au IDHP Pilot Project

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