The Homelessness Unit
The City of Sydney is the only local council in Australia with a dedicated Homelessness Unit and has been providing a direct response to people who are homeless since the establishment of the Homeless Persons Information Centre (HPIC) in 1985. The Homelessness Unit is responsible for direct service provision; contracting services; policy and project development; community and stakeholder relationships; research and resource development and; sector support across our Local Government Area (LGA).
At the same time, the City aims to promote and engender fair, compassionate and balanced communities by working with people who are homeless, community and government services, local business and residents to manage the impacts of homelessness in the public domain.
Policy and Strategy Development
Homelessness Strategy 2007-12
The City of Sydney’s Homelessness Strategy 2007-17 aims to end chronic (i.e. long term) homelessness within the inner-city by 2017.
Street Drinking Strategy
The Street Drinking Strategy aims to meet the needs of vulnerable people who congregate to drink on the streets whilst managing the impacts of this behaviour on the public domain in a compassionate and balanced.
Mobile Free Food Services and Voluntary Accord
The Policy and Accord aims to coordinate the activities of the many community and faith based services that distribute food, material assistance and provide companionship to the homeless and other disadvantaged groups in the LGA.
Direct and Funded Services
Homeless Persons Information Centre (HPIC)
Established in 1985 HPIC is a telephone based information and referral service, operated by the City, for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness within NSW. HPIC takes over 65,055 calls a year from or on behalf of people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
Way2Home: Homelessness Outreach Service
Way2Home is an assertive outreach service that is funded by the City of Sydney, State and Commonwealth Government and is operated by a consortium of Neami and St Vincent’s Hospital. Way2Home is focused on referring rough sleepers off the streets and into long term housing with support utilising a ‘Housing First’ approach.
Homelessness Brokerage Program
The Brokerage Program is funded by the City and Housing NSW and is operated by the YWCA. The Brokerage Program focuses on providing assistance to prevent people from becoming homeless or from becoming entrenched in homelessness.
Public Space Liaison Officer (PSLO)
The role of the PSLO is to work with City Business Units, service providers and other external stakeholders to manage the impacts of homelessness in the public domain whilst ensuring that vulnerable people have access to the support they need.
Projects
Complex Needs Coordination Project (the Project)
The project is aimed at reducing the number of people who are chronically homeless throughout Inner Sydney, by providing intensive assistance to services trying to house a prioritised group of chronically homeless people who have complex needs.
Street Count
Street Counts take place in Winter and Summer of each year. The aim of the Counts is to collect accurate ‘point in time’ information about the numbers of people sleeping in public spaces and in homelessness hostels across the Local Government Area.
Woolloomooloo Integrated Services Hub (WISH)
The WISH brings approximately 14 services together in the same place once a month with the objective of provided coordinated service delivery focused on outcomes to facilitate people’s pathway out of homelessness.
Sector Development
Homelessness Interagency Meetings
The City coordinates bi-monthly interagency meetings that are attended by upwards of 40-50 service providers from across the homelessness and mainstream service sectors.
Forums on Homelessness
Working in collaboration with other partners the City holds regular forums and seminars, often hosting local, national and international speakers on a range of subjects of relevance to the service sector on topics such as: Housing First; Regional Planning to End Homelessness and; Vulnerable People with Complex Needs.
Homelessness Information Kit for Volunteers
This information program has been developed for use by volunteers in homelessness services in inner city Sydney. It contains information to help people understand the nature and causes of homelessness and also provides information about the different services that are available to provide assistance and can be adapted for use in other local communities.
Homelessness Links
A list of links to other websites regarding Homelessness.
Urgent Assistance
Information for persons who are experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness.
For More Information
For information about the City’s homelessness initiatives and homeless issues, contact:
Tel: 02 9265 9667 or 02 9246 7676 (business hours)
Email: homelessness@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au
