Subject:                                     INFORM Friday 29 July 2011.

 

Kind regards,
Aileen Solowiej

Communications, Media and Membership
HOMELESSNESS AUSTRALIA

Homeless Persons Week 2011 1-7 August:
MY Address: Diversity in Homelessness

 

 

 

HOMELESSNESS

AUSTRALIA

Creating a framework for ending homelessness

 

 

29 July 2011

INFORM                                     

Weekly e-bulletin of advocacy, research and policy in homelessness.

Homelessness Australia - the peak national body for the homelessness support sector.


NEWS  of the WEEK                                                        WEB     E    TW     FB    LINK

 

AWARDS

Kookaburra Awards

Honouring the community groups, people, projects that changed the world for the better. Nominate here.

 

Nominations for the 2011 Human Rights Award categories are open now.

 

BOOK

Working Together: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health and Wellbeing Principles and Practice

 

Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction, Dr. Gabor Maté

 

Journey of Hope

By Dr J. Michael Davey

Published by Ark House Press

 

USA Homelessness Advocacy Manual

 

CAMPAIGN

Every Australian Counts

Every Australian Counts is the campaign for the introduction of a National Disability Insurance Scheme. The NDIS will revolutionise the way people with a disability, their families and carers are supported in this country.

 

End Youth Homelessness

Virgin Unite also has a national petition running on their website http://endyouthhomelessness.com.au/ and we are encouraging as many people as possible to join.

 

GRANTS

The 'yes' Optus Connecting Communities Grants Program

Offering grants of between $1000 and $5000 in all states and territories of Australia for projects aimed at building social inclusion and supporting disengaged youth (closing August 12), click here.

 

Heart & Soul Australia & New Zealand: Apply Now

The CTK Foundation is partnering with Connecting Up Australia to offer major grants of funds and technology to not for profits and voluntary organisations in Australia and New Zealand. Grant website.

 

Advanced Grant Writing Seminar

Orange: September 23 and coming up in Newcastle, Sydney, Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, Armidale and Melbourne, click here.

 

HOTLINES

Aged Care Australia

Older Australians, their families, and carers will find it easier to access valuable information about aged care with the introduction of a single, national information line on 1800 200 422 from 1 July. Website.

 

LISTEN

Parental child abductions

A key question emerging in the Senate inquiry into international parental child abductions is: should it be a crime to take your child away from the other parent, to another part of the world? The answer might seem obvious, but it's not. Life Matters, 26 July.

 

John Curtis: The Grey Man

What did you do on your holidays? Lie on a beach, take an overseas trip or visit your family?

How about travelling to south-east Asia to rescue child sex workers, some of whom were most likely trafficked by their parents?

Life Matters, 26 July.

 

Indigenous Literacy

Only one in five children living in a remote indigenous community in the Northern Territory can read at the basic minimum standard, and this has lasting ramifications on their future education. Life Matters, 25 July.

 

Parental control of Facebook

The Attorneys-General have been looking at tighter age limits on Facebook and parental access to check the content of a child's page. Life Matters, 25 July.

 

Membership renewal time

Homelessness Australia invites you to read our brochure and think about becoming a member.

 

POSITIONS VACANT

Housing & Homelessness Services jobs in Australia

 

CREATE Foundation

Positions Currently Available

 

Part-time GPs required (ongoing)

Mobile GP is a non-government agency providing health services to the homeless and marginalised. Work in a fully accredited mobile practice, be supported by a nurse in a 1:1 ratio and also have the back-up of a mental health nurse. If you are interested in the homeless, chronic disease, Aboriginal medicine, mental health, youth health and patients with addiction, Mobile GP would love to have you on their team. For further information, please call Stephanie Dunstan on 0457 925 357 or email steph.dunstan@mobilegp.org.au

 

QShelter: Reference Groups

Reference group needed: Multiple entry point project

 

Reference group needed: Support and wrap around services project  

 

SOCIAL MEDIA

BLOGS

Psych Central (USA)

Art Saved my Life

 

Homeless in Boston

One Step Ahead of the Hustlers and Thieves

 

A Look at Female Veterans Experiencing Homelessness

 

Tune in Tune out (USA)

Think Before You Ink, on tatts and piercing.

 

“No Box Blogs” Project – 30 Free Blogs for Homeless (USA)

 

YFoundations (Youth homelessness AUS)

 

The homelessness-advocate Daily (INT)

 

The Indigenous and Remote Daily (Aus)

 

The #ausyouth Daily (Aus)

 

An International Effort to End Homelessness

National Alliance to End Homelessness

 

LINKED IN

Making LinkedIn Work for You

 

TWITTER

Is your media release Twitter ready?

 

Twitter in Plain English

From  http://commoncraft.com  a quick and plain English intro the micro-blogging service Twitter on You Tube.

 

WEBINAR

Cloud Accounting for NonProfits - A free online webinar

Monday, August 15, 2011 from 2:30 PM - 3:30pm. Website.

 

The ARACY Early Years Learning and Development Network

Join them for a FREE webinar on 11 August, register here.

 

Social Media Webinars

August 11: How Nonprofits Can Successfully Use Facebook and Facebook Apps (2 Hours)
August 25: How Nonprofits Can Successfully Use Twitter and LinkedIn (2 Hours)
September 8: How Nonprofits Can Successfully Use YouTube and Flickr (1.5 Hours)

Click here for more information.

 

SURVEY

Queensland Shelter

A survey about the ongoing impacts of the natural disasters that affected Queensland at the start of this year. Click here for survey.

 

The Social Policy Research Centre

A survey to help the Australian Government understand the financial impact of any decision by Fair Work Australia in the equal remuneration case applying to workers employed in social, community, and disability services. Click for survey here.

 

The Australian Youth Affairs Coalition

AYAC recently conducted a survey on the Disability Standards for Education and these results were shared with to the Government. Since then, the Federal Government announced $200 million extra funding for school students with disabilities.

 

AYAC will be meeting with the Minister for Youth and Schools Education on 11 August this year. That's why we would like to hear your views on education and disability so that we can present them to decision-makers so that they can better support you.

 

Your answers will remain anonymous, so please take 5-10 minutes to complete the survey - or pass it on to your friends and your networks. Survey here.

 

VIDEO/FILM

A Law Firm with a Difference

 

Beth's Story


WEBSITES

Soften the fck up (AUS)

No not a spelling error and sorry if you are offended, Aileen

 

*New Australian Homelessness Clearinghouse

 

35 Websites For Free Ebooks Download

 

Hansard
Hansard is the name given to transcripts of parliamentary proceedings. This digital version has publications dating back to May 1901.

 

Aging Care (USA)

 

THANKS to...

The journalists and media who write and report on the homelessness, housing and support sector.

 

The National Tenant Support Network (National TSN) is an independent, unincorporated not-for-profit initiative delivering a range of services to social and affordable rental housing stakeholders throughout Australia and New Zealand. Email to subscribe: TSN@thenexus.org.au

 

-Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse

-Australian Institute of Families

-Australian Policy Online

-Twitter and facebook just for existing!

 

NATIONAL

Homeless Persons’ Week 1-7 August

The launch for this awareness week will take place in nine separate locations around Australia.

The nationwide calendar is here and WA is here.

 

Girraween High School: Hungry for Home

Targeting the eradication of youth homelessness. We are doing this under High Resolves, a leadership initiative for our Community Action Project. This month, we are aiming to reach and inform a target audience of 5,000-10,000 people.

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hungryforahome

Website http://www.wix.com/hungryforahome/girraween Twitter http://www.twitter.com/hungryforahome 

 

Your help would be greatly appreciated in spreading the message and create a positive impact on youth homelessness.

 

Happiness is anything but academic, study finds

Are well-educated people happier? You might expect the benefits of education - such as a higher income and better health - to translate into a happier life. But older people with high academic qualifications are the least happy of all their peers, a new study shows. SMH, 29 July.

 

Census Collectors out in field

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) will be conducting the next Census of Population and Housing on Tuesday 9 August 2011. Today, over 29,000 Census Collectors will begin delivering Census forms to every household and accommodation service in Australia. On Census night you can either fill out the Census form delivered to their household or accommodation service, or complete Census online using the eCensus.

The ABS has recognised that homeless Australians face a unique set of circumstances and special procedures have been put in place to help address the transient nature of homeless people and ensure they are included in the Census. For more information ABS: 2011 Census - Homeless Australians.

 

Ombudsman to probe detainees' psychological welfare

A surge in suicide and self-harm cases in immigration detention centres has prompted the Commonwealth Ombudsman to launch an inquiry into the mental welfare of detainees. The Age, 29 July.

 

Australians still nurture home ownership dream despite massive hike in house values

House prices would have to remain flat into the 2020s to become affordable again, yet Australians won't give up the dream of home ownership. The Australian, 28 July.

 

Families weigh up work or benefits dilemma

The opaque and complex relationship between the tax system and government support payments makes it too difficult for families to decide whether it is financially sensible to be a two-income household, Wayne Swan's tax summit discussion paper admits. The Australian, 29 July.

 

New Poll Shows Australians Support Mandatory Pre Commitment

UnitingCare media release response to  ANU’s

Public Opinion Poll on Gambling.

 

Don’t let Australians fall through the cracks

Imagine if there was a minority group in society that was less likely to finish school, less likely to get a job, was paid less on average, and faced a level of unthinking prejudice that meant they were not even able to enter some shops and public buildings. The Punch, 25 July.

 

Disability plan to free new workforce

Australia could afford a $7 billion national disability insurance scheme if it were phased in over five to six years and it could free up a part-time workforce of 500,000 carers, says Assistant Treasurer Bill Shorten. The Australian, 25 July.

 

Church to say sorry for forcing single mothers to give up babies

The healthcare arm of the Catholic Church will today issue an apology to the victims of forced adoption practices from the 1950s to 1970s and offer those affected counselling and a pathway for complaints. The Australian, 25 July.

 

Sending asylum seekers to Malaysia is not the answer to addressing people smuggling

The Australian Human Rights Commission has again expressed its concerns about sending people who claim asylum in Australia to Malaysia or other third countries, and has urged that, in particular, the government not send vulnerable individuals such as unaccompanied minors, families with children and torture and trauma survivors under this agreement. AHRC, 25 July.

 

Helping Indigenous communities to log on

A new study shows that very few households in remote Indigenous communities are online, with potential consequences for education, health and employment. Swinburne University, 21 July.

 

Senator the Hon Mark Arbib

Latest media releases

 

The Hon Tanya Plibersek MP

Latest media releases

 

The Hon Kate Ellis MP

Latest media releases

 

DEEWR media releases

 

ACT

ACT considers cross-border housing

The ACT Government is considering a proposal for the Territory's first cross-border housing development. ABC News, 26 July.

 

Cafe puts charitable cause on the menu

Nicole Damiani is offering Canberrans coffee with a social conscience. As owner of Yarralumla cafe Farmers Daughter, she sources produce locally, donates leftovers and as of today is the only local signed up for fund-raising event CafeSmart. The Canberra Times, 21 July. CafeSmart website.

 

NSW

Modern prescription for mental illness: go directly to jail

A comfortably-off, middle-class woman from a nice suburb suddenly finds herself at the Silverwater metropolitan remand and reception centre. She's been charged with a serious driving offence and is awaiting trial. SMH, 29 July.

 

How it feels to be without a home

There are homeless people sleeping in cars in the Clarence Valley and many others are couch-hopping or bunking in with other families, Clarence Valley development officer for housing Naydene Beaver said. The Daily Examiner, 26 July.

 

On a mission to shelter the homeless

Homelessness crusader Reverend Bill Crews is joining together with Randwick Council to raise the plight of rough sleepers in the area. Southern Courier, 25 July.

 

Social housing e-brief

By Louise O'Flynn, NSW Parliamentary Research Library

 

NT

Cafes, hairdressers and the NT intervention

Sara Hudson, a research fellow at the Centre for Independent Studies, recently wrote a comment piece on ABC’s Drum Opinion that supported the Northern Territory intervention. It also attacked public land title in remote Aboriginal communities. Green Left, 23 July.

 

Home Improvement

On a single sheet of paper, architect Paul Pholeros draws a diagram for the group of Indigenous people huddled around him. He’s come to Santa Teresa, a dust-blown desert community south-east of Alice Springs, where 600 residents have struggled for years to bathe, sleep and eat in houses that are falling apart. By Victoria Laurie, The Monthly.

 

Qld

Long public housing wait

People in need of long-term social housing are waiting up to a year to find a home in Cairns. Cairns, 25 July.

 

SA

Desperate pensioners want Canberra to take control of concession system

CONTROL of pensioner concessions should be given to the Federal Government, the Council on the Ageing says. Adelaide Now, 29 July.

 

Housing SA to invest $130 million in The Square at Woodville West

More than $130 million will be spent over the next seven years on The Square at Woodville West. The Housing SA-funded project will deliver 425 dwellings - apartments, villas and townhouses - and is forecast to house as many as 1000 people. Adelaide Now, 29 July.

 

TAS

Bringing Housing Together

Presentations from National Shelter, CHFA and lots more! Presentations webpage.

 

Vic

Carer a despicable person with no morals, says judge

A carer who dominated, abused and exploited an intellectually disabled woman has been denounced by a Melbourne judge as a despicable person without morals. The Age, 29 July.

 

Rising Light chips in for homeless

Bendigo’s young philanthropists are being urged to get involved in this year’s Rising Light competition which raises money for homeless youth. Bendigo Advertiser, 26 July.

 

Clearance rate hovers below 60%

Agents and buyer advocates are reporting more inquiries and increasing attendance at Melbourne's auctions but the clearance rate remains just below 60 per cent. The Age, 25 July.

 

WA

How can we save lives taken away too early?

The well publicised recent death of a well-known and much-loved Aboriginal man deserves more than a moment of reflection, especially from those who care about our community. The West Australian, 25 July.

 

INTERNATIONAL

UK

Tenants to have vital role in shaping new panels

Tenants’ organisations will play an integral role in producing guidance for new tenant panels.

A programme agreed between the National Tenant Organisations and the government will see tenants joining to produce a framework for local tenant panels to hold landlords to account. Inside Housing, 28 July.

 

USA

American Children Receiving Less Money From Tooth Fairy: Report

It looks like American businesses aren't the only ones hoarding cash these days. According to a survey recently released by Visa, so is the fabled Tooth Fairy. The Huffington Post, 28 July.

 

For some families and individuals in Santa Cruz County, that's all that stands between a roof over their heads and an uncertain existence -- a month couch-surfing with friends, maybe a week in the car, then a shelter or camping out in some out-of-the-way spot. Santa Cruz Sentinel, 28 July.

 

What's Right: Woman sells everything to start apartment complex for aging homeless

A Houston woman sold her home and everything else she owned in order to buy a rundown shell of an apartment complex to help a special class of homeless people. KHOU, 27 July.

 

Homeless to Housing Success Story: Meet Donny in His Apartment

Donny has been homeless over twenty years. Watch the original video I taped that night here. He had nothing but a blanket and the heating vent from a local business to stay warm. I honestly don't know how he survived. The Huffington Post, 18 July.

 

Homelessness in The Huffington Post

 

 

PUBLICATIONS & RESEARCH

ABS

4430.0 - Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia: Summary of Findings, 2009

 

ACCAN

Much more than infrastructure needed to connect remote communities

Peak consumer body ACCAN say the results of a study released today shed a stark light on the challenges involved in connecting up remote indigenous communities, where very few residents have been online and many have never used a computer. Much more than infrastructure needed to connect remote communities, 21 July.

 

AIHW

2010 National Drug Strategy Household Survey report

 

Headline indicators for children's health, development and wellbeing, 2011

 

AMP.NATSEM Report 29 - The Great Australian Dream - Just a Dream?

Australian house prices have moved from being affordable to severely unaffordable in the last 10 years and it will take at least another 10 years of flat house prices coupled with income growth for houses to regain an affordable status. Download report.

 

ANU

Public Opinion Poll on Gambling

 

Centre for Multicultural Youth

July enews

 

Kulunga Research Network

Start Stronger, Live Longer Resource Manual Guide for Aboriginal Health Workers

 

Australian Government

Tax Forum Discussion paper

 

NCPC

Online Safety: provides information and links on resources available for parents regarding online safety for their children

Reporting abuse and neglect: details state and territory departments responsible for protecting children and provides contact details and links to the relevant reporting authorities in each Australian state or territory.

 

Parity

The June "Preventing Elderly Homelessness" Edition of Parity

Two articles from this issue: Better Services and Housing Outcomes: A New Lease on Life for Older People

Service Models for Older Homeless Women

 

Call for Contributions for October, Homelessness Research: Improving Services, Improving Outcomes and Working to End Homelessness”. Parity, the national publication of the Council to Homeless Persons, www.chp.org.au/parity

 

Spring magazine from FEANTSA

Homeless in Europe

 

Shelter NSW

Presentations given at Shelter NSW Welcome home conference on housing for an inclusive society, Sydney (June).

 

The Homeless Hub (Canada)

Hungry and Homeless in Greater Victoria: Fitting the Pieces Together

 

The Wall Street Journal

Brain Shrinkage: It's Only Human

 

UNICEF

Listen to Children Report

 

Women With Disabilities Australia
Policy Paper: 'Assessing the situation of women with disabilities in Australia: A human rights approach' (July 2011)

 

TRAINING, SEMINARS, FORUMS

VCOSS Clearinghouse Rural & Regional Training - Coming to a town near you in 2011!

 

ANU Women’s Collective and the ACT Women’s Services Network present a discussion forum:

‘Reclaim What?

Equality Rights Alliance, Wednesday 3 August, 6:30pm, Law Theatre, Fellows Road, ANU. Website.

 

Adolescents & young people with ASD - Transitioning to a meaningful life - AAACT Workshop

This workshop will explore the difficulties facing adolescents and young adults on the autism spectrum as they transition to a new phase in their lives. Paying particular attention to mental health and social development the workshop will outline strategies to foster resilience and increase social connections for young people. 25 August, ACT. Website.

 

Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Course Information

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health First Aid Course is designed as a 14 hour course. The course is designed to be conducted in 6 modules; however, the delivery format is flexible. Website.

 

DVRCV: Responding to the abuse of older women

31 August, Melbourne, “The training provided by DVRCV aims to improve services to women and their children who experience family violence.” Training website.

 

EVENTS

Homeless Persons’ Week
1 - 7 AUGUST, EVENTS

MY Address: Diversity in Homelessness
Nationwide Calendar and posters for download

WA’s HPW website

 

Some events:

Monday 1 August: AHI Supporting ex-prisoners in the community, forum, Redfem, NSW

 

Tuesday 2 August: NT Shelter, Raintree Park, Darwin,12-2pm, contact: Peter Lindwell, hpo@ntshelter.org.au mb 0428820944

 

Wednesday 3 August: WISHIN, Women's Car Sleepout, Brunswick, Vic, click here for flyer

 

Thursday 4 August: Workways "Soup Kitchen" in Traralgon, 12-2pm, 3/24 Breed Street, Traralgon, contact Jane 0427 322 009

Friday 5 August: CafeSmart has been well supported annd we now have 150 cafes around the country taking part.  They will be donating $1 for every coffee sold on the 5th August.

Cairns Homeless Connect

Staging Cairns Homelessness Day in the Park from 11.00am to 3.00pm on the 5th of August at Munro Martin Park, Sheridan Street, Cairns. 

Sunday 7 August: Todd Mall Markets awareness stalls, Alice Springs, from NT Shelter Alice Springs

The Brave Discussion
Featuring homelessness all next week with the first Brave Friends meet up Friday 5 August, click here for more.

Queensland Shelter

Their regional conference in Rockhampton on 3 August.  Speaking at the event will be representatives from Queensland Shelter, NRAS, Rent Connect, Queensland Alliance Rockhampton Women’s Shelter and the National Retired Workers Union. Conference website.

 

2011 NESA National Conference

Monday 8 August, Brisbane. Draft Program. Conference website.

 

Race Discrimination Commissioner, Graeme Innes

In his address to the National Press Club in Canberra, 9 August, NPC website.

 

Music and Me - Kristina Keneally

Interviewed by Emma Ayers (from Classic FM), Friday 8pm, 26 August, Sydney, event website.

 

SEPTEMBER

64th Annual United Nations DPI/NGO Conference: “Sustainable Societies; Responsive Citizens” in Bonn, Germany, 3 - 5 September, conference website.

 

2011 ACCAN National Conference

Our Broadband Future, 7- 8 September 2011

Aerial UTS Function Centre, Sydney. Conference website.

 

AHURI Improving housing affordability through tax reform: Australia and the UK in comparison

Thursday, 15 September, Sydney. Event website.

 

European Research Conference

Homelessness, Migration and Demographic Change in Europe, Pisa, Italy, 16 September 2011, conference website.

 

AIATSIS National Indigenous Studies Conference 2011

Young and old: connecting generations. 19 - 22 September, Canberra. Conference website.

 

OCTOBER

First Annual Convention of the European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion

The Convention, to be organised on 17-18 October in Cracow, will review the progress made towards the headline target of reducing poverty and social exclusion by at least 20 million by 2020 and the implementation of the European Platform against Poverty. It will also debate suggestions for future actions. Convention website.

 

European Conference, Luxembourg City, 21st October 2011

This year's annual conference focuses on Quality in social services from the perspective of services working with homeless people.

 

NOVEMBER

Youth Health 2011: Its totally important!

Sydney, 9 - 11 November, Congress website.

 

LSAC and LSIC Research Conference

Growing Up in Australia and Footprints in time: The combined Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC) and Longitudinal Study of Indigenous Children (LSIC) Research Conference will be held at Rydges on Swanston, Melbourne on Tuesday 15 and Wednesday 16 November, 2011. Conference website. A call for papers is now open.

 

End Youth Homelessness 2011

YFoundations conference, 22 - 24 November, Sydney, conference website

 

Welfare in a growing economy

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare is proud to launch their flagship report Australia's welfare 2011 at a national conference in Canberra on 24 November 2011. Conference website.

 

Generation Next 2011 events

 

WEEKS & DAYS
National Homeless Persons’ Week

MY Address Diversity in homelessness

1 – 7 August 2011 Homelessness engages diverse people, from diverse addresses for diverse reasons. HPW 2011. HPW WA website!

 

World Homeless Day 10/10/2011

 

Anti-Poverty Week

This week was established in Australia as an expansion of the UN's annual International Anti-Poverty Day on October 17.

 

The main aims of Anti-Poverty Week are to:

 

    * strengthen public understanding of the causes and consequences of poverty and hardship around the world and in Australia;

    * encourage research, discussion and action to address these problems, including action by individuals, communities, organisations and governments. Click here for week website.

 

Social Inclusion Week 19 - 27 November

“We would love to see every school in AUS hold an event during SIW2011!”

SIW website.

 

 

 

 

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HA includes material in INFORM as we find it. If you have been misrepresented we are happy to include the correct report in the next issue of INFORM.
media@homelessnessaustralia.org.au