Pictured: Walking tour by the Peer Education Support Program run by Council to Homeless Persons
3 ways we can strengthen the frontline
We need to strengthen the frontline. Our homelessness sector is stretched thin, with workers desperately trying to respond to the increased demand with fewer resources. Frontline workers are grappling with more people seeking help, complex caseloads, insecure and inadequate funding, and vicarious trauma. Recent reports are finding that 39% of services are forced to close their doors to people seeking help, while 83% are unable to answer phone calls and 74% unable to reply to emails.
Being unable to support the increasing number of families, young people, unaccompanied children, individuals, and older people walking through the doors for support takes a toll on frontline workers. A survey of over 250 workers by Homelessness Australia found that 56% of respondents rated the emotional toll of turning people away or offering less support than needed as 10/10. 14% reported a very high impact (9/10).
“Workers are burning themselves out making impossible choices every day about who to help and all too often that help is a years-long waitlist for housing that does not exist“– Council to Homeless Persons CEO Deborah Di Natale
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In this ‘climate of crisis’ with high demand, vicarious trauma and burnout, opportunities that strengthen the frontline, like professional development, training, or staff wellbeing opportunities, are unable to be accessed or prioritised.
In order to care for and support vulnerable people, we need staff and organisations that are equipped to navigate a sector in crisis. Throughout the unprecedented challenges of COVID, we rallied our community and helped support frontline workers seeing firsthand the impact of funding areas that work to strengthen the frontline, and build resilience.
Throughout January and February we are raising awareness and funds to provide staff training and wellbeing support to help protect staff from burnout and reduce workforce turnover, elevate the voices of people with lived experience who can support staff and help shape responses and policy, and support advocacy campaigns that can lead to greater public and political awareness of the issues faced by people experiencing homelessness and those who support them.
Staff Training and Wellbeing Support
“Unfortunately, with the current challenges the supervision that is so needed by staff tends to be overlooked or is sidelined due to heavy work schedules. Thus, staff are not getting the support they need, and what supervision does occur is ad hoc and rushed, so it is lacking in formal reflective activity and ultimately not supporting the capacity of the staff very well. ” – Southern Peninsula Community Support
Photo: StreetSmart funding has supported Council to Homeless Persons to develop and deliver staff wellbeing training
Elevating Voices of Lived Experience
Photo: StreetSmart funding has supported Housing for the Aged Action Group to support peer educators with lived experience
“By connecting the voices of those with Lived Experience with people in positions of power, we can drive systemic change. Past support from StreetSmart has helped a group of older women who have experienced homelessness, and are now trained as peer educators, to speak about their lived experience to media, decision makers and other older women. This raises awareness and enables informed, effective change.” – Housing for the Aged Action Group
Awareness and Advocacy programs
“A StreetSmart grant made it possible for us to run a national education and awareness conference, bringing together 115 attendees and 32 speakers from Australia and the world. It enabled resources and tools to be shared that helped upskill frontline workers on ways to support those with animals who are escaping violence and/or facing homelessness.” – Lucy’s Project
Photo: StreetSmart funding has supported Lucy’s Project to launch a deliver a national conference
Join us in stepping up for frontline workers, volunteers and organisations by donating and taking action to help strengthen the homelessness sector.
We work collaboratively, and encourage corporates,businesses,and people to join together for collective action and impact.Please reach out at partners@streetsmartaustralia.org if this sounds like you.
Strengthen the frontline. Strengthen the frontline. Strengthen the frontline.
