Ending homelessness workshop: How do we bring Australian local government to the table?

• Date/time: Tuesday 15th October 2024, 9:00am-12:00pm AWST. Lunch is provided 12-1pm AWST.
• Duration: 3 hours
• Delivered by: Leanne Mitchell, Churchill Fellow, and featuring local and international experts
• Audience: Council officers and executive who are participating in WAAEH activities, as well as those who are interested to learn more.
• Price: $88 (including GST). Discounted tickets available for Advance to Zero community members – please contact your local lead or info@aaeh.org.au for an access code.

About this workshop

Advance to Zero (AtoZ) provides a strong and tested framework for communities to collaborate in ending homelessness – to know the local homelessness situation by developing real-time by-name lists, establishing coordinated systems and tailoring prevention, problem solving and advocacy on a local level. 

Local government can make a significant contribution in these efforts and often plays an important (backbone) role when a community becomes part of an AtoZ initiative.

However, in an Australian context, the situation and experiences of our 537 local government authorities are diverse. For many, especially in outer urban, rural and regional locations, homelessness is a relatively new social challenge and local government can be reluctant to get involved.

With the majority of homelessness funds and responsibility mechanisms held by other levels of government, it can be difficult to build the commitment needed to get a council engaged early. Many only turn their attention to homelessness response when crisis hits, not knowing what to do and struggling to balance multiple and often conflicting responsibilities.

So, how can we change this?

• How do we find a place and build the will to get local government involved in actions that will end homelessness?
• When a council does take the step to get involved, what can we do to set them up for success?
• How do we make the most of the multiple and unique roles councils fill within a community, the relationships they maintain and the experiences and expertise of council staff?

Who should attend and why?

The session has been developed for council officers and executive who are participating in WAAEH activities, as well as those who are interested to learn more.

It has been built and will be delivered by local government homelessness expert and Churchill Fellow, Leanne Mitchell. Leanne will share her own experiences and learnings, and draw on the knowledge of local practitioners and international experts, including: 

• Iain De Jong, President and CEO of OrgCode Consulting
• Lorraine McGrath, CEO of Simon Community Scotland
• George Hatvani, Functional Zero Manager at Launch Housing.

What will be covered?

This session will consider what councils can do to establish the foundations to get involved in efforts to end homelessness and make the most of the collaborative efforts that are established through the AtoZ approach, including:

• Advocacy: Engaging and convincing your elected councillors and community to get involved in efforts to end homelessness
• Setting direction and strategy: The value and advantages of defining commitment, roles and responsibilities
• Establishing internal capability: Building knowledge across an organisation and capitalising on internal capabilities
• Managing public space: How councils can balance multiple and often conflicting responsibilities and ensure equitable outcomes
• Prevention and early intervention: How councils can tap into their staff, services and spaces to prevent homelessness in the first place.

Be ready to roll your sleeves up and get to work. We will be sharing lots of case studies and embarking on important discussions about the role local government can play to end homelessness. Each participant will have the opportunity to build their own one-page action plan to take home and action afterwards.

Other events

• This workshop is taking place in the same week as the Australian Zero Homelessness Summit (October 16), Advance to Zero Learning Session (October 17) and AHVTT training (October 18). Registration is required for each event.
• If you are part of a current formal Advance to Zero community or your organisation has signed a by-name list member agreement (for WA communities only), you are eligible for discounted tickets to this workshop. Please contact your local lead for more information.