Homelessness starts in our local communities, and local government has a powerful role to play in ending it.

Across South Australia, councils are increasingly being called on to respond to both visible and hidden homelessness. While nearly 50 per cent of rough sleeping is concentrated in the City of Adelaide, evidence shows many people first became homeless in other parts of the state. With housing pressures and cost of living impacts being felt statewide, early intervention and place-based responses at the local government level have never been more important.

This interactive pre-Summit workshop will explore how local government can lead, contribute to and collaborate in efforts to end homelessness in their communities. Facilitated by local government homelessness expert and Churchill Fellow, Leanne Mitchell, the session will use real-world South Australian scenarios to spark insight, discussion and action.

It offers a valuable opportunity for SA councils and their close partners to connect, share and build their role in community-based responses to homelessness.

What will be covered?

This practical session will help participants:

Understand how councils can contribute to Advance to Zero and place-based responses
Build the internal capability and cross-organisation knowledge to take action
Advocate effectively to elected councillors and communities
Balance competing responsibilities when managing public space
Prevent homelessness through council-led early intervention approaches.

Participants will also leave with a one-page action plan tailored to their council or context.

Who should attend?

This session is designed for:

Council officers and executives working in housing, homelessness, community development, community safety, urban planning or place-based roles
Local government partners who work closely with councils on homelessness
Anyone interested in building or supporting a stronger local government response.

About the facilitator

Leanne Mitchell is one of Australia’s leading voices on local government and homelessness. As a Churchill Fellow with extensive experience supporting councils to engage with Advance to Zero and other housing-led approaches, Leanne brings a deeply practical and systems-focused lens to this work.

Event details

🗓️ Date: Tuesday 22 October 2024

🕤 Time: 9:30am–2:00pm ACDT

🍽️ Morning tea and lunch included

📍 Location: Adelaide CBD

🎟️ Price: $104.50 (incl. GST)

Part of SA Zero Homelessness Summit Week

This workshop takes place the day before the SA Zero Homelessness Summit, a major event focused on strengthening collaboration and showcasing real solutions to end homelessness in SA.

Other events this week:

SA Zero Homelessness Summit (Oct 23) – the main event for leaders, services, lived experience advocates and policymakers. Book here
Training: Housing First 101 – Practical skills for impact (Oct 24) – a hands-on session for practitioners supporting housing-led approaches. Book here

Tickets for each event are sold separately – we invite you to attend one, two or all three. Learn more