As Reconciliation Week 2021 draws to a close, it’s timely that we reflect on our own cultural safety efforts, both as an organisation and as a sector.
The theme of this year’s Reconciliation Week was ‘More than a word. Reconciliation takes action.’ It was a message that urged the reconciliation movement towards braver and more impactful action.
The Community Housing Aboriginal Cultural Safety Framework has been developed to help CHOs achieve structural and organisational change through deep understanding, awareness and practice of Aboriginal cultural safety.
The framework provides practical tools that support CHOs to improve cultural safety within their organisation and their work.
CHIA Vic has committed to implementing the Community Housing Aboriginal Cultural Safety Framework within our own organisation. We will begin this process in the coming weeks, and we invite our members to join us to share encouragement and support. Jenny Samms will be running a few “Getting Started” sessions – come along and join us.
On another note, keep an eye out for your CHIA Vic membership renewal notices, which will be sent out next week.
Your membership is enabling your peak community housing bodies to provide support and capacity building; plus advocate on your behalf at both a state and federal level, and I want to take this opportunity to thank you.
Lesley Dredge
CEO, CHIA Vic
The loss of the right to live according to a set of common values and beliefs, and to have that right respected by others, is at the heart of the current disadvantage experienced by Indigenous Australians. So what role should Indigenous self determination play in community housing?Read on
Social procurement information session: Last Chance to Register On Tuesday 8 June, CHIA Vic will be running an online social procurement information session exclusively for members. This 90-minute session is the first in a series that we will be running to support members in embedding and demonstrating their social procurement commitments under the Big Housing Build. This first session will focus on gender equality and safety as one important component of the Victorian Government Social Procurement Framework, and will feature guest speakers and the introduction of new resources to support members.
For more information and to register to attend the session, members clickhere.
Understanding the NDIS and what eligibility looks like in tenants
How people can access the NDIS, and what support housing workers could contribute to assist tenants going through the access process
The planning and review process for participants with NDIS packages, and the tenancy supports that might be funded by the NDIA.
Participants can complete each module separately or can do all three. They will receive a certificate of completion upon finishing each module. Visit our website to access the online courses now.
Project news CHIA Vic has teamed up again with the Municipal Association of Victoria to work on a project that will examine the various ways local government can secure and manage affordable housing contributions over time.
The project will produce resources aimed at enhancing the local government and community housing sectors’ understanding of the available mechanisms - for example, local council making land available for affordable housing, cash contributions made by developers, and local council establishing a housing trust. The resources will explain how the mechanisms can achieve affordable housing outcomes, and the implications for local council and community housing organisations.
We are also about to kick off a NHFIC funded project focused on community housing developments on land leased from a third party.
The project will produce resources which consider and document the legal, contractual and accounting requirements and implications of developing on leased land. The resources will include a template lease agreement for use by community housing organisations when constructing housing on land owned by a third party.
If you would like to find out more about these projects, please contact Stephanie Ng, Affordable Housing Business Development Officer, Stephanie.Ng@chiavic.com.au.
Solar Victoria Heating & Cooling program Solar Victoria launched its latest rebate program, Home Heating and Cooling Upgrades several weeks ago. CHIA Vic is working with Solar Victoria on an information session that will give members more information on the heating & cooling rebate and how it can be paired with the upgrades already done or planned under the stimulus maintenance program...Read on
Last month the NSW Government released the NSW 2041 Housing Strategy, which sets out its framework and plan for NSW housing for the next 20 years. While committing to no direct housing targets or funding for social and affordable housing, the strategy opens possibilities that could be utilised by community housing providers to maximise development...Read on
Closing the revolving door For people exiting prison, access to housing is vital to successful reintegration. Housing insecurity has also been identified a major factor in a person re-entering the prison system. Justice Connect has just completed a scoping study, which focuses on opportunities to provide best-practice, wrap-around legal help for Victorians released from prison...Read on
Major Reforms in Minor Detail: Rooming Houses Defined Starting this month, we will be looking at a single issue from the recent tenancy law reforms in each CHIA Vic ebulletin and discussing what it means for the community housing sector.
One change that we have received lots of questions on lately is the small change to section 19 of the RTA, which has important implications for whether or not certain buildings can be managed as rooming houses. Read on
Focus group participants wanted RMIT is looking for people for a research project on older people experiencing housing precarity to participate in focus groups. RMIT is interested in hearing about their housing aspirations and how they navigate the housing market. Specially they are seeking people:
aged 45 years or over
have income less than $41K pa
rent (private, public or community or other)
or who know they will retire with a mortgage (or are concerned you may)
For more information, please contact Dr Andrea Sharam at RMIT University andrea.sharam@rmit.edu.au or 03 99251439
