Prior to the announcement of the successful tenderer, REDWatch initiated a petition over the loss of services expected in Redfern and Waterloo from the change in programs. From all the information available there will be a loss of existing services to Redfern and Waterloo tenants, especially as a result of the loss of the Redfern Waterloo place-based HCP position. You can read why this is so at Sign the petition to restore support for Redfern & Waterloo tenant services following HCP and TPRS de-funding and you can sign the petition at Restore support for Redfern and Waterloo Public Housing Tenant Services! The petition is not designed to overturn the decision, but rather to ensure the Redfern and Waterloo public housing communities do not get impacted and lose services from the change.
The announcement of a state wide service provider who has not historically been involved in Tenant Participation Support Services and who does not have an on the ground presence in Redfern and Waterloo only strengthens our view that there will be significant gaps resulting from the change in tenant support programs.
We do not share the Minister’s upbeat line in the media release below. While there may be a boost of services in some areas these will be at the expense of the place-based services provided by HCP in areas like Redfern and Waterloo and some of the functions undertaken previously by TPRS.
There is also a significant irony in the TPCE Fact sheet’s claim that through “Mission Australia’s
extensive networks, TPCE will link FACS housing tenants to outreach, advocacy
and support services”, when one of the areas in dispute between existing TPRS providers and FACS was around the advocacy role TPRS workers had played in the past. It will be interesting to see to what advocacy services tenants are now referred.
REDWatch would disagree with the Fact sheet statement “that FACS conducted an independent review of these programs
in 2017”. The only review of the HCP program undertaken, was a desktop audit after the decision had been made to end the program. Local HCP provider Counterpoint Community Services was not consulted with as part of any “independent review”, or otherwise, and tenants involved in the TPRS and HCP programs were not consulted at all about what they wanted from a program focused on supporting their “tenant participation”.
The real reason for the change seems to be covered in the Fact sheet statement that “FACS wanted to change these
programs because too much time was spent on administration of contracts, taking
resources away from tenants”. What that says is that FACS had a preference for a state wide provider and that was more important than small place-based programs well connected into the public housing communities they served.
Does this logic mean that the FACS TEI reforms looking at targeted early intervention services, including community centres, might end up funding a single state-wide organisation to run local community centre’s because the administration costs will be lower? This logic potentially results in community development absurdity for the state’s diverse communities.
The Media Release by Minister and the Fact Sheet are below.
Media Release: Boost in services for Social Housing tenants
Published on 31 Oct 2018 in Media releases
Social housing tenants in NSW will have
access to improved services and support after Mission Australia was
today announced as the successful provider of the social housing Tenant
Participation and Community Engagement (TPCE) program.
From December, the TPCE program will
strengthen community ties for people who are isolated in social housing,
help tenants organise community groups, link tenants with support
services and provide feedback to FACS on potential community improvements.
Minister
for Social Housing Pru Goward said these services will improve the
lives of social housing tenants right across the State.
“The new
program will offer tenants more opportunities to access information,
timely advice and find links to support services that will assist them
to maintain a successful tenancy,” Ms Goward said.
“The program will also ensure that tenant voices are heard in the development and delivery of reforms.”
Mission
Australia CEO James Toomey said Mission Australia is looking forward to
delivering the Tenant Participation and Community Engagement program in
metro and regional NSW.
“With this new program, the people and
families who live in social housing will have better access to
information, advice and opportunities so they can be more actively
involved in any processes and decisions about improving their homes,” Mr
Toomey said.
The program combines the current Tenant
Participation and Resource Service and Housing Communities Program, with
all funding from those programs included in the TPCE.
For more information visit: https://www.facs.nsw.gov.au/media/imported/Tenant-Participation-and-Community-Engagement-Factsheet.docx
Source: www.facs.nsw.gov.au/about/media/releases/boots-in-services-for-social-housing-tennants
The Tenant
Participation and Community Engagement (TPCE) Fact sheet:
What is the Tenant
Participation and Community Engagement (TPCE) program?
The
aim of the TPCE is to improve outcomes for FACS housing tenants. It does this
by making it easier for tenants to access information and advice about their
housing, and by providing tenants with more opportunities to be involved in
decisions on their tenancies and communities.
FACS recently sought an
Expression of Interest from non-government organisations (NGOs) to deliver an
innovative tenant participation model. FACS deemed Mission Australia successful
to deliver TPCE across NSW due to their strong ability to innovate and leverage
their own resources to deliver the best outcomes for tenants.
Through Mission Australia’s
extensive networks, TPCE will link FACS housing tenants to outreach, advocacy
and support services that can assist them to manage their tenancies and participate
in their communities. Mission Australia
also have well established links with health services and so can also help
tenants with referrals for health services.
Why has FACS changed the program?
TPCE used to be made up of two
separate programs, The Tenant Participation Resource Service and the Housing
and Communities Program. FACS conducted an independent review of these programs
in 2017 which included feedback from FACS local Districts.
FACS wanted to change these
programs because too much time was spent on administration of contracts, taking
resources away from tenants. In addition, FACS wanted to see more tenants who
are not part of organised groups being helped through the programs and greater
training of volunteers on the programs.
FACS also wanted to see more
formal consultation sessions organised for tenants to make sure that their
voices are heard and to see specific courses run which will help tenants with
aspects of daily life which some find difficult, like financial management and
dealing with neighbour disputes.
All of the funding from the two
previous programs has been carried forward into the TPCE program.
How does it
work?
From 3 December 2018, Mission
Australia will work with each FACS District to identify local priority areas,
and develop tailored District Priority Statements.
Each District will develop an
annual service plan with Mission Australia that includes measurable outcomes
they will monitor.
What are TPCE’s
aims?
TPCE seeks to:
- empower people in social housing to independently manage their tenancies and build
their capacity to participate in work and their community - improve long term outcomes for Aboriginal people
and families living in social
housing by giving them a say about housing services - develop a greater, inclusive presence in locations
with high concentrations of social housing that
face significant community issues and change - create opportunities for tenants to volunteer and provide those volunteers with training because
this may help some tenants ultimately to find employment or become leaders in
their community - align its program of work to each Districts’ specific
priorities and report on that work
in a consistent format aligned to the Districts’ annual service plans - link services to Future Directions, the NSW Government’s 10-year vision for social
housing - encourage tenants to participate in processes and decisions about their tenancy and improve
outreach to tenants who are harder to reach.
How can I
contact my local TPCE provider?
Mission Australia National Office
HSBC Building, Level 7
580 George Street
Sydney NSW 2000
PO Box 3515, Sydney NSW 2001
02 9219 2000
Sydney, South East Sydney, North Sydney District. Kirsten Harmer – Regional Leader.
0476 846 744 HarmerK@missionaustralia.com.au
South West Sydney District Saeli Masina – Area Manager.
0418 598 715 MasinaS@missionaustralia.com.au
Western Sydney, Nepean, Blue Mountains District Julie Jasprizza-Laus – Area Manager.
0425 210 213 JasprizzalausJ@missionaustralia.com.au
Mid North Coast, Northern NSW District Craig Westall – Regional Leader.
0439 647 189 WestallC@missionaustralia.com.au
Hunter, New England, Central Coast District Craig Westall – Regional Leader.
0439 647 189 WestallC@missionaustralia.com.au
Illawarra Shoalhaven, Southern NSW District Brett Fahey – Regional Leader.
0477 313 208 FaheyB@missionaustralia.com.au
Western NSW, Murrumbidgee, Far West District Ann Winterton – Regional Leader. 0408 478 845 WintertonA@missionaustralia.com.au
Source: www.facs.nsw.gov.au/media/imported/Tenant-Participation-and-Community-Engagement-Factsheet.docx