Project summary

This project aims to provide a toolkit to assist local governments to be more actively involved in place-based efforts to end homelessness, particularly rough sleeping homelessness and to collaborate with other stakeholders and other local governments where appetite or networks exist. The toolkit comprises of a series of fact sheets outlining good practice approaches.

The proposed fact sheets are:

• Understanding end homelessness initiatives (why they matter, why they are different)
• Place matters: the role of local government in ending homelessness
• How local government can engage in and support projects and governance
• The role of local government in advocating for, brokering and regulating inclusive homelessness responses
• Specific case studies of success and innovative practice
• Local governments and multi-area collaborations to end homelessness
• Culturally safe responses to homelessness: roles for local government
• A topic to be determined through consultation.

Fact sheets will profile specific challenges, actions and examples for different place-based contexts, i.e. regional councils and communities, as well as across different homelessness challenges where appropriate and able.

Project progress

There is clearly significant interest in the toolkit regionally and metro, demonstrated through engagement in the project, the discussions at the first LGA Homelessness Network Meeting and our other engagements with the sector (ongoing), with an appetite for the toolkit asap (including beyond SA). We are investing time into ensuring people understand the toolkit and its content, have buy in to how it is structured and that the content is pitched for the right audiences, practical and able to be applied in multiple council settings across areas of ending homelessness relevant to councils in SA (and beyond).

Phase 1: Project inception - Completed

Establishment of the reference group and their input into and confirmation of the full project plan and the project’s engagement and communication plan.

Phase 2: Data collection and analysis - in  progress

An audit and synthesis of existing information of both academic and practice literature, including Adelaide Zero Project publications and resources linked to the Australian Alliance to End Homelessness website. Academic databases and general internet searches will be key research approaches in the environmental scan. Draft fact sheets will be developed for consultation in phase 3. Graphic design of fact sheets are part of this phase Revisions that may be required are included as part of phase 4 depending on sector feedback.

Phase 3: Sector feedback and toolkit finalisation - in progress

Draft fact sheets will be presented to the Project Reference Group and targeted representatives of local government to gather commentary on their structure, content and utility. Commentary will be used to refine and evolve content and to finalise the fact sheets and toolkit as a whole. A top and tail for the toolkit will also be written and finalised so that the toolkit can be presented as one document, with separate, downloadable fact sheets also made available.

Phase 4: Project evaluation

The evaluation will gauge stakeholders’ views on the process of developing the toolkit, refine fact sheet focuses and content and determine value of the toolkit to the local government sector. A small scale survey of either the LGASA membership or attendees at the toolkit launch could be a possible data source for evaluation and impact. The toolkit launch is to be confirmed.

Current project completion: 80%

This page was last updated 15 December 2023.