Forster Neighbourhood Centre Inc. Housing and Homelessness

Forster Neighbourhood Centre Inc. - People Helping People

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Housing and Homelessness

MNC Tenancy support program

This is a new project operated by the Samaritans based in Taree. It is designed to support families who are at risk of losing their tenancy (they may have fallen behind in the rent and/or received an eviction notice). To apply for the program there must be at least one child under the age of 18 years in the family - contact Kate at the Neighbourhood Centre on Thursdays or Fridays.

Housing NSW

FNC staff are available Monday - Friday to help with information regarding forms. Most Housing NSW forms are available from the centre or can be downloaded from the Housing NSW website: www.housing.nsw.gov.au. Housing NSW can be contacted on: 1300 305 667.

Housing NSW offers an emergency accommodation service, and again, our staff can assist you. However, if you require emergency accommodation after 4:30pm, call the Emergency Accommodation Hotline: 1800 152 152.

New Horizons NCAP

The North Coast Accommodation Project (NCAP) is an initiative to tackle homelessness operated by New Horizons in Taree. NCAP aims to support people who are homeless (or at risk of homelessness) to find appropriate, affordable and sustainable housing within the private rental market. The Forster Neighbourhood Centre is able to refer clients to NCAP to help support people in need of accommodation.

Homelessness

Homelessness results in social and economic costs to individuals, families, communities and our nation. Homelessness has such an effect on people's lives that it forces them away from their family, friends and severs the ties between the person and the community. It makes it difficult to maintain relationships and participate in sustainable education/employment. Homelessness within Australia means that almost 1 in every 200 Australians live without one of their most basic human rights.

The Great Lakes Housing and Homelessness Working Group formed in May 2011 following two public forums on the topic. The FNC Manager and one of the new NCAP workers have been elected to represent the Great Lakes area on the Mid North Coast Housing and Homelessness Regional Forum.

The FNC conducted a 3 week survey on housing related issues early 2011. The survey identified "The total number of 'occasions of service' delivered by the FNC in 3 weeks = 705. 178 of those were housing related - reflecting 62 families who had either: (i) recently been homeless (ii) were currently homeless or (iii) were about to become homeless."

Local Priorities

The public forums and liaison with other organisations have identified local priorities (i) accommodation for women and children in crisis (ii) accommodation support for ex-offenders and Housing NSW Temporary Accommodation to expand options from that of motels.

What Next

Regarding accommodation for women and children in crisis, the FNC Women's Shed project has as one of it's aims "to secure emergency accommodation for women and children in crisis within the Forster and Tuncurry area". Community support will be essential to compliment any government funding for this initiative. The FNC will be applying to the State Government at the end of October for community infrastructure funding as a contribution to a Family Support Centre incorporating a women's resource centre for the Forster area. More funding opportunities will be available at the end of the year through a regional development infrastructure grant.

If you wish to support the FNC's initiatives by way of a support letter or would like more information on local initiatives to combat homelessness, contact the Manager at the FNC.

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The FNC's Family Support Service is funded through the State Department of Families And Community Services (FACS) through there Early Intervention and Placement Program (EIPP).