Ending homelessness workshop: How do we bring Australian local government to the table?

This session will consider what councils can do to establish the foundations to get involved in efforts to end homelessness and make the most of the collaborative efforts that are established through the AtoZ approach, including:

• Advocacy: Engaging and convincing your elected councillors and community to get involved in efforts to end homelessness
• Setting direction and strategy: The value and advantages of defining commitment, roles and responsibilities
• Establishing internal capability: Building knowledge across an organisation and capitalising on internal capabilities
• Managing public space: How councils can balance multiple and often conflicting responsibilities and ensure equitable outcomes
• Prevention and early intervention: How councils can tap into their staff, services and spaces to prevent homelessness in the first place.

Be ready to roll your sleeves up and get to work. We will be sharing lots of case studies and embarking on important discussions about the role local government can play to end homelessness. Each participant will have the opportunity to build their own one-page action plan to take home and action afterwards.

The session has been developed for council officers and executive who are participating in WAAEH activities, as well as those who are interested to learn more.

It has been built and will be delivered by local government homelessness expert and Churchill Fellow, Leanne Mitchell. Leanne will share her own experiences and learnings, and draw on the knowledge of local practitioners and international experts, including: 

• Iain De Jong, President and CEO of OrgCode Consulting
• Lorraine McGrath, CEO of Simon Community Scotland
• George Hatvani, Functional Zero Manager at Launch Housing.