The homeless action plan 2008 2013

November 2008

Homeless action plan Auckland City Council
2
Work strand 1: Oversight of homeless and public space issues:
Auckland City Council has the civic responsibility of giving oversight to its public spaces. This project strand works in partnership with key stakeholders to support a
coordinated, collaborative and proactive response to homeless.

Objective Activities Milestones Date Status Cost
Training for
front-line staff

To develop a training
package and conduct
ongoing training for
front-line staff that:
builds awareness
about homelessness
equips staff for a
proactive response







Organise orientation training for
council frontline staff, including new
staff (parks officers, ambassadors,
parking wardens, libraries and other
interested staff- (e.g. Mainstreet
staff)





Training package
promoted through
internal media
Staff identified
Training conducted







August 2008



November 2008 and April
2009 and ongoing








Ongoing










$4000 per
course


Total $8000 per
annum
Information Cards
Provide information cards
to frontline staff outlining
key services for homeless
people.


Update and re-print information
cards for use by frontline staff and
Project Outreach.


Review information and necessity
for its continuation


Information cards
revised and reprinted.
Distribute cards as
required.

Information card
reviewed

October 2008 - 2010




J une 2010

Ongoing

$2,500 per run

Homeless action plan Auckland City Council
3
Objective Activities Milestones Date Status Cost

Complaint management
system
Oversee the complaint
management system











Work with internal stakeholders
ambassador programme, customer
services, Auckland City
Environment to oversee the
complaint management system.






Process for notifying
and informing the after-
hours outreach team in
place;

Follow-up and
coordinated response to
manage public space
issues

Reports concerning
updates on the HAP,
and analysis about
complaints and referrals
provided to SAC
Executive Committee,
and Community
Services Committee
every six months.





Ongoing




Ongoing




December and May each
year



Completed




Ongoing




Ongoing



Business as
usual



Business as
usual



Business as
usual




Homeless action plan Auckland City Council
4
Work strand 2: Integrated response to anti- social behaviour
Auckland City Council together with the New Zealand Police and the Department of J ustice explore options on how best to respond to a small group of people who
predominantly come to notice for their anti-social behaviour and belong to the criminal justice system. These people are assumed to be homeless but are not.

Objective Activities Milestones Date Status Cost

Explore best practice in
dealing with a small group
of people who
predominantly come to
notice for their anti- social
behaviour

Explore international literature to
find out how other cities deal with
this situation




International literature
research completed and
recommendations made
to council committee



Recommendations are
agreed and planned for
remainder of planning
period


New plan endorsed


May 2009





J uly 2009 onwards





November 2009







Not started





Start J uly 2009







nil






Homeless action plan Auckland City Council
5
Work strand 3: Leadership and public awareness
The aims are to:
Promote proactive responses around issues of homelessness - Auckland City Council is not involved in housing but will advocate with the central government
and other agencies to improve shortfalls in homeless services. One avenue is through the national New Zealand Coalition to End Homelessness (NZCEH)

Promote knowledge and awareness of homelessness through the hosting of annual forums, dialogue with key stakeholders on strategic directions, and media
promotions around significant events.

Objective Activities Milestones Date Status Cost

Hold ongoing discussions
with all relevant external
partners about the
Homeless Action Plan
and plan and seek
approval for new
initiatives as required.







Organise meeting of key social
service providers, Auckland City
Mission, Methodist Mission
Northern and the Salvation Army,
with relevant politicians to discuss
strategic plans and future direction

Meeting convened and
future strategies and
directions discussed at
least once a year

May 2009 and ongoing








To be advised

nil












New Zealand Coalition to
End Homelessness
(NZCEH) is a national
action group constituted
from the second
homeless national forum

Promote national dialogue and
policy framework to respond to
issues of homelessness

Participate in NZCEH


Terms of reference
completed and all
agendas and minutes
available on
http://www.wikispaces.
com/

Meetings bi monthly








August 2008 and every
two months thereafter


















Travel $3000
per annum

Homeless action plan Auckland City Council
6
Objective Activities Milestones Date Status Cost

Support initiatives to
promote public awareness
on homelessness



Contribute partial funding for the
production of various publications

Support Parity magazines special
issue focussing on homelessness
in New Zealand


Productions to be
advised







February March 2009








To be advised






$2,500

Homeless action plan Auckland City Council
7
Work strand 4: Outreach services
The outreach service is a collaborative project of key stakeholders. It aims to provide mobile after-hours services of multi-disciplinary teams to homeless people on
the street. It will increase professional contact in the community with homeless people who do not usually access services.

Objective Activities Milestones Date Status Cost

After-hours outreach
team
Oversee Project Outreach
in partnership with
stakeholders-Auckland
City Mission, Methodist
Mission Northern
(Lifewise) and the
Salvation Army.





Review the work of outreach
services and act on
recommendations


Continue payments of $25,000 per
annum as councils contribution to
outreach services

Receive progress reports from the
outreach team identifying work
trends, locations and follow up
outcomes of involvement




Review completed and
report received



Payment made



Key information and
trends fed-back to
reporting for the
Homeless Action Plan
from the manager
Outreach Team at
Auckland City Mission.




August 2008




February 2009 and each
year onwards


February and October
each year








Completed




Ongoing



Ongoing









$25,000 per
annum

Assess additional
resourcing for outreach
services





Review the outreach
services.

Identify key government and
community agencies to support
outreach services.





Terms of reference for review
developed and agreed to.

Auckland District Health
Board, Ministry of Social
Development, Housing
New Zealand
Corporation and the
Department of J ustice
approached for support.

A review contract is
tendered.

2009 and ongoing







March 2011

Ongoing







To be planned









$15,000 -
$20,000


Homeless action plan Auckland City Council
8
Work strand 5: Integrated response to move people into long-term accommodation
Auckland City Council supports and wherever possible enables non-government organisations such as Auckland City Mission, Lifewise and the Salvation Army to
work closely with government organisations to deliver quality services to place homeless people in long-term accommodation. Quality services include the
management of the assessment, case-work model and service delivery to those clients progressing through the homeless stages of intervention, integration and
independence.
The lead agencies in this strand of work include the Auckland City Mission, Lifewise and Salvation Army.

Objective Activities Milestones Date Status Cost

Establish a multi-agency
assessment and case
management tool for
Auckland City Mission,
Lifewise, the Salvation
Army and other central
government agencies that
refers to the church
agencies for homeless
services













Implement a common assessment
framework


















A cooperative model is
agreed between
agencies that supports
the concept of lead
agency for specific
areas of work in the
model of intervention,
integration and
independence

Framework for
assessment agreed and
implemented across
agencies

Establish what
programmes will belong
to what casework model
eg Reception Centre,
Mission in the City

Implement a case
management framework
that incorporates the
above


December 2009








December 2009




J une 2010





J une 2010






In progress



In progress









Start J uly 2009





Start J uly 2009




Nil





















Homeless action plan Auckland City Council
9
Objective Activities Milestones Date Status Cost

Building a quality service

Explore options that are required for
a quality service including
consideration of :
Research for emergency
accommodation



A reception centre for the
intervention stage

Developing a model for a
Special Circumstances Court




Research completed
and priority
recommendations
identified

Options decided and
costed

Working party
recommendations
completed





J une 2009




J une 2009


J une 2011




In progress




In progress


Start J uly 2010





Nil




Nil


Nil

















Homeless action plan Auckland City Council
10
Strand 5 continued: Future direction for homeless services in Auckland: 2008-2013
for central, local and non-government organisations (Committee for Auckland work stream)

Prevention Intervention Integration /Sustainability of lifestyle Independence / Social inclusion

Homeless prevention
within existing
structures

Accommodation emergency
48 hours to 5 nights (not revolving door)

Accommodation transitional
Programme of support around clients up
to 3 years


Accommodation - independent

Assessment:
Assess current systems
to identify where
Homeless people falling
through the gaps:
J ustice -=Probation /
court / Police.
Health =mental health /
primary health / CADS /
ED
WINZ
CYFs
HNZ.

Assessment
First assessment
A common assessment framework across the
three major agencies:
Auckland City Mission
Methodist Mission Northern
Salvation Army

Any door is the right door
Gathering of initial data
Engagement process putting clients on the
pathway out of homelessness:
Implementation of a development plan
Setting initial goals

Assessment
Assessment
Review and fine tuning of goals
Client monitoring


Development of a treatment and case
management model
Specialist assessments and programmes
to cater for such things as:
Psychological services
Long term head injury
Health e.g. diabetes
Hearing
Work diagnosis

Assessment
Reviewing and on going planning
Monitoring
Planning
Assessing for closure

Policy development:

Each agency develops a
policy on Homelessness
and response to it.

Case management 1 : 1 focus
Developing trust
Managing the interfaces of a multi agencies
Making initial contact
Developing a case plan for services for
client
Coordination role

Case management : Group focus and
or individual
Client monitoring
Building resilience
Programme delivery (groups)
Preparation for independence
Emphasis where possible on
reintegration with family and other
significant supports

Case management : independence
Establishing independence
Dealing with multiple relationships
Prevention of re-homelessness

Homeless action plan Auckland City Council
11
Prevention Intervention Integration /Sustainability of lifestyle Independence / Social inclusion

Education:

Raise awareness of the
risk factors involved in
Homelessness across
each agency and the
general public.

Inform general services of
how to work with
Homeless people and
services available to them
and how to make
referrals.

Promote early intervention
across all secotors.

Services (initial referral)
Work and income
Medical services
Mental health services
Drug and alcohol
Police
Corrections
Court support
Housing New Zealand and other
accommodation
Relief services
Drop in services
Clothing
Meals


Services and programmes
Literacy
Work
Life skills
Family reintegration
Self management programmes
Alcohol and other drugs
Mental health
Antenatal
Womens Health clinics

Services
Independently accessing services
that are available to the public
Trouble shooting and support
Community integration skills
hobbies etc
Introduction stuff
For some there will be follow up for
life
Closure


Delivery Model:
Each agency nominates a
champion to coordinate
action on Homeless
prevention work for their
organisation.

Promotion of Early
intervention work for
people at risk of
homelessness.
Delivery model
Establishment of the reception centre that
collapses the night shelter in Airedale St, relief
services and the City Mission drop in centre
and adds an assessment and case
management capacity to provide a forward
movement out of homelessness that currently
does not exist
Delivery model
Mission in the City
Other supported accommodation

Delivery model
Tenancy support to keep clients in
permanent housing


New Initiatives:
Policy and response
to Homelessness for
each organisation.
Partnership with
Homeless sector
agencies towards
integrated services
New Initiatives
Reception Centre
Special Circumstances Court for homeless
including alcohol and drug dependency,
brain injury, mental health
Research for emergency accommodation
New Initiatives
Mission in the City
New Initiatives
Tenancy sustainment programme

Homeless action plan Auckland City Council
12
Prevention Intervention Integration /Sustainability of lifestyle Independence / Social inclusion

Resources:
Nominated
Champion for each
agency
Policy development.

Resources
Building for the Reception Centre and
emergency accommodation
Staffing
Development of a common assessment
tool

Resources
Building programme for Mission in the
City
Staffing
Programmes - development of a case
management tool/model


Resources
Staffing
Systems that understand each other and managing the interface between agencies.