QCOSS

Action on the housing crisis is crucial in the upcoming Queensland Budget. The QCOSS State of the Sector 2024 Report found that 84% of service users across the sector are being impacted by the lack of affordable housing and homelessness, and services are consistently reporting that the complexity of service user needs is increasing. Read more about our Budget asks: https://lnkd.in/ge4mqJmR Find up-to-date data that is relevant and meaningful to the community services sector at QCOSS Data Point: https://lnkd.in/gjkHTf6Y

QCOSS stands with the community sector in calling for a summit to solve homelessness. All levels of government must work together with community organisations and service providers to come up with solutions to end homelessness and ensure every Queenslander has a safe place to call home.

The community sector has provided a lifeline for thousands of Queenslanders in the past week who have been dealing with the clean-up after ex-tropical cyclone Alfred.  We want to thank all of the organisations and frontline workers who have tirelessly worked to help their communities in south-east Queensland and Hervey Bay. Thank you for all you do ❤️ Neighbourhood Centres Queensland Micah Projects Act for Kids

Brisbane City Council’s decision to clear tents from parks is unjustified and inhumane. The housing crisis has forced thousands of people, including young families, to live in suburban parks or sleep in their cars because they can’t afford anything else. We stand with Micah Projects, Brisbane Youth Service and all of our frontline services in rejecting Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner's claims that people are homeless by choice and that people living in parks have refused offers of accommodation during ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred. As Micah Projects CEO Karyn Walsh writes in today's Op-Ed in the Courier Mail, many of the people sleeping rough in parks have not been offered or have been refused accommodation due to a lack of ID. "While 261 people were registered as sleeping rough during the cyclone, there were 146 people who weren’t eligible for accommodation because they had no form of identification," Ms Walsh said. "There were 115 people who did have identification, but only 71 were offered accommodation. Once again, we are now faced with the question of what happens next for people who are sleeping rough?" In the wake of natural disasters, we should be doing all we can to help people who are facing homelessness. Punishing people who are sleeping in parks - many who have escaped violence or have complex health issues - is not the answer. We need all levels of government to work with our sector and our teams to invest in what works: more crisis supports and more funding for supportive housing to ensure every Queenslander has a roof over their head. Read more: https://lnkd.in/g_ZyE8FP

Meet Nicolle Edwards – finalist of the Social Impact Leader Award at last year’s Queensland Community Impact Awards! In 2015, Nicolle saw a gap in practical support for victim-survivors of domestic and family violence and created RizeUp Australia. With a team of over 1,600 volunteers, RizeUp has now furnished more than 3,000 homes for those individuals and families escaping violence. Nicolle says she’s motivated by the long-term impact of her work and the strength of her community. #qcossfrontlineheroes

The current Skilling Queenslanders for Work funding round has been extended, due to the impacts of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred. The deadline for applications is now Thursday, 3 April. If your organisation is applying for SQW funding, make sure you check out our resources before you hit submit: https://lnkd.in/gJQenNJ7

Ending the housing crisis must be a priority in this year’s Budget. As one of our key Budget priorities, we're calling on the Queensland Government to: 🔶 Increase the supply of social housing to meet the target of 53,500 homes by 2044  🔶 Establish and maintain transparent mechanisms to monitor the delivery of housing commitments 🔶 Make renting fair 🔶 Increase investment in permanent supportive housing 🔶 Invest in targeted solutions for people experiencing domestic, family and sexual violence, children and young people, and people who are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander  🔶 Implement recommendations from the Independent review of the homelessness response in Queensland. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gUAidMFa

There's still time to apply to join the Growing Our Own Advisory Group to help strengthen our workforce, or apply for free HR support for your organisation!   We've extended the deadlines for Expressions of Interest until 5pm, Wednesday 12 March.   These two projects will help our sector respond to the needs of our rapidly growing workforce and ensure we can attract and retain the workers we need.   Find out more about the Growing Our Own Advisory group: https://lnkd.in/g5-PNWDT Apply for tailored HR support through the Supporting Diverse Workforces initiative: https://lnkd.in/eJfETZ9f

As Tropical Cyclone Alfred approaches, we want to acknowledge the many community organisations and frontline workers who will continue to support their communities in the coming days. Thank you for going above and beyond to deliver these life-saving supports for Queenslanders who are experiencing vulnerability. Here are some useful links on housing support during the cyclone: 🟨Homeless Hotline: Housing options in a crisis https://lnkd.in/gupGhanW 🟨Micah Projects: https://lnkd.in/gHwTE8C5 🟨Communify: https://lnkd.in/g2FAF5Y6 Other useful resources: 🟨 Your local council disaster dashboard via their website, you can find via: https://lnkd.in/gniaX_q6 🟨 Community Recovery Lifeline Australia Hotline: Available from 8am to 8pm at 1800 116 671 for specialist disaster counselling 🟨 Disability Advocacy Pathways will deliver extended statewide telephone support for people with disability, their families and carers: 1800 130 582 🟨 Resources to assist you in planning for disaster response or service interruptions for your organisation can be found here: https://lnkd.in/gWdQ5sFr 🟨 Community Recovery supports: https://lnkd.in/gSzC5KFa 

Women and children escaping violence need a range of support services to ensure their safety and wellbeing. That’s what makes Womens Centre FNQ’s Family Support Program so successful. The team works with women and children to support everything from case management to mental health referrals, child safety, housing, crisis payments and school enrolments. Case Manager Jacqui says she’s driven by the strength and resilience of the women she supports. Find out more about Womens Centre FNQ’s programs: https://lnkd.in/g4YdCVB4