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| Council to Homeless Persons | |
|---|---|
| Name | Council to Homeless Persons |
| Formation | 1970s |
| Headquarters | Melbourne, Victoria |
| Services | Homelessness advocacy, policy, research, capacity building |
| Region served | Victoria, Australia |
Council to Homeless Persons
The Council to Homeless Persons is an Australian non‑profit advocacy and peak body based in Melbourne that represents frontline homelessness services, community organizations and people with lived experience of homelessness. It engages with federal and state institutions such as the Australian Government, the Government of Victoria, and municipal bodies including the City of Melbourne to influence policy, funding and program delivery. The organisation interacts with national actors like the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute, the Australian Human Rights Commission, and peak welfare bodies including Anglicare Australia, Salvation Army, and St Vincent de Paul Society.
Established during the late 1970s and early 1980s contemporary waves of community sector organisation and social policy reform, the group developed links with unions and advocacy groups such as the Australian Council of Trade Unions and the Australian Council of Social Service. Its evolution paralleled major Australian initiatives including the introduction of the National Affordable Housing Agreement and the expansion of programs administered through Victoria's DHHS. Over decades the organisation responded to crises that involved actors such as the Victorian Bushfire Royal Commission outcomes, the 1990s housing market shifts tied to the Global Financial Crisis, and policy shifts under administrations of prime ministers including Bob Hawke, Paul Keating, John Howard, Julia Gillard, Tony Abbott, Malcolm Turnbull, and Scott Morrison.
The organisation’s mission foregrounds rights-based approaches influenced by international frameworks like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and regional practice exemplified by partnerships with bodies such as the United Nations Human Rights Council and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. It advocates for reforms across statutory instruments including the Residential Tenancies Act and welfare adjustments linked to the Social Security Act, engaging with parliamentary processes within the Parliament of Australia and the Parliament of Victoria. The advocacy strategy mobilises coalitions with civil society partners like Homelessness NSW, similar peak bodies, and faith-based groups such as Uniting Church in Australia and Anglican Church of Australia congregations to advance systemic change.
Programs include capacity building for frontline providers, sectoral workforce development, and direct engagement with people experiencing homelessness through referral networks linked to services such as Launch Housing, Housing First pilots, and crisis accommodation providers like Sacred Heart Mission. Training partnerships extend to academic institutions such as the University of Melbourne, RMIT University, and Monash University to inform practicum placements and evidence translation. Service integration involves coordination with health agencies like Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, mental health services under Victorian Mental Health Services, substance treatment providers such as Turning Point (AIDS and Hepatitis C), and Indigenous organisations including Aboriginal Housing Victoria.
The organisation commissions and contributes to research with bodies including the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute, the Grattan Institute, and university research centres at Deakin University and La Trobe University. Policy outputs engage with national strategies such as the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness and contribute to inquiries led by the Senate of Australia and the Victorian Ombudsman. Reports and submissions address intersections with health policy articulated by the Department of Health (Australia), income support administered by Centrelink, and planning instruments overseen by Victorian Planning Authority to advocate evidence-based interventions and metrics aligned with international best practice exemplified by the European Federation of National Organisations working with the Homeless.
Funding and partnerships derive from state and federal grants, philanthropic foundations such as the Ian Potter Foundation and the Myer Foundation, and collaborations with corporate partners including philanthropic arms of organisations like ANZ and Commonwealth Bank. It coordinates with peak bodies like National Shelter and VCOSS and aligns projects with philanthropic initiatives from the Bellagio Centre model and social investment vehicles promoted by the Social Investment Taskforce. Emergency responses have involved liaison with agencies such as Emergency Management Victoria and coordination with volunteer networks like Volunteering Australia.
Evaluation frameworks draw on methodologies used by the Productivity Commission (Australia), standards referenced by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, and program evaluation practice from institutions like the Australian National University. Impact assessments document contributions to reductions in rough sleeping in inner‑city precincts monitored by the City of Melbourne and improved service integration evidenced in pilot programs akin to Housing First outcomes reported in international studies by the European Observatory on Homelessness. The organisation’s submissions to royal commissions and parliamentary inquiries have influenced reforms affecting tenancy protections, supported housing funding, and coordinated homelessness responses during events such as the COVID‑19 pandemic.
Governance follows a board model with engagement from lived experience advisory groups, sector representatives, and allied organisations including Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation and Centre for Multicultural Youth. Operational relationships involve partnerships with legal services such as Victoria Legal Aid, peak health bodies like Royal Melbourne Hospital, and workforce development through registered training organisations regulated by Australian Skills Quality Authority. Accountability mechanisms include annual reporting to funders such as the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (Victoria) and program audits consistent with standards promoted by the Australian Charities and Not‑for‑profits Commission.