Central Highlands Homelessness Alliance (CHHA)
We recognise housing as a right for all people of the Central Highlands. Accordingly, we strive to become a region free of homelessness, where everyone has a safe, suitable home.
Working collaboratively to end homelessness in the Central Highlands region of Victoria
About
Ending Homelessness
CHHA agencies strive to provide homelessness support that treats everyone with dignity, respect and individuality. We collaborate together within our alliance and with social, health and government services and the community. The CHHA proudly advocates and participates in a collective effort to improve the lives of people in the Central Highlands, and we believe that when we all work together as a community we can end homelessness.
Our Members
The CHHA is an alliance of eleven agencies that support people living with or who are at risk of experiencing homelessness or family violence, located in the six local government areas of the Central Highlands region: Ballarat, Ararat, Pyranees, Hepburn, Moorabool and Golden Plains. We are not for profit organisations funded by the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH) grants and other sources including charitable and community donations. The member agencies are listed below.
The three groups of the CHHA meet regularly to work collaboratively towards the shared goals of ending homelessness and improving the lives of the people we support, and each has a Chair and Terms of Reference:
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The CHHA Executive Group - comprised of CEOs and senior managers.
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The CHHA Operational Group - comprised of senior and middle managers.
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The CHHA Practitioner Group - comprised of case workers.
The CHHA is supported by a Network Coordinator and is a member of the Victorian Homelessness Network (www.vhn.org.au)
The member agencies of the CHHA receive funding from the DFFH
News & Events
Relevant, Important Updates
CHHA Annual Forum
Ballarat
June 1, 2023
Over 70 participants from the 11 CHHA agencies, the DFFH and the Ballarat Council came together to collaboratively workshop the challanges and opportunties for addressing homelessness in the region. Strategic priorities were identified in the areas of Youth, Women & Children, Lived Experience, Advocacy and Creative Solutions for Addressing Homelessness.
Houses at Parliament
Housing Ends Homelessness
On Wednesday August 2 2023, over 30 employees from member agencies of the CHHA along with other Homelessness Local Area Support Networks (LASNs) from across the state, and the Council to Homeless Persons (CHP) united under the cry that “Housing Ends Homelessness” and collaboratively covered the steps of State Parliament with over 6600 origami houses to represent the number of houses Victoria needs to build every year for the next 10 years to end homelessness. The origami houses had been folded by community sector practitioners and consumers, and members of the community. The peaceful event included a Welcome to Country, speeches and songs from the Community Choir Vossanova. Media and local Members of Parliament were invited to attend. The Minister for Housing addressed the gathering. MPs also joined in, including Central Highland MPs Martha Haylett (Ripon), Juliana Addison (Wendouree) (pictured with CHHA members and Networker ) and Michaela Settle (Eureka). All committed to work with the sector to build more social and affordable homes.
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Homelessness Week Exhibition
Trades Hall, Ballarat August 2023
The aim of the CHHA exhibition was to inform and educate the community on the wicked problem of homelessness. The exhibition featured key themes including Rough Sleeping, Women and Children, Youth, Older People, Food Security, Advocacy, Leaving Prison, and information on how the community can help. The Exhibition was opened on Monday with a Smoking ceremony, followed by speeches from Eureka MP Michaela Settle, Sherrie who told her story of lived experience and Breanna Doody from the Ballarat Council. On Wednesday there was an interview with Jeremy about his lived experience of homelessness, and on Thursday and Friday, panel sessions of workers talked about the work they do and the people they assist around the themes of “Supporting People in Crisis” and “Homelessness at Different Ages – Youth to Older” respectively. The closing ceremony on Friday followed a sausage sizzle lunch cooked by the great Traades Hall team, and music provided by Azlan Harris from BADAC. Guest speakers included Ballarat Foundation CEO Andrew Eales and Wendouree MP Juliana Addison who spoke passionately about her and the government’s commitment to addressing homelessness and the housing shortage in the region. In total the Exhibition was attended by over 200 community members and sector practitioners attended.
Homelessness Grants
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Mercy Foundation - seed funds up to $50,000 closes October
Policy Forums & Submissions:
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National Housing & Homelessness Plan
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City of Ballarat Youth Hub Feasibility Study - seeking community input until Oct 31 Details here: Youth Hub
RESOURCES:
Children's Resource Coordinator
Central Highlands & NW Wimmera
Contact: Pip McGregor pip.mcgregor@vt.uniting.org
Assistance, support & resources to respond to the needs of children who have experienced homelessness and/or family violence.
Escaping Violence Payment - EVP - up to $5000 is available: More Information Here
Research:
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What Local Government can do to End Homelessness
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AHURI Report on Crisis Accommodation in Australia
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Central Highlands Disadvantage Demographic data
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Victoria's Mental Health & Wellbeing Act 2022 Information slides
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UTS Research on the impact of Waiting for Social Housing in Australia
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AHURI Report on Recruiting & Retaining an Effective Homelessness Workforce
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Churchill Trust Report: Homelessness is Solvable - How we can end it in Australia
VHN - Victorian Regional Homelessness Network
Useful Links
Resources, Research, Forums & Grants
(Click on logo or link)
Contact Us
For more information contact CHHA Network Coordinator
Michelle Twigger
Phone: +61409425962
