Ballarat Zero

Together for Change: Achieving Zero Rough Sleeping Homelessness in Ballarat

The Ballarat Zero Project (BZP) is a three-year pilot initiative launched in January 2025 that is designed to address homelessness in Ballarat and the Central Highlands region. Led by the Central Highlands Homelessness Alliance (CHHA) and Uniting, the project brings together community stakeholders to create a sustainable system to end rough sleeping homelessness using the Advance to Zero (A to Z) framework.

Vision and Goals

Build a collaborative alliance to end homelessness and establish a sustainable model.
Create a By Name List (BNL) database to track homelessness in real-time.
Achieve Functional Zero homelessness in Ballarat’s Central Ward by December 2027, ensuring that any instances of rough sleeping are brief, rare, and non-recurring.
Coordinate housing resources and support services to meet the community’s needs efficiently.

Key Partnerships

Ballarat Zero is a collaboration between:

Uniting VicTas: Providing project leadership and outreach services.
Ballarat City Council: Supporting coordination and community collaboration.
Participating CHHA Agencies: Delivering direct homelessness support services.
The Ballarat Foundation: a very supportive partner, providing funding with a two-year
Innovation Grant for the By Name List data base and data lead.
The Jack Brockhoff Foundation: has provided a generous three year funding grant
to employ to Assertive Outreach workers to support those experiencing rough sleeping.
Victoria Police: Assisting outreach teams to locate and connect with those at risk.
Australian Alliance to End Homelessness (AAEH): Providing guidance, training,
and resources, nationwide Zero Project Communities of Practice and workshops.

The project also engages state government bodies, housing providers, and local service organizations for broader support.

Action Plan

Ballarat Zero will follow a five-stage implementation process developed by AAEH and Community Solutions (USA). This approach includes identifying and supporting individuals experiencing rough sleeping, rapidly linking them to housing, and establishing long-term systems to maintain Functional Zero homelessness.

Why It Matters

The number of rough sleepers in central Ballarat has increased to over 40, and this is expected to rise as more accurate data emerges as the team locates people. Ballarat Zero's aim is to ensure everyone has access to secure housing and the opportunity to thrive in their community.

Fundraising

Ballarat Zero has received a two year Innovation Grant from the Ballarat Foundation to fund the BNL data base and data lead worker, and a three year Jack Brockhoff Bold Futures Grant to employ two assertive outreach workers who will work closely with those experiencing rough sleeping in central Ballarat to assist them to find a home.

Ballarat Zero was one of the programs that benefited from the funds raised at the inaugural CHHA Ballarat Sleepout on June 13, 2025. We are developing a donation page, and in the meantime, if you would like to donate funds, you can do so by clicking the button below to sponsor one of our Ballarat Zero team runners who participated in the Ballarat Marathon 10 km in April.

Sponsorship is still open.

Sponsorships and donations tax deductible.

Donate Here