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.
Victoria Police: Assisting outreach teams.
The Ballarat Foundation: Providing funding and access to vital community data.
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 Ballarat is currently at least 35 and expected to rise as more accurate data emerges. The BZP aims to ensure everyone has access to secure housing and the opportunity to thrive within their community.

Fundraising

Ballarat Zero has received a generous Innovation Grant from the Ballarat Foundation which will fund the essential BNL data lead role. We are seeking further funding to employ assertive outreach workers through grants and donations.

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 are participating in the Ballarat Marathon events, either the 5 km, 10 km or half marathon, on Saturday April 26, or join our team and come for a run! All sponsorships and donations over $2 are tax deductible.

Sponsor or join us