Consumer Participation Resource Kit for housing and homelessness assistance services
A partnership project of HomeGround Services and Rural Housing Network Ltd
Proudly supported by Council to Homeless Persons
The Consumer Participation Resource Kit is a resource for organisations providing services to people who are homeless, at risk of homelessness or experiencing housing disadvantage. It contains information on ways to engage with service users, to listen to their views, and to develop strategies based on their advice with the aim of improving services.
This Kit is primarily intended for staff working in housing and homelessness services, especially those with responsibility for designing and implementing consumer participation strategies within those organisations. The information in the Kit will assist people to make decisions about how to plan, implement and evaluate Consumer participation activities within their organisations.
top
Information in this Kit is presented on 27 self-contained information sheets, organised within four main sections:
Section 1: Introduction, definitions, frameworks, context
Section 2: Planning, implementing and evaluating consumer participation
Section 3: Consumer participation strategies
Section 4: Resources
There are numerous strategies which may enable consumers to participate at different levels in organisations: over forty are mentioned in this Kit. Twelve strategies are discussed in detail in Section 3; these were selected based on consumer and service provider input.
The Resources section includes examples of consumer participation survey tools, policies, strategies and terms of reference from a variety of agencies. In addition, the Kit includes two PowerPoint presentations developed to guide consultations with staff and consumers.
The information in this Kit is not intended to be exhaustive. You are encouraged to undertake further research and the Kit provides references to a variety of printed and web resources on consumer participation.
In particular, we would like to direct your attention to the Consumer Charter for Community Managed Housing and Homelessness Services (Victoria).
This is a key document supporting service providers as well as people seeking assistance to understand their rights and obligations.
top
The Consumer Participation Resource Kit design and contents of the information sheets are © Copyright 2008 HomeGround Services and Rural Housing Network Ltd. The information sheets may be freely reproduced for non-commercial use within human services organisations, provided that the copyright statement on each page is maintained. For all other uses, no part of the Kit or its contents may be reprinted, reproduced, stored in a retrieval device, or transmitted in any form, without prior permission of the copyright holders.
Copyright in the sample policies, strategies, questionnaires and other documents in the Resources section is held by the organisations that wrote these documents. Permission should be sought from the relevant organisation(s) prior to reproducing these documents. The exceptions to this restriction are the two PowerPoint presentations. These presentations may be freely used (reproduced, changed or adapted) by non-profit organisations for non-commmercial uses.
top
You will need Adobe Acrobat to view the Kit. Acrobat Reader is available as a free download from: www.adobe.com/products/acrobat
Download the entire Kit
Section 1: Background, definitions, frameworks, context
Section 2: Planning, implementing and evaluating consumer participation
Section 3: Consumer participation strategies
Section 4: Resources
Example policies, strategies and tools:
Brophy Family and Youth Services
Sacred Heart Mission
Merri Outreach Support Services
The Salvation Army Adult Services: Flagstaff HPI Program
HomeGround Services / Rural Housing Network
top
Auspicing organisations:
Rural Housing Network Ltd www.ruralhousing.com.au
HomeGround Services www.homeground.org.au
Research, consultation and writing of Kit:
Sally Jope, Project Worker, HomeGround Services
Project management, Kit editing and design:
Mark Planigale, Service Development Coordinator, HomeGround Services
Additional project management, consultation:
Nick Shaw, Service Development Manager, RHNL
Project funding:
Victorian Department of Human Services, HASS Accreditation Round One Sector Resourcing
We would like to thank the following key contributors:
- Consumers and staff of HomeGround Services and Rural Housing Network
- Council to Homeless Persons
- CHP Homelessness Advocacy Service – Peer Education Support Program
- Banyule Housing Support Group Inc
- Brophy Family and Youth Services
- Connections SHIFT Program
- Connections-Starting Out program
- DASSI
- Flagstaff Crisis Accommodation
- Hanover Family Services
- Hanover Young Adults Support Service
- Melbourne City Mission Adult and Family Services
- Merri Outreach Support Service
- Metrowest Housing Services
- Neami Limited
- PILCH
- Prioletti Consultants
- Sacred Heart Mission
- The Salvation Army Adult Services
- The Salvation Army EastCare.
top
For further information about the Consumer Participation Resource Kit, contact:
Service Development Coordinator
HomeGround Services
1a/68 Oxford St
Collingwood VIC 2066
Australia.
Tel: +61-3-9419 8855.
top
|
