RWA HSP Phase 2 Forum – Summary of key Themes– Read Text Webpage

The Phase 2 Forum was developed around 5 Workshops. Each of the Workshops focused on issues relating to the improvement of service delivery outcomes to the following population groups:

• Older people;
• People with disabilities;
• People who are homeless; and
• CALD communities.

The workshops were required to consider issues, strategies, rationales and actions for ten priority areas. Notes from the workshops will be made available publicly through the RWA website.

Participants have also been provided with a document consolidating issues raised in the workshops. Those issues will inform the development of Phase 2 of the Human Services Plan.

The key themes and issues listed below have been identified on the basis that each would have been raised in at least two Forum workshops. This, however, is not an exhaustive list of all issues raised.

They include:

OVERARCHING THEMES

• Improvements to service delivery need to build on current strengths.
• Ensuring the Human Services Plan is consistent with and complements current regional, state and national policies strategies.
• Build on existing committees and taskforces structures and create new ones where required, ensuring clear Terms of Reference, purpose and membership are established.
• Recommend the development of strategies dealing with housing issues —private and public.
• Investigate the establishment of high and low care residential facilities for older people in Redfern-Waterloo as well as facilities specifically for Aboriginal people.
  

• Improved communication of RWA Human Services activities and achievements relating to the Human Services Plan.
• Communicate the process for completing the Human Services Plan Phase 2.
• A case management model needs to be developed. This could be based on models in the HACC system.
• Support for volunteers needs to be developed.
• Terminology that needs to be changed;
• Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities rather than migrants.
• People with dementia rather than dementia sufferers.
• People who are homeless rather than homeless people.

SPECIFIC THEMES

Better Service Delivery

• Focus on improving outcomes for clients.
• Use a strength based approach to service reform.
• Use evidence/research base approach to identify best practice.
• Need to undertake mapping of funded services.

Access to dementia support

• There is a need for more dementia services based in Redfern-Waterloo.
• Improve collaboration between the two area health services that run the dementia support services.

CALD Communities

• Service delivery and planning needs to reflect changing demographics.
• Ensuring interpreters/translators are accredited and aware of human service issues.
• Encourage employment of bi-lingual staff.
• Encourage opportunities for communities to interact and participate.
• Identification of community leaders.
• Ensuring community facilities are used by a range of community groups.

Access to aged care and health services by Aboriginal people over 45.

• Take a more holistic approach to the health of Aboriginal people, starting at birth.
• Need to address the multiple needs of transient and local residents.
• Acknowledge the complexity of issues around the delivery of service to Aboriginal people.
• Cultural competency required for services.
• Identify key community groups and individuals for advice, consultation and planning.

Intergenerational relations

• Need to generate opportunities for the different age groups to interact in a positive way.
• Greater support for grandparents as primary carers of their grandchildren.

Homelessness

• Homelessness needs to be broader than just rough sleepers e.g. include domestic violence, people who are transient, young people, overcrowded family homes, prevention of tenancy breakdown.
• Need for affordable housing.
• Build on tenancy support models.
• Address service gaps for homeless people.

Disabilities: identification of needs and access to services.

• Acknowledgement of the needs of carers and their families.
• Investigate suitable models for case coordination.
• More information about implementation of the DADHC Stronger Together strategy.
• Clarifying access and eligibility criteria for services.
• Ensure appropriate disabled access in local infrastructure developments and adequately reflected in the RWA's Built Environment Plan.

Social Isolation

• Strategies to address social isolation need to incorporate the whole community — not just public housing
• Ensure that initiatives to reduce social isolation in public housing are consistent with and complement the Department of Housing's Community Regeneration and High Rise Strategies.
• Ensure the availability of multi-purpose spaces and facilities in Redfern-Waterloo.
• Implement strategies to improve safety and perceptions of safety.

Local and community transport

• Need for Redfern Station to link with bus transport.
• Investigate opportunities to improve health related transport.
• Public bus routes have limited hours and not tied to major centres.
• Arterial roads disrupt local transport networks.
• Need to link with City of Sydney Transport Plan.

Housing safety and amenity for older people

• Need for more information about the Housing Accord.
• Needs to also address the safety and amenity concerns of people in both public and private housing.
• Provide different housing options for older people.