SAME SEX ATTRACTED YOUNG PEOPLE SERVICE SYSTEM INTERVENTION PROJECT

Background
The Victorian Homelessness Strategy (VHS) outlines a range of strategies and actions aimed at delivering a comprehensive and coordinated response to meet the needs of people experiencing homelessness by developing a preventative and early intervention response to tackling homelessness as well as improving current service systems response. The report identified Same Sex Attracted Young People (SSAYP) as being particularly vulnerable to homelessness. The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission estimates that between 14% and 30% of the youth homeless population in Australia are gay, lesbian, bi-sexual or transgender.

In the absence of a specialist service response in Victoria, many homelessness services have sought to increase their understanding of the links between sexuality and/or gender identity and homelessness and to improve their service response to this complex client group. Despite these efforts consumer consultations have indicated that SSAYP still experience a range of challenges to overcome when trying to access homelessness services.

SSAYP can find themselves excluded on the basis that services feel unable to meet the perceived needs of these young people, in terms of safety, accommodation and appropriate support. The Youth Homelessness Action Plan (YHAP) which is auspiced through the VHS, provides a framework for continuous improvement to the homelessness service system and related program areas in order to meet the current housing and support needs of young Victorians who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

Responding Effectively to Same Sex Attracted Young People has been identified as a priority for immediate action and forms the basis for this Service System Intervention Project.

The Project
The key aim of this Service System Intervention Project (SSIP) is to enhance the responsiveness of the Homeless Service System (HSS) to Same Sex Attracted Young People by improving understanding of sexuality issues through practice development among workers, improving policy and procedural frameworks, particularly in relation to managing discrimination, addressing issues of service culture and developing confidence within agencies regarding capacity to provide safe and appropriate housing and support responses to SSAYP. To meet these aims the SSAYP-SSIP will:

• Investigate the strengths and limitations that exist in SAAP service provision to young people with diverse sexuality and gender expression.
• Identify strategies to improve the capacity of homelessness agencies to respond effectively to SSAYP.
• Develop and promote appropriate frameworks for service provision to same sex attracted and transgender young people including appropriate policy and procedural frameworks.
• Provide information to agencies about the support needs of SSAYP.
• Identify and clearly articulate accessible pathways through the service system for SSAYP in a sub-regional area, including crisis support and accommodation, family reconciliation and transitional accommodation.

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