Victorian Regional Homelessness Networks

The Victorian Regional Homelessness Networks were established in 1996, operating across Victoria in Department of Human Services (DHS) region. We bring services together to share information, and identify common needs and gaps in homelessness service provision.

The Networks assist in establishing and maintaining close working relationships between Homelessness & Family Violence Services and the Department of Human Services in order to promote and support the best possible responses to homelessness within a regional context. Each network is made up of members from homelessness and family violence agencies.

The Networks have both grass roots and strategic goals. They fulfil a critical role in capturing and examining front-line homelessness service delivery issues through ongoing and regular consultation and communication with members. The Networks also assist to build service system capacity by identifying and developing potential solutions to address gaps and barriers. A key role for the Networks includes strategic communication with consumers, member agencies, peak bodies and all levels of government on the issue of homelessness and its impacts in Victoria.

The activities and directions of each Regional Network is guided by a Steering or Reference Group made up of members from local homelessness and family violence funded services.  Each Network has a Network Co-ordinator whose role is to manage and facilitate the Network’s activities.

Whilst there are some variations in terms of Network activities from region to region (as dictated by specific local needs and issues), the Networks fundamentally share a range of common goals and aims. Given this, the Networkers themselves have a unique role to play in building state-wide understandings and evidence bases and communicating the impacts of homelessness to both government and the broader community.

As a group, the Networkers have strong collaborative relationships that provide a robust vehicle for working together across Victoria to find ways to improve and refine homelessness responses and assist in the development of a Homelessness Service System that is ultimately better able to address and resolve homelessness in Victoria.

How we help

The Networks deliver many similar activities such as:

• Forums relating to Homelessness & Family Violence
• Secondary consultation and suggestions for staff in the sector or allied sectors, about issues like;
  • navigating the system
  • training
  • how to access specific kinds of homelessness support
• Visits to talk about the impact of homelessness in the community and how the Homelessness Service System assists people experiencing or at risk of homelessness
• Regular email newsletter updates and information on training, conferences, policy changes, employment opportunities and much more
• Facilitation of regional working groups on specific issues with a view to coming up with solutions to service gaps or barriers
• Joint Submission or articles on homelessness & housing related issues
• Building relationships between services and sectors through networking and sharing skills and expertise