The Department of Housing and Public Works has established a one-stop-shop services hub for people in need on the Sunshine Coast.
The Department’s Homelessness Hub provides crucial housing, health and food services.
Working with IFYS Ltd and the Sunshine Coast Council, the Hub was initiated through the partners sharing their knowledge of the unique needs of people on the Coast and working together to find a solution.
Regional Director, Central and North Coast Region, at the Department, James O’Brien said the local teams had been working on a homeless response on the Sunshine Coast for some time.
“This was a natural step for us to talk about as a group — how we get together and come up with a different response,” Mr O’Brien said.
“The Hub is staffed three days a week by volunteers and local community organisations.”
He said the services people-in-need were accessing varied.
“Some people don’t want accommodation, they just want to come, see the doctor, talk to support service and get some food,” Mr O’Brien said.
The range of housing services provided had also been wide.
“Some of it is around advice, but we’ve been head-leasing properties, some people are going into social housing, some people will go into the community rent scheme or a crisis property, so it’s really around understanding each individual and what it means for them,” he said.
