AUSTRALIA’S specialist homelessness services industry is being undermined by low remuneration, short term contracts and competitive funding models driving away experienced staff.
According to new AHURI research, undertaken by researchers by Curtin University, University of Sydney and University of Queensland, problems in retaining staff and building an effective specialist homelessness services (SHS) sector run deep.
“Work within the SHS sector is increasingly complex and places high physical and psychological demands on staff,” said Amity James, lead researcher and associate professor at Curtin University.
“They experience heavy workloads which include increased administrative tasks, taxing emotional demands, potentially unrealistic expectations and key performance indices. They also face significant problem-solving demands, including having to navigate welfare systems that are outside of their control.
“These pressures contribute to staffing shortages and problems retaining workers. We expect both issues to increase in the future”
These issues demonstrate the strain on workers in the industry, particularly those working in frontline roles, and particularly on mental health.
The study found that a lack of funding, understaffing, placing staff in roles beyond their current competency, shift work and vicarious trauma and stress from exposure to distressing situations are having the greatest impact on workers’ mental health.
With workers also asked to support clients experiencing a range of social, emotional, drug and alcohol, domestic and family violence, cultural, trauma and mental health problems.
For the government to address the current competitive funding model for distributing funds to the sector, reforms should:
- recognise the complexity of work being undertaken and close the gap between contract costs and the price of delivering the services. This should include recognising place-based differences and the costs of administration and reporting requirements
- allow SHS agencies to respond to the needs in their local community by expanding specialist areas as required and supporting collaboration between organisations
- recognise the ongoing need for services currently being delivered and commit to closing the discrepancy between the public and SHS sector by mirroring the benefits available to staff in government positions and assisting to establish career progression pathways, thereby reducing job insecurity
“We also found there are opportunities to improve the way work is done within SHS organisations to help retain the best staff,” added James.
“In particular, SHS agencies need to share resources and provide more career pathways for staff, which would help build skills within the sector. They also need to focus on longer term targets and relieve their managers from spending too much of their time on reporting and applying for funding.”
“This would free up time for managers to adopt a more participative style of leadership to empower and engage staff, which would further improve services and reduce staff turnover.”
While more than a quarter of a million Australians required access to government-funded homelessness services in 2021-22, including more than 75,000 children but Australia’s social housing stock plummeted to 4.2% which is 2.9% below the OECD average.
