The state government is supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender diverse, intersex and queer [LGBTIQ+[ people in Victoria who are at risk of homelessness to secure housing.
The government is invested $3 million for a new LGBTIQ+ Homelessness Support Service to help LGBTIQ+ people, including those in Maribyrnong and Hobsons Bay, who face challenges accessing housing.
The Pride in Place consortium via VincentCare Victoria and Drummond Street Services and the Uniting and Family Access Network is delivering the program.
Equality Minister Harriet Shing said queer Victorians are more than twice as likely to experience homelessness due to discrimination, family rejection and intimate partner violence.
“We’re ensuring that more LGBTIQ+ people are safe, healthy and included in Victoria, with specialised support and reforms to make sure services are inclusive, accessible, and visible,” she said.
The program will address homelessness by supporting services to improve the safety of queer people and strengthen connections between the specialist homelessness service system and LGBTIQ+ support services.
The program will include a team of 12 specialist staff working across homelessness services and LGBTIQ+ support services in Victoria, so people can access support they need, where they need it.
The specialist staff include initial assessment and planning workers, case workers and people from the LGBTIQ+ community with a lived experience of homelessness.
This team will assist LGBTIQ+ people to navigate the specialist homelessness and housing system and connect them to other sources of support.
Housing Minister Danny Pearson said he is proud of the “innovative program”, which will employ specialist workers to support the LGBTIQ+ community access housing services and be supported throughout their entire journey into a new home and beyond.
