Back row (L-R): The Specialist Housing Group team: Matthew Corbett, Manz Diwan, Jo van Heek, Vicki Hayes, Liz Mumford, Jade Franklin, and Georgie Nye Front row (L-R): Specialist Housing Group GM Helen Douglas and Laverne Mina. Absent: Alma Nada, Alana Afoa, Carolyn Woodard, Jill Davis, Adrian McHugh and Ti any Blok
Specialist Housing Group update
The release of the Own Motion report has provided further evidence of the importance of supported disability accommodation as a reasonable and necessary option for a small proportion of NDIS participants. The NDIS’s Own Motion Inquiry examined aspects of supported accommodation, specifically group homes, with the purpose to enable the NDIS Commissioner to identify trends in issues occurring in supported accommodation, what is causing issues, models of best practice and how the NDIS Commission can use its powers to support the delivery of higher standards of support in these settings. The Specialist Housing Group team continue to focus on participant outcomes seeking opportunities to engage, listen to feedback and provide strong advocacy.
With a long history in supported disability accommodation and as Victoria’s second largest provider, Housing Choices is committed to redeveloping group homes in a phased approach. The creation of new homes for people living in our Singletons Group homes continues to focus on active and e ective inclusion of all participants. We are committed to housing solutions that are created through a co-design process to ensure that new homes cater for participants’ personal needs and preferences and can be adapted and reconfigured to also suit people’s changing needs in the future. With the enthusiastic involvement of the participants and the practical feedback received, the designs of the first four properties are now ready for the next phase. Consultation with the next group of residents commenced in early 2023 and now includes homes located in regional Victoria. We are looking forward to providing positive new examples of high-quality supported disability accommodation.
The Housing team have been engaged in a proof-of-concept approach to participant engagement and understanding the rights of a service participant. Working in partnership with Victorian Advocacy League for Individuals with a Disability (VALID), Housing Choices sta are taking part in easy English education courses and enhance communications in the supported disability accommodation space. Housing Choices is pleased to have been able to o er many new participants suitable accommodation supported by our Partnership Engagement team. These homes are a mixture of group homes and individual apartment living. Locations are spread across Victoria, NSW, SA and our newest build in Tasmania. Housing Choices continued to advocate via the SDA Alliance during what was an important year, with the NDIA completing its five-yearly SDA pricing review. The team look forward to a year ahead supporting each individual to find their forever home, o er choice and importantly control in all decisions made.
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