Common Grounds Adelaide Impact Report 2024-25

Common Ground Adelaide Impact Report

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Common Ground Adelaide is a permanent supportive housing program which offers a home and wrap-around support services to people who have experienced persistent homelessness and have complex and enduring support needs. The program uses a Housing First approach and is delivered by a multi-disciplinary team that coordinates and delivers services to meet people’s needs to access supports, connect with their community, participate in vocational opportunities and sustain their home. All elements of service delivery are focused on the centrality of a home to people’s wellbeing and sense of belonging.

New residents

0

13

new unsupported tenancies

new supported tenancies

100 % report mental health issues

46 % report issues with alcohol and drug use

77 % identify as having a disability

85 % report health issues

62 %

1 23 %

report challenges in 3 of these areas

report challenges in all 4

7

5

came from primary homelessness (rough sleeping or crisis accommodation)

came from secondary homelessness (transitional or lodging accommodation) notably 3 following a long history or rough sleeping (given the waitlist for Common Ground as a long-term housing option, people may join the waitlist whilst sleeping rough but be supported by services in the meantime to access alternative temporary accommodation options.)

came from tertiary homelessness notably this person and the other 2 who did not have a background of sleeping rough came from living situations that were unsafe where they were experiencing forms of family violence or neglect.

2

Current residents

support periods 102 over

Average length of stay

3.5 years for supported tenancies

for unsupported tenancies 6.8 years

97

people supported

3,389

report mental health issues 81 %

instances of support provided

services 639

978

Islander 15 %

referrals to external

instances of support to assist people improve their daily living skills

Aboriginal or Torres Strait

(from the annual resident survey) Positive comments

My experience has been that staff bend over backwards to give, listen, respond and share information, care and create community. Every single interaction I’ve had since my first contact with them, has been honourable, respectful, and empowering and very human.

Housing Choices have really gone above and beyond for me in helping me get through some of my hardest and toughest times since moving here and they have helped me get to where I am today.

I want to thank you for letting me have the opportunity to stay with community housing, and I have improved so much in my confidence

I really like my case worker. She is always very helpful and listens to my problems and she makes my life so much easier.

and independence because of them.

Exiting residents

7 %

people moved out of Common

moved to another housing option

exited support but remained in their housing

Ground 18

93

%

returned to homelessness 0

100 %

89

%

had their employment and training needs met

had their education needs met

3

Key elements of the service delivery model are:

Case coordination: individualised goal planning driven by people’s choice and self-determination

Community connection: placemaking and community building activities open to all residents and local neighbourhood

Participation: access to low threshold work, training, and employment opportunities

Specialist supports: connection to both visiting and off-site specialist wellbeing and support services

Housing: Person-centred tenancy and property management with full tenancy rights

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Highlights:

We’re pleased to share that Common Ground achieved accreditation under the Australian Service Excellence Standards (ASES), Certificate Level. This means Common Ground Adelaide has been independently assessed and recognised as meeting high standards in the way we work with clients and residents and deliver support within our programs. It also means we meet high standards within the governance, systems and processes in place at Housing Choices that support our service delivery. The ASES assessment involved a detailed review of how our services operate, including providing evidence, conducting interviews, site visits, and receiving feedback from clients, residents, volunteers, senior management, HCA Board members and partner organisations. We’re especially proud that the assessors shared such strong positive feedback about how our staff work with clients and residents.

Australian Standards of Excellence

Oz Harvest A big thank you to the staff and volunteers who facilitate the Oz Harvest program here at Common Ground every Saturday afternoon, come rain hail or shine. It is well attended, well organised and a whole lot of fun!

In the last financial year:

42 times

Common Ground Adelaide hosted Oz Harvest

They heard that:

1,175 instances where HCA residents accessed food that would otherwise have gone to waste

Residents and clients feel treated with dignity and respect

We work in a trauma-informed

Staff are compassionate, skilled, and take the time to really listen

People feel heard and supported to reach their goals

Our teams are responsive, open to feedback and transparent

and person- centred way

5

Acknowledgement Common Ground Adelaide is jointly funded by the South Australian Housing Trust - through the National Housing and Homelessness Agreement - and Housing Choices Australia .

General Enquiries 1300 312 447

192 Waymouth Street Adelaide SA 5000

infosa@hcau.org.au housingchoices.org.au

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