The Importance of Building Networks

Kimberly Taylor: Support Facilitator – Footprints

Snapshot of Brisbane’s Network

• Working Group – Initiative of the Brisbane Homelessness Community Action Plan

• Case Co-ordination Group – Initiative of the Working Group

• Forum held during 2012• Small initiatives within NGOs and housing services • Council involvement from BCC, MBRC and LCC

Why Networking is Important • Builds service system response capacity • Alleviates fragmentation • Opens opportunities for learning and discussion • Avoids the potential for doubling-up • Prevents service provider isolation and burn-out• Creates opportunities for greater coordination • Identifies areas of over spending/resource waste

Benefits of NetworkingFor the service providers:

• Assists providers to deliver a coordinated response for consumers accessing numerous services

• Clear expectations for objectives are set from the beginning of engagement

• Offers ability to capture and document engagement, including identified needs and action plans in a centralised location

• Significantly improves consistency of service delivery and offers opportunities for quality improvement

• Streamlined information sharing and consistency of information gathering • Allows for use of efficient resources and referral pathways • Improves overall operational efficiency

Benefits of NetworkingFor the consumers:• No Wrong Door – regardless of what service is contacted, it

opens up referral pathways for many• Therefore, consumers are only linked with the most

appropriate services • Service availability and waitlist times are current and referral

pathways are transparent • Greater opportunity to appropriately identify needs leading

to more appropriate and efficient support• Consumer is not required to continually repeat story to

numerous providers

Who Needs to be Involved?

• In short, EVERYONE!

What MNBML PIR Has Been Doing

• Regular meetings with Housing Providers• A joint collaborative effort (BBC, MBRC,

Government and NGO inclusion)• Reframe of policy and procedures for working

with H&S cases • Co-chair of the monthly Case Coordination Group• Participation in The Working Group monthly

meetings to progress work in the area (i.e. Innovation Fund)

Future Prospects • Replication of work completed within United

States• Greater capacity for case coordination groups• Emergence of additional service providers =

capacity growth • Potential for additional funding avenues similar

to Innovation Fund • Increased awareness within the system leading to

an improved overall response