This trend follows through to our case management programs. The proportion of clients who were homeless or at risk when they engaged with us ranged from 24% in our Youthlink youth engagement program, 45% for Step by Step family support, 60% for Money Smart financial capability service and almost 100% for our Housing First service. All our teams have developed expertise in helping people find housing rapidly, given the importance of stable housing as a foundation for independence and participation.

Our capacity to respond to youth homelessness in Logan increased when we were awarded a contract for additional mobile outreach services for young people. In conjunction with this expansion, we introduced employment advisory services for housing clients, and a project to follow up housing clients to track their housing sustainability over time.

Looking forward: In 2017-18, YFS will relinquish the management of 24 community housing properties to larger providers, retaining 14 crisis housing units that are associated with our housing case management service.

CONNECTING THE DOTS

YFS established YFS Connect (formerly known as IRAS) to act as our front door. YFS Connect joins the dots for clients, providing information, advice, referrals and assessments.

In 2016-2017, YFS Connect responded to 11,689 requests for advice or assistance (2,204 in person and 9,485 over the phone). Demand increased by 14%, up from 10,213 requests in the 2015 to 2016 financial year.

In 2016-17 we further improved the YFS Connect team’s ability to respond to homelessness and serious tenancy issues. As well as referring people to YFS teams and other homelessness services where there are vacancies, YFS Connect staff provided short-term responses to help people save their tenancies or find accommodation. In 2016-17 YFS Connect helped an estimated 90 clients maintain at-risk tenancies through advice, advocacy and emergency relief for rental payment plans. The team also helped more than 120 people get established in emergency, short-term or permanent housing.

OUTCOMES and IMPACTS

In 2016-17 we embarked on a project to track outcomes across our whole organisation. Focus areas for this were housing, financial stress and social supports. As expected, housing was a significant issue for many clients on entry into our services, and was also an area where we were able to help people improve their situations significantly.

78% of YFS clients exited the service in stable housing, compared to 50% on entry. Only 6% of clients remained homeless when we finished working with them – often this was simply because we lost touch with them. We are working throughout YFS to improve this outcome across the board.