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Human Services

• Background
• Human Services Plan
• How We Got Here
• Phase 1
• Phase 2
• Public Submissions On The Draft Human Services Plan Stage 1, 2005

BACKGROUND

In 2004, the Redfern-Waterloo Partnership Project (RWPP) commissioned a Review of Human Services within the Redfern and Waterloo areas. The main findings of the review where that:

• the human services system needs to be reformed and reshaped at the local level to achieve improved outcomes for the community and clients
• changes must be made to build a more integrated service system and more collaborative approaches to service provision
• significant improvements are required in relationships between services.

One of the recommendations of the review was that the RWPP facilitate the development of a human services plan and, subsequently, the human services advisory committee has been established with representatives from government, non-government, community and service users.

To commence the planning process, two community workshops were held in April 2004. The aims of the workshops were to:

• identify human service outcomes for Redfern-Waterloo
• develop draft quality of life indicators, which will form the basis for ongoing evaluation of the human services plan.

A parallel process of community consultation was also undertaken with service providers and community representatives in April and May of 2005. Formed into cluster groups corresponding with the four priority areas for 2005/06 young people; families and children; Aboriginal people andHealth, a series of workshops were held to identify gaps in services, duplication of services and areas where service improvement was needed and poor communication.

Directions that emerged from the consultation process are aimed at securing community-wide benefits. They are identified as:

• greater community involvement in planning and decision-making about local services
• increased accountability and reporting to the community from all human services, government and non-government
• equity of access to services
• improved coordination among the local services
• politicians and senior managers with responsibility for services experiencing local issues by coming to Redfern-Waterloo
• community meetings to be widely promoted (through letter drops and word-of-mouth) and held in accessible venues (such as schools).

In summary the following are the key themes that emerged from the consultations and provided the basis for a detailed consideration of 'quality of life indicators' that could be used to track progress toward the community results outlined above.

• Healthy, well educated children and young people who have a positive outlook. More specifically, the participants wanted children and young people who:
  • are respected ('allowed to be children')
  • are healthy and active ('drug-clean', involved in sports, participating in associations, clubs and community activities)
  • have a positive, confident outlook on life (trusting, happy, ‘open to the opportunities available to them’, prepared to work, respectful of their parents, ‘set their own goals’)
  • are well educated and have the skills to gain employment (’job ready’, computer literate)
• Safe families that are supportive, self-sustaining and participating actively in the community. More specifically, the participants wanted families that are:
  • safe and happy ð diverse (age, background, race, culture, socio-economic status, language)
  • supportive and stable (ie have access to extended families, networks and neighbours)
  • inclusive and open to others
  • community-minded
  • self-sustaining rather than welfare-dependent.
• A safe Redfern-Waterloo community that is positive and welcoming. More specifically, the participants wanted a community that:
  • is safe and welcoming ('less fearful')
  • provides a sense of community (‘easier to be good', 'stable and united', self-sustaining)
  • is drug and crime-free
  • provides opportunities for people to move around and interact
  • has a positive image ('not of interest to the media!')
  • is accepting of diversity ('not just tolerant of diversity’)

Human Services Ministerial Advisory Committee

In 2004 an Interim Human Services Committee was established with community members, representatives from the three tiers of government and from the non-government sector. Following the formation of the Redfern-Waterloo Authority on 17 January 2005, Minister Frank Sartor announced that he was establishing three Ministerial Advisory Committees. The Human Services Ministerial Advisory Committee will consider human services and health issues affecting Redfern and Waterloo.

On July 1, 2005 the Redfern Waterloo Partnership Project was absorbed into the RWA. From then on the RWA set out to develop a Draft Human Services Plan. In August 2005, the Human Services Advisory Committee was replaced by the new Human Services Ministerial Advisory Committee (HSMAC) with an expanded membership. The HSMAC will advise the Minister for Redfern-Waterloo on the development of the Human Services Plan and social issues in the area.

THE HUMAN SERVICES PLAN

On October 13, the Minister for Redfern-Waterloo, Frank Sartor, released the Draft Redfern-Waterloo Human Services Plan for a month long period of public consultation. The consultation period closed on Friday November 11.

The consultation process included:

• More than 12 consultation meetings and forums with local organisations and members of the local community;
• More than 80 government and non government organisations consulted;
• A public information forum was held on Saturday 29 October at Redfern Town Hall;
• Four information meetings with cluster groups dealing with services for children and families, health, and Aboriginal services;
• A forum with Aboriginal organisations;
• Information meetings with youth organisations;
• A youth forum organised in partnership with the NSW Youth Advisory Council;
• Distribution of the Redfern-Waterloo Update October 2005 to every household in Redfern and Waterloo;
• More than 300 copies of the draft Plan mailed to local organisations, government agencies and the local community;
• All information including a copy of the Plan was made available on the RWA website;
• Advertisements in local papers; and
• Information delivered to all household in community languages.

Feedback from the community was encouraged 28 written submissions were received from members of the public and organisations. Suggestions put forward in those submissions have been taken into consideration by the State Cabinet in approving the final draft of the Human Services Plan.

On Tuesday December 13 2005 the Redfern-Waterloo Human Services Plan Phase One was given formal approval by the NSW State Cabinet. With that endorsement the green light has been given to the Redfern-Waterloo Authority and all NSW Government agencies operating in the area to commence implementing the Plan.

The approved Plan included amendments made following the public consultation period which took place from October 13 to November 11 2005 (see Redfern-Waterloo Plan link for more information).

The Human Services Plan is about improving the well being of the people of Redfern Waterloo. Redfern and Waterloo have a proud history and strong sense of identity. Redfern and Waterloo are home to two of Sydney’s most culturally and ethnically diverse communities.

The area has an iconic status among Aboriginal people Australia wide. It is the birthplace of the first of many Aboriginal organisations in Australia.

The area also has a high concentration of social disadvantage.

• 28 per cent of Redfern’s population and 56 per cent of Waterloo’s population have incomes of less than $400 per week;
• 23 per cent of Redfern’s dwellings belong to the Department of Housing – that figure is 73 per cent for Waterloo;
• Almost 60 per cent of Waterloo’s residents are not in the labour force;
• 46 per cent of households with children under 15 in Waterloo have a single parent at its head.

How we got here

The community came together to develop a vision for the area. This was done through four community workshops held in March. The community wanted Redfern and Waterloo to develop into vibrant, safe, diverse and sustainable communities.

In addition 16 cluster group meetings where held in April and May bringing together government and non-government organisations working in the area to develop actions for improving the delivery of services to the community.

The Plan

The Human Services Plan Phase one and Phase two is part of a 10 year Redfern-Waterloo Plan.

The main features of the Human Services Plan include:

• A focus on better outcomes for people;
• Making access to services easier;
• Improving service delivery;
• Cutting red tape for government and non government organisations;
• Setting up “one stop shops” for youth services, family violence and health services;
• 10 priority areas and more than 60 specific actions for change; and
• Greater accountability to the community.

The Redfern-Waterloo Human Services Plan was developed in phases.

Phase One

• Families and children;
• Young people;
• Aboriginal services; and
• Health services.

Phase Two

• Homeless people;
• People with disabilities;
• The aged; and
• Migrant communities

At the Community Forum held on 24 to 25 July 2006, the RWA commenced discussions with government agencies, service providers and community members to identify priorities and actions required to improve service delivery in the Phase 2 key areas. The RWA invited service providers, relevant government agencies and community representatives on the basis of the contribution each individual could make to the discussion. The forum saw the active participation of those invited.

Community input was a key factor in developing Phase One. This successful approach has been continuing for Phase Two to ensure an ongoing partnership between the community, government and non-government service providers.

Issues papers on the key areas were prepared to generate discussion and assist in developing priorities and actions.

The draft Phase Two Human Services Plan was on exhibition from 3 October 2006 to 7 November 2006 inclusive, and incorporates a number of key ideas and suggestions made during the Community Forum, held on 24 - 25 July 2006.

On Friday 11 July 2008 the Minister Frank Sartor announced the release of the Human Services Plan Phase 2 .

Implementing change

The RWA proposes to implement the actions in Human Services Plan gradually over the next three years. A four stage process is proposed for implementation:

• Negotiating change;
• Delivering the actions;
• Integrating human services; and
• Evaluating results.

Partnerships with the private sector

A key role for the RWA will be to broker partnerships with the private sector to provide support for local initiatives including:

• Cultural programs for youth;
• Sporting activities;
• Literacy campaigns for preschool children; and
• Micro-enterprise development.

The RWA will develop a Redfern-Waterloo Corporate Citizen Prospectus and will apply for charitable organisation status to establish a Trust Fund.

Human Services Fact Sheets:

Human Services Report for Redfern-Waterloo (pdf ~1.2mb)
Inquiry into Issues relating to Redfern-Waterloo (pdf ~1.2mb)

Cluster Group Reports

Aboriginal Cluster Group (pdf ~214kb)
Health Cluster Group (pdf ~264kb)
Families and Children Cluster Group (pdf ~323kb)
Youth Cluster Group (pdf ~176kb)

Public Submissions on the Draft Human Services Plan Stage 1, 2005

(The submissions listed below are those that have been made public with the permission of the author/organisation. Please note that this is not a complete list of submissions.)

1. Barnardos Australia
2. City of Sydney Labor Councillors
3. Consortium Redfern NGOs
4. Elizabeth Rice
5. Inner Sydney Regional Council
6. NCOSS
7. NSW Greens
8. Redfern Legal Centre
9. REDWatch
10. The Settlement