News

Despite COVID-19 restrictions in Greater Sydney preventing some Emergency Relief Providers from seeing people in person, their services are still available via phone. Providers are still taking calls…   Continue

If you live in the City of Parramatta Local Government Area, or surrounding Council areas, Council’s website provides information on locally relevant relief packages, updates on Council services…   Continue

Managed by the Red Cross, the NSW Government has introduced an emergency payment of $400 for people living in Greater Sydney, experiencing financial hardship who cannot access ongoing…   Continue

Temporary Visa Holders are not excluded from accessing the COVID-19 Disaster Payment (Individual). People who have a Temporary Visa and are eligible to work are able to apply…   Continue

Under the impacts of COVID-19 restrictions, many services have suspended their acceptance of goods donations, such as food, toys, clothing and furniture. While many services would prefer that…   Continue

Turbans 4 Australia have started a hamper drive from 14 Martha Street, Clyde. Food hampers are being distributed from a food van while T4A work on fitting out…   Continue

City of Parramatta Council conducted the 11th annual Homelessness Street Count on the night of Monday 22nd of February into the early hours of Tuesday 23rd February 2021….   Continue

OzHarvest has opened a pop-up Hamper Hub in Granville – one free food relief hamper per household is available with fruit, vegetables, and pantry items. Service is open…   Continue

To access the latest list for services in Parramatta, collated by the City of Parramatta Council, please see the attached document. Please note that Council does not claim…   Continue

November 2020 – Students and Australian Apprentices receiving Youth Allowance (YA), ABSTUDY (Living Allowance) or Austudy are eligible for the Coronavirus Supplement of: • $550 per fortnight from…   Continue

The NSW Government has introduced a $10 million return to work program as part of Tuesday’s state budget. This will allow women to apply for the grants through…   Continue

The City of Parramatta Council partnered with the NSW Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) as well as local services to conduct a local count of people experiencing…   Continue

Homelessness NSW has made available the recorded webinar of 24 June 2020 Together Home and Housing First approaches Webinar, hosted by Homelessness NSW. To access the webinar and presentation…   Continue

Compiled by the Australian Red Cross, last updated 30 April 2020. Click on the attached file to access the document. Info-Sheet-COVID19-Social-Services-for-Temporary-Visa-holders 30-4-20

On 15 May 2020, the NSW Government announced funding for temporary crisis accommodation for stranded international students as part of a $20 million package. A new 24/7 international…   Continue

The City of Parramatta has made contact with local food service providers (free and low cost) to ascertain any changes that have been made in the context of…   Continue

The City of Parramatta has made contact with local food service providers (free and low cost) to ascertain any changes that have been made in the context of…   Continue

Pets in the Park runs free pet health clinics at two locations in Sydney – Darlinghurst and Parramatta. At each pet clinic, veterinarians and vet nurses provide free…   Continue

The City of Parramatta has made contact with local food service providers (free and low cost) to ascertain any changes that have been made in the context of…   Continue

Western Sydney Homeless Connect provides access for those who may be homeless or facing homelessness to multiple services in one place. All services and assistance are FREE. Services…   Continue

The NSW Premier has committed to Reducing Street Homelessness as one of the 14 priorities – ‘Reduce street homelessness across NSW by 50 per cent by 2025’. The…   Continue

The Daily Telegraph (August 7, 2018) reported on the great outcomes being achieved with our local rough sleepers project lead by Family and Community Services – Housing. The…   Continue

ABC News Online provides practical and respectful ways people can assist those experiencing homelessness – from making conversation to calling a service with expertise in reaching out. To…   Continue

The City of Parramatta conducted its homeless Street Count on the night of Monday 19 February and early morning Tuesday 20 February 2018. The results show a significant…   Continue

Pro Bono Australia article on a cost-benefit analysis commissioned by the University of Melbourne’s Sustainable Society Institute (MSSI). Last resort housing which includes registered rooming houses and emergency…   Continue

20 Feb 2017 – ABC News Business Reporter Ian Verrender breaks down the issues associated with housing affordability in Australia and what it would take to create a…   Continue

The program running out of King County in the North-West of the USA reimburses landlords for any damage tenants do to a unit or, if necessary, for the cost…   Continue

A partnership between Infoxhange and Telstra will deliver free access to the app ‘Ask Izzy’ that helps people find shelter and other homeless related services on the Telstra…   Continue

ABC News Online reports on a new national study that found youth homelessness is costing the health and justice systems more than $600 million a year. Click here…   Continue

The Sydney Morning Herald reports on the findings of a Mission Australia report into youth homelessness. Mission Australia analysed the data in its annual survey of 19,000 young people,…   Continue

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has published a web report showing the various characteristics of those people experiencing domestic and family violence who presented to specialist homelessness services…   Continue

Pro-Bono Australia reports on some of Australia’s leading companies signing up to a program designed to change the way the employment system works, with employers and service providers working…   Continue

After six years of instituting a “Housing First” policy, the Canadian town of Medicine Hat, Alberta, flips the status quo on its head and helped to restore safety and…   Continue

Tenants NSW has created a factsheet explaining the rights of residents of registrable boarding houses under the Boarding Houses Act 2012. The Act applies to certain types of…   Continue

Summary This project explored the assertive outreach approach to addressing homelessness. Drawing on experience of policy-makers, service providers and service users in three Australian cities, it suggests that…   Continue

The Australian reported on a study conducted by the University of NSW. To go to the article, click here.

Minister for Housing and Homelessness Brenden O’Connor today welcomed the initial findings of what is thought to be a world first study tracking th lives of more than…   Continue