Persons-Bricks-Homes:Partnerships to Realising Housing as a Human Right
People who are without secure, affordable housing have no adequate personal and secure space- to sit, or to sleep, they face limited capacity to afford good food and heating, experience constant uncertainties and disenfranchisement -they cannot rely on a stable home, they cannot participate as a citizen in society-they need housing.
Safe, secure and affordable housing is undeniably the foundation for individual, family and community health, but in Australia and throughout the world we are facing a housing crisis .How can we demonstrate that as social workers we are working towards reclaiming a civil society when many of the individuals and families we see are spiralling into chronic homelessness or forced to crowd into smaller houses and flats, pay escalating rental costs, move frequently and live in less suitable locations-compromising their access to employment, education and social support opportunities.
This paper was initially presented at the 2003 AASW National Conference. It reviewed the context of homelessness and housing stress being experienced in Australia and explored an inner city, local government response (City of Port Phillip, Victoria Australia) who in responding to alleviate this has collaborated through a range of partnerships to develop housing, advocacy services and support from a social justice premise recognising housing as a human right.
In October 2004, additional information will be presented to review developments over the next 12 months, including work in progress-that of establishing an AASW Special Interest Group regarding Housing as a Human Right: Housing and Homelessness Issues.