During November PIAC delivered training at homelessness services in Sydney and Wollongong to support the active participation of people with lived experience of homelessness in service development and delivery.
The training, provided by PIAC staff and longstanding member of our consumer advisory committee, StreetCare, Dave Jeffery, covered a range of issues relating to homelessness and consumer participation through a human rights framework.
Participants also heard about the phenomenal successes of StreetCare since it was established in 2009, and how StreetCare has enabled people with experience of homelessness to be active participants in the design, development and implementation of key government and service policy.
Dave spoke about how his involvement in StreetCare has given him the confidence to represent homeless people in high-level government forums and committees. It has also meant that he has been able to present the concerns and views of other homeless people to senior government Ministers and department officials.
Participants described the training as inspiring and encouraging. Several said that they were motivated after hearing Dave’s account of his journey from homelessness to becoming an effective advocate and representative for homeless people in NSW, and expressed a strong enthusiasm to develop consumer participation strategies in their own agencies.
PIAC will provide further training to homelessness services in Newcastle and the Hunter in early 2016, featuring StreetCare members Mary Sullivan and Daryl Smith.
For more information contact PIAC’s Senior Training Officer, Sarah Ludowici [email protected]
Photo: Dave and Daryl from Streetcare.