Research Proposal

ABSTRACT Accommodation for the homeless has been a world-wide problem for many years. This social problem is evident throughout Australia and in particular on the Gold Coast in Queensland. Universally, no one has yet found the solution to housing homeless people on a large scale or even been able to calculate exactly how many people are homeless. This research is aimed at creating a solution to the problem and to submit a new ideology for new development whereby every homeless Australian will have somewhere to live within 5 years.

In addition, there will be evidence shown from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Housing Commission and other small Community Shelters, revealing the need for development in both rural and urban areas. According to the previous Prime Minister of Australia (Rudd, 2008 – 2013. P. 5) there were more than 100,000 homeless people in Australia and it was clear the Federal Government needed to do more to stop the growing trend”. Current housing has become un-affordable to most people on low incomes. PROPOSAL

This research will be implemented to provide supporting information for a proposal to request funding from the government to build villages for the homeless people. All costs will be submitted for a 5 year period. This proposal will also be sent to key players such as the Government Housing Commission, Government Housing and Family Welfare, Social Security Departments, The Lady Bowen Centre, The Shelter, Salvation Army and Life Line. INTRODUCTION The aim of this research is to establish how the Government Housing Commission and The Government Housing and Family Welfare Departments provide housing.

Other key players will also be included to support more funding for the development of new villages for homeless people. This project will broaden and stimulate housing on a larger scale to combat the epidemic of homelessness in this country. Community shelters are currently struggling to supply the needs of these homeless people, these community shelters receive small grants each year from the government, however, this funding is insufficient and is being eaten up in wages and other outgoings. This does not allow the shelters to service those who need it most. Thousands of eople are purported to be living in squalor; this in turn causes high rates of mental and physical problems exacerbated by living in this manner. It is debatable as to how and why people are homeless; poverty is one reason, mental health another, and unemployment. However, this project will address all these issues and provide a solution to help those in need. BACKGROUND Within the urban areas on Queensland’s Gold Coast there are several hundred of people who will not be able to find or afford housing due to the lack of money or illness. This does not only include people who are living on the streets or drug users or the mentally ill people.

These are people who wish to have somewhere to call home. At present the waiting list for government housing has become so volatile that there is a twenty year waiting list on the Gold Coast Queensland alone. “Almost 70,000 Queenslanders are languishing on public housing waiting lists while hundreds of homes sit empty”. Many people do not bother to register anymore due to the waiting time. “The number of socially excluded people in Queensland is estimated to increase by almost 30% by 2021, and by almost 50% by 2026, due to population growth and population ageing” (Queensland Better Services, 2013, p. 3).

According to one squatter who had been squatting for the past six weeks in a derelict building in the Melbourne CBD, was told by a member of the public housing department “you will be waiting 15 years before receiving a publicly funded home”. (Morris, 2013, P. 2). This statement supports this research as to why the government has to do more for homeless people. AIM AND SIGNIFICANCE OF RESEARCH The aim of this research is to impact the way the government develops housing for homeless people. As well as to gain extended grants for existing community shelters with the possibility to obtain other grants for new housing development.

The study will determine if there are significant grounds for more funding. A further aim of this research project is to visualize that by building larger accommodation it will get more people off the streets. New developments will be targeted in central and rural areas on the completion of the research. Not only will people have shelter, but they will be able to have showers, do their laundry, and have a hot meal, a bed to sleep in and medical assistance. The significance will be helping these people to become safe, healthy and productive. This new proposal will be achievable, specific, measurable, attainable and realistic.

It is proposed that the government consider using buildings that are not being currently used or buildings being considered for demolition. Existing facilities would be utilized to provide training and medical facilities to have an impact on government practices. The new Gold Coast University public hospital which will open in September 2013 will replace the old one, this building would be ideal for this new project. RESEARCH PLAN The Australian Government for Housing Department has addressed homelessness on a small scale; however, homeless numbers are growing out of proportion.

This research has been targeted toward the government, as they control services and funding. Kolter and Nancy, (2009, p. 246) suggest “governments, for the most part, are in the leading position to provide services …. ” This plan will incorporate building large villages in Queensland States and Territories around Australia. The research plan will effectively house more people across the country, not only on the Gold Coast Queensland. COSTS The estimated costs for this project over a 5 year period is 5 hundred million dollars, a request will be submitted to the Government Housing Department for their support.

This cost will include researching current statistics, lawyers, accountants, staff, travel, land purchases and development of plans. The costing for any building for the mentally ill homeless people will not be included in this project. Mental health plans have already been established in 2007- 2017 (“Queensland Health Plan,” 2007- 2017, p. 58). METHODOLOGY This will be an unobstructed, qualitative method to propose a research as described by Alston and Bowles (2003, p. 195) using indicators to measure the extent of public housing, funding and future outcomes.

These measures will be collected by agreement from each government housing department providing a paradigm to view directives for the benefit of the community. Meetings will be held to study each section of the community where housing is needed and through consultation with other stakeholders in the desire to resolve this massive problem. Studies will be drawn from The Australian Bureau of Statistics, a wide range of stakeholders including Government Community Housing Departments and Community Shelters who are committed to providing statistical evidence on homelessness. SAMPLING

This proposal will uncover how many males and females, young and old are in need of housing. According to the “Children’s Experiences of Homelessness Project” (2006, p. 7). There is no typical age or gender for homelessness. It is impossible to sample of what age children are living away from home, how many people are homeless, or where they live within Australia. How do we sample people who are couch-surfers, people on the street, those who are not registered for government welfare? Homelessness in Australia has revealed significant social problems in both urban and rural areas and have exacerbated the increase in health issues .

METHOD OF DATA COLLECTION For the past twenty years there has been discussions over the statistics of homelessness, by government, academics and community shelters, no one knows exactly what the figures are. The way to solve this problem would be for everyone to be registered and to be able to do this the homeless would have to have shelters. Accurate data would then be available through people registering to live in the new facilities. The analysis by the bureau of statistics on exactly how many homeless people there are vague, “neither includes an estimate of the total homeless population”, (Todd, 2006, p. ). To develop quantitative and qualitative reports it requires homeless people to register their names and addresses with social security. Most of these homeless people develop mental illnesses according to Jack Houghton (as sited in Gold Coast News, 2013, p. 1) And other health problems due to lack of medical treatment. On the Gold Coast in Queensland alone the mental health issue rose by 12% within the last twelve months. LIMITATIONS Firstly, questionably limitations will be raised as to whether this research project will extend to (CALD), Cultural and Linguistically Diverse people.

Secondly, in the event that there are enough funding and land available in urban and rural areas which areas will be targeted for housing first? Depending upon Government Health Departments and Council regulations there may be questions as to how long people can stay in public housing. According to a recent publication from (“Facts on Homelessness in Brisbane,” para. 7. 2006) the Lord Mayor of Brisbane states there are several other factors that limit some people from being housed in villages, these are, those who are mentally ill, substance abuse users and domestic abusers who will have limitations as to where they can stay long term.

TIMETABLE 2013 – 2014 – Commence research proposals 2014 – 2016 – Collect and collate all Quanatitive Reports 2016 – 2017 – Publish reportsinr the media 2017- 2018 – Commence Building Villages to House Homeless People This project should be up and running within 5 years if approved by State, Regional, and Local Councils, and other involved stakeholders. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS All personnel associated with this project will be required to sign a confidentiality agreement. This will include, Lawyers, Accountants, Administration, Builders, Stake Holders and anyone associated with this project to protect everyone’s safety.

This will enforce the correct policies and procedures which are important when working with large stakeholders and protect every person working within this research. All data and reports associated with this proposal will be safely stored under lock and key and be responsible to the Government Housing Department until completion. There will also be requirements for each player to show explicable conduct, honesty, loyalty and provide timely outcomes to meet budget for successful results. ADMINISTRATION AND BUDGET JUSTIFICATION

An accurate costing will not be possible in the initial stages due to the availability of land purchases. These will fluctuate from State to State. However, costing is included in this budget along with all other commodities. Five hundred million dollars has been proposed for this project over 5 years. Budget $500. 000. 000ItemCosts Land Purchases$110. 000. 00 Building Equipment$ 90. 000. 00 Legal Fees$ 13. 000. 00 Accountants$ 45. 000. 00 Office Furniture$ 12. 000. 00 Computers$ 8. 000. 00 Salary Secretary$100. 000. 00 Travel $ 14. 000. 00 Leasing$ 65. 00. 00 Electricity$ 23. 000. 00 Water & Rates$ 20. 000. 00 Total$500. 000. 00 OUTCOME The outcome of this project will deliver urban and rural housing to a broad section of homeless people. This project will eliminate the waiting time for housing commission homes and provide a village style housing that is dignified and uplifting. The villages will also provide medical assistance, education and stability. This will be a solid platform from which the Australian Bureau of Statistics can work to gather quantitative and qualitative data to draw on accurate statistic.

CONCLUSION • Recommendations to research the existing proposals for new premises •Submit a project for funding to build large villages •Make changes to the way housing developments are currently carried out •Action new developments to house more people in rural and urban areas •Request funding for training and medical assistance for homeless people ABOUT MYSELF I am a full time employee who has worked for over the last 20 years for the Australian Building and Community Welfare Department, specializing in design engineering.

My work entails computer aided designs and drafting using (CADD) systems and designing multi-disciplinary projects. ? References Alton, M. & Bowles, W. (2003). Research for Social Workers. (2nd ed. ) Allen & Unwin, Crows Nest, NSW. Newman, C. (2013). Better Services for Queenslanders. Facts on Homeless in Brisbane. Gold Coast University Hospital. (2013). Retrieved from http://www. health. qld. gov. au/gcuhospital/ Helbig, K. (2012). The Courier Mail. Retrieved from http://www. couriermail. com. au/news/queensland/on-housing-wait-list/story-e6freoof-1226236021692 Homeless Persons Court Diversion Program. 2007). Retrieved from http://www. communities. qld. gov. au/resources/housing/community-programs/homeless-persons-court-casestudy. pdf Houghton, J. Facts on Homelessness in Brisbane. (2006). Retrieved from http://www. lmct. org. au/homelessness-facts Institute of Child Protection Studies Children’s Experiences of Homelessness Project (2006). Retrieved from http://www. fahcsia. gov. au/our-responsibilities/housing-support/publications-articles/homelessness-youth/youth-homelessness-in-australia? HTML#p2 Kolter, P. & Nancy, R. L. (2009). The Social Marketing Solution. Up and out of poverty.

Morris, M. (2013). Affordable housing no longer on political agenda: ABC News. Retrieved April 29th from http://www. abc. net. au/news/2009-01-28/more-than-200000-on-public-housing-waiting- Rise in mental health. (2013). Retrieved April 19th 2013, from http://www. goldcoast. com. au/article/2013/03/02/447796_gold-coast-news. html Rudd, K. (2003 – 2008). Homelessness Action Strategy. Retrieved April 19th 2013, from http://www. portphillip. vic. gov. au/default/CITP424_Homelessness_Action_Strategy. pdf Todd, E. P. (2006). Homelessness: Is society looking the other way.