Connections Week FAQs
What is a Connections Week? Connections Week, previously called registry week, is a week to focus on the stories and needs of people sleeping on the streets and in crisis accommodation. Previously these weeks have been used to triage people sleeping rough or staying in crisis accommodation to ensure that the right type of housing and support is given to the right people. This year the End Street Sleeping Collaboration, in addition to helping the most vulnerable identified through the process also is seeking to establish a By Name List (BNL), to know each individual on the street - by name, and learn their personal stories. This is both to help individuals on an ongoing basis but also to use the understanding of the issues that are leading people to sleep on the streets at this moment, and provide the evidence that we need to make systems change to ‘turn off the taps’ and prevent homelessness. The BNL is not a ‘one off’ but an ongoing evidence based tool to assist individuals and change the system used in approximately 90 communities around the world. Connections Week will be a one off event to establish the BNL with the intention to keep the list live and constantly updated to be able to see each individual’s situation at any time, in real time, not to have an ongoing series of connections week.
When will it take place? Connections Week will take place over four days: 5-9am Monday 18 November 5-9am Tuesday 19 November 6-11pm Wednesday 20 November 6-11pm Thursday 21 November
What information is being gathered and how? During Connections Week trained volunteers will meet and gather information from people sleeping rough about their housing and healthcare needs. The information will be gathered through tablet devices using a tried and tested survey tool – the VI-SPDAT – which combines elements of the Vulnerability Index (VI) with the Service Prioritization Decision Assistance Tool (SPDAT). The VI-SPDAT examines factors of
End Street Sleeping Collaboration | ABN 96 636 177 969 13 18 19 Level 8, 133 Liverpool Street Sydney NSW 2000 acttoendstreetsleeping.org current vulnerability and future housing stability. It is considered (by the Institute of Global Homelessness) to be the world’s best practice collection tool. It is currently used in the Adelaide Zero project, Perth and Freemantle, Brisbane, and Port Melbourne and in many other communities around the world. The tool is also used by some post crisis services in Sydney.
How will the information be used? The End Street Sleeping Collaboration is a sector led and run entity and will hold the BNL and its data on behalf of services that need to access it to assist individuals and to change the system. The information collected will be used as evidence to support policy and systems changes to better help those who are on the streets now, and to reduce the number of people sleeping on the streets in the future.
What is the consent process, how long does it last? All participants will be required to sign a consent form and their private information will be strictly protected. Participants will be able to decline participation altogether or may choose to decline responding to individual questions only. In accordance with privacy principles an individual may request to have their information removed from the BNL at any time.
What happens if a person is happy to provide their information but does not consent to be on the By Name List (BNL)? Individuals are able to choose to be participate in Connections Week independently of the BNL, or both. This will be an opt-out process.
What post follow up is in place and who will be leading it? The Department of Communities and Justice (formerly FACS) will arrange Temporary Accommodation (TA) beds for people sleeping rough during Connections Week. The Homelessness Outreach Support Team (HOST) and support services will follow up with anyone who accepts TA during this time.
What supports are in place for those that are found to be highly vulnerable on the week of the count (i.e. Temporary Accommodation)? The VI-SPDAT tool will flag individuals who rate highly on the vulnerability index scale and supports will be made available to them immediately, using the existing support structures. The inner city Collaborative Support Initiative and the Homelessness Assertive-outreach Response Team (HART) collaborative groups will lead case coordination and support for those people who are not already connected to support services.
End Street Sleeping Collaboration | ABN 96 636 177 969 13 18 19 Level 8, 133 Liverpool Street Sydney NSW 2000 acttoendstreetsleeping.org By Name List (BNL) What is a By Name List (BNL)? The BNL is the most important innovation in the fight to end street sleeping. It is the key to not only helping individuals who are street sleeping today, but also to providing evidence that informs policy innovation that will ‘turn off the taps’ and intervene before people begin street sleeping in the future. Without the BNL there can be no end to street homelessness. The BNL list based on the principle that every person sleeping on the street has a story to tell. A story that allows them to be assisted out of homelessness; and also a story that can help us understand what leads people into homelessness; a story that can help us identify strategies that can prevent homelessness. The current best practice BNL is based on the Community Solutions International (CSI) framework, a methodology used the world over by cities committed to ending homelessness. It is also a method also used closer to home by Australia’s first Vanguard City, Adelaide. At its very basic level a BNL records information about each person experiencing, or who has recently experienced, street homelessness in such a way that allows coordination of support for the individual and also informs an understanding of the number of people who are entering homelessness and leaving it and the drivers of their situation. Understanding this information enables a community to respond to the drivers of homelessness in real time. Real time responses allow a continuous improvement environment. For a BNL to be accurate in a community CSI estimates that data integrity needs to be above 85% and a goal of 90% of homelessness support agencies need to contribute to the list. For this reason the End Street Sleeping Collaboration has been established as in independent hub for the secure hosting of the BNL. Sustained commitment to ending street sleeping and to contributing to the BNL from all across the sector is the difference between success and failure. Some more resources on a BNL and how it was use in: The BNL is being developed with support from Community Solutions International, which is assisting communities across Australia, the USA, Canada and other locations to implement this tool. https://www.community.solutions/what-we-do/built-for-zero The USA for veterans Homelessness: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4O8mEwbF0ps In Rockford Illinois USA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aqvhm3waJ18 In Canada: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=befzXb_Y1MA
End Street Sleeping Collaboration | ABN 96 636 177 969 13 18 19 Level 8, 133 Liverpool Street Sydney NSW 2000 acttoendstreetsleeping.org In Adelaide, Australia: https://dunstan.org.au/adelaide-zero-project/dashboard/
How does the By Name List (BNL) differ from other existing databases in the sector? The BNL a database shared between and contributed to by all agencies that provide service to the homeless community, which means that it is more up to date thereby reducing the chance of someone slipping through the cracks in the system. Complete knowledge of an individuals’ homelessness story also makes it easier to provide a ‘joined up’ service to clients. The BNL is not owned by any one agency or branch of government or department, rather it is held in trust by the End Street Sleeping Collaboration entity for the Collaboration members’ use. The BNL uses the VI-SPDAT vulnerability Index survey tool (see below for more information), the world’s best practice tool for assessing vulnerability and housing needs.
What is the VI-SPDAT and how does it fit with the BNL? The VI-SPDAT is the survey tool and the BNL is the database where the information is stored securely. Community Solutions International assists Vanguard Cities globally to end street homelessness using the VI-SPDAT survey tool. Details on the tool are: “The VI-SPDAT was initially created by combining the elements of the Vulnerability Index which was created and implemented by Community Solutions broadly in the 100,000 Homes Campaign, and the SPDAT Prescreen Instrument that was part of the Service Prioritization Decision Assistance Tool. The combination of these two instruments was performed through extensive research and development, and testing. The development process included the direct voice of hundreds of persons with lived experience. The VI-SPDAT examines factors of current vulnerability and future housing stability. It follows the structure of the SPDAT assessment tool, and is informed by the same research backbone that supports the SPDAT – almost 300 peer reviewed published journal articles, government reports, clinical and quasi-clinical assessment tools, and large data sets. The SPDAT has been independently tested, as well as internally reviewed. The data overwhelmingly shows that when the SPDAT is used properly, housing outcomes are better than when no assessment tool is used. The VI-SPDAT is a triage tool. It highlights areas of higher acuity, thereby helping to inform the type of support and housing intervention that may be most beneficial to improve long term housing outcomes. It also helps inform the order - or priority - in which people should be served. The VI-SPDAT does not make decisions; it informs decisions. The VI-SPDAT provides
End Street Sleeping Collaboration | ABN 96 636 177 969 13 18 19 Level 8, 133 Liverpool Street Sydney NSW 2000 acttoendstreetsleeping.org data that communities, service providers, and people experiencing homelessness can use to help determine the best course of action next.” Community Solutions International 2019
How is it going to be used? The list will be used in two ways: to help the individual immediately and to help change the systems that people are exiting from onto the streets. For individuals, the information collected will flag people who rate highly on the vulnerability index scale and supports will be made available to them immediately, using the existing support structures Organisations will also use the collective, de-identified data to advocate for the change and resources needed to end homelessness in our communities, based on the exact needs of the people who experience homelessness in our community.
Who controls the By Name List (BNL)? The BNL is not owned or controlled by any one agency or branch of government or department, rather it is owned by and managed by the collaboration.
How long will it take for the By Name List (BNL) to be active? For individuals in need of immediate assistance (those who rate highly on the vulnerability index scale) supports will be made available to them immediately, using the existing support structures. The inner city Collaborative Support Initiative (CSI) and the Homelessness Assertive-outreach Response Team (HART) collaborative groups will lead case coordination and support for those people who are not already connected to support services.
Following Connections Week, the data will be used to immediately assist individuals. The BNL will be operating in prototype form with limited access by February 2020 and it is hoped to be available in full by June 2020.
When will the By Name List (BNL) be implemented in the sector? Connections Week data will form the foundation dataset for the BNL. We expect to have a limited BNL ready for some sector contribution in the first half of 2020 and are aiming to have the fully operative BNL ready for sector organisations to use by mid 2020.
End Street Sleeping Collaboration | ABN 96 636 177 969 13 18 19 Level 8, 133 Liverpool Street Sydney NSW 2000 acttoendstreetsleeping.org How do people remove their data from the By Name List (BNL)? Individuals can remove their data at any time from the BNL. They can either: Call the free telephone line, CCareline on 13 18 19 or email [email protected]
Who can view the By Name List (BNL) data? Collaborators to the End Street Sleeping project will have access to the data following their adoption of the privacy protocols and agreements. Only information essential to providing services and improving access to housing and social services will be shared. Individuals can make decisions about restricting the display of their information to specific organisations.
What privacy/consent controls are in place for the By Name List (BNL)? The Collaboration has worked with Corrs Chambers Westgarth around privacy and is working with the NSW Privacy Commissioner to ensure privacy by design. Each individual who takes part must give informed consent and can opt out at any time. Those who have impaired capacity can be helped immediately and then encouraged to complete the survey when they are able. The data is stored on a secure Microsoft server. Information can only be accessed by organisations that have agreed to the privacy protocols and to assist the individual, or for de-identified data to improve the system and provide an evidence base.
Can a person request access to their personal information? Yes - participants will be able to access their information by calling CCareline on 13 18 19 or emailing a request to [email protected].
When will the information from the Connection Week be ready to access? The immediate data to assist individuals should be available within a few days of completing Connections Week as it is being collected in real time. Reporting on the data collected in Connections Week will become available a few weeks afterwards.
End Street Sleeping Collaboration | ABN 96 636 177 969 13 18 19 Level 8, 133 Liverpool Street Sydney NSW 2000 acttoendstreetsleeping.org Is it mandatory for the sector to use By Name List (BNL) (and hence VI-SPDAT) or is it voluntary? Though it is voluntary for individuals who are street sleeping to participate in the BNL survey agencies that have committed to Act to End Street Sleeping collaboration have committed to using and contributing to the BNL and VI-SPDAT. If your agency has committed to the collaboration then its homelessness services should contribute to the BNL. For a BNL to be accurate in a community CSI estimates that data integrity needs to be above 85% and a goal of 90% of homelessness support agencies need to contribute to the list. Sustained commitment to ending street sleeping and to contributing to the BNL from all across the sector is the difference between success and failure.
Why a By Name List (BNL) and not a Street Count? A Street Count is point in time that provides little context to the issues that see individuals on the streets. A BNL provides a better understanding of an individuals’ history and needs as they change over time. A BNL provides information about an individuals needs on an ongoing basis, connections week is the best way to begin a BNL, with the stories of new rough sleepers or those returning to street sleeping added as they are met by workers. The BNL will not replace the City of Sydney Street Count, which is conducted in February and August each year.
End Street Sleeping Collaboration | ABN 96 636 177 969 13 18 19 Level 8, 133 Liverpool Street Sydney NSW 2000 acttoendstreetsleeping.org Act to End Street Sleeping (ATESS)
What is the Act to End Street Sleeping? Is this the same as Vanguard or IGH? The Act to End Street Sleeping Collaboration is a joint commitment between the Institute of Global Homelessness (IGH) under their Vanguard Cities global initiative. The NSW Government, the City of Sydney, and ten of the sectors NGOs are already committed. These organisations have agreed to collaborate to end street sleeping across NSW. To learn more about the Act to End Street Sleeping project please visit – www.acttoendstreetsleeping.org
Who are its members (today)? The current ATESS signatories to the memorandum of joint commitment are: NSW Government City of Sydney Institute of Global Homelessness St Vincent de Paul Society St Vincent’s Health Australia Mission Australia The Salvation Army Wesley Mission Neami National Yfoundations CatholicCare Sydney Jewish House The Collaboration seeks and welcomes new members and enquiries can be made to [email protected].
What is its purpose? The purpose of the End Street Sleeping Collaboration is to bring together homelessness organisations across Sydney from both the public and the private sector, to work collaboratively towards set targets with the aim to end street sleeping in NSW. The collaboration aims to: Reduce rough sleeping in the City of Sydney by 25% by 2020 Reduce rough sleeping in the City of Sydney and NSW by 50% by 2025 Work towards zero rough sleeping by 2030
End Street Sleeping Collaboration | ABN 96 636 177 969 13 18 19 Level 8, 133 Liverpool Street Sydney NSW 2000 acttoendstreetsleeping.org The collaboration will work to ensure a better outcome for those on the streets, to involve the people on the streets in the decision making, and work to ensure everyone has a home.
What is the IGH? The Institute of Global Homelessness (IGH) supports an emerging global movement to end street homelessness. IGH’s vision is that, within a generation, we will live in a world where everyone has a place to call home. For more information on the IGH please visit www.ighomelessness.org
End Street Sleeping Collaboration | ABN 96 636 177 969 13 18 19 Level 8, 133 Liverpool Street Sydney NSW 2000 acttoendstreetsleeping.org