Homeless need more help

By Lauren Henry
Updated November 7 2012 - 3:14am, first published November 5 2010 - 10:39am

AN investment to assist employment, housing and mental health problems is what St Luke’s is calling for both sides of politics to commit to in the state election.St Luke’s key priorities for whichever party is elected to govern Victoria include more support services for homeless people.Chief executive David Pugh said St Luke’s Supported Assistance Accommodation Program, which helped people navigate what they needed in order to get housing, required more funding.Mr Pugh said the program helped people by providing case management to address problems.He said often homeless people needed to provide evidence to support why they were homeless in the first place.“We’ve had very little funding for support services in the last 10 years.’’Mr Pugh said the government also needed to invest money to help teenagers dropping out of school.He said the state government had commissioned a report on alternative education for children dropping out of school. They researched what was needed and what changes needed to be made at schools for different learning styles and kids with behavioural issues.“They just need to put money into it.’’Mr Pugh said St Luke’s was helping 50 young people to go back to school, which should be the Department of Education’s responsibility.He said more mental health services for young people, particularly from smaller communities, were needed.“All young Victorians should be able to access support services and programs to assist them to attain, and maintain, good mental health,’’ he said.Mr Pugh also called on the state government to have a stronger interest in supporting employment outcomes for vulnerable people.He said creating tools to link Job Services Australia service delivery with state-funded family, children’s and mental health services was needed.Mr Pugh said the government also needed to address how the increasing cost of living was putting pressure on both Centrelink dependent and working families.

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