Tenant Support Services

The Tenant Support and Education Project (TSEP)

In 2014, MLAHMC formed a partnership with Murdi Paaki Regional Housing Corporation and Coonamble Local Aboriginal Land Council with funding from the New South Wales Aboriginal Housing Office to implement the Tenant Support and Education Project (TSEP).

TSEP aimed to support Aboriginal housing tenants to strengthen and sustain their tenancies through the provision of community education, case management, service collaboration and community engagement.

TSEP was provided within the following communities of from 2014 – October 2020:

  • Bourke / Enngonia

  • Goodooga

  • Walgett

  • Murrin Bridge / Lake Cargelligo

  • Brewarrina / Weilmoringle

  • Coonamble

  • Gulargambone

  • Dareton

  • Menindee

  • Wilcannia

During this time, TSEP delivered many initiatives with those communities, below outlines the initiatives and their outcomes.

Quarterly Newsletter

Purpose: Create awareness of project events and support services available to tenants.

Outcomes

  •    24 Editions - total Newsletters Distributed = 16,016

Community Family Fun Day Events

Purpose: A fun family event that engages Aboriginal housing tenants and community with service providers.

Outcomes

  •     68 events held since our inception in 2014

  •     Total of 9336 Community members have attended these events.

  •     Total of 633 Support Services have attended to assist our communities.

Tenant Case Management

Purpose: One on one case management support for at risk tenants with the aim of strengthening tenancies.

Outcomes

  • 118 tenants have participated in one on one Case Management to improve/sustain their tenancies since our inception in July 2014 with 94% of these tenants sustaining their tenancy whilst working with TSEP.

  • Our staff have linked these tenants (total of over 70 referrals) to 14 other Support Organisation for assistance.

Housing Application Support

Purpose: Assist the Aboriginal community to apply for Aboriginal and social housing through one on one information and support with the Housing Pathways application process.

Outcomes

(Initiative commenced October 2015)

  • Total of 205 supported applications, 80 confirmed to Pathways Housing waiting list and a total of 40 offered and accepted housing

Power and Water Usage Workshops/Bring your Bill Days

Purpose: Raise awareness and create links to support programs and options for tenants in hardship with their power companies. Educate tenants with handy hints and tips to reduce water and power usage. 

  •   20 Workshops held, 2 in each community.

  • 872 people attended these Workshops across the region

  •         268 service providers attended these Workshops

  •         452 Origin Energy customers assisted

  •         184 Origin Energy customers added to their ‘Power On’ hardship program

  •          $112,857.35 applied in goodwill & attendance credits to Origin Energy customers

  •          140 Enquiries taken by EWON staff relating to other electricity companies

Commonwealth Rent Assistance Support Days

Purpose: Provide direct link for Tenants to access Centrelink staff, TSEP staff and their Housing Provider to enquire about and be supported with applying for Commonwealth Rental Assistance (CRA).

Outcomes

  •     10 Events held

  •         105 attendees

  •          47 Aboriginal housing tenants

  •          39 not claiming CRA

  •          55 now receiving accurate CRA

  •          $13 799.03 of back pay received by Aboriginal housing tenants

Aboriginal Housing in Your Community & Tenant Rights and Responsibility Workshops

Purpose: Increase community knowledge of the Aboriginal Housing System, raise awareness of Tenants Rights and Responsibilities including information on Western Aboriginal Tenancy and Advocacy Service (WATAAS) and the services they can provide to support tenants.

Outcomes

  •          11 Workshops held

  •          172 attendees

  •          35 Aboriginal housing tenants

In 2016 TSEP won the ‘Deadly Gunya Award’ at the NSW Excellence in Community Housing Awards night in Sydney for the ‘Provision of Tenancy Support Services to Aboriginal Communities’ which recognized the great outcomes we were achieving across our communities.

As 1 October 2020, TSEP was transferred to Murdi Paaki Regional Aboriginal Housing Leadership Assembly for management and will no longer be funded by the NSW Aboriginal Housing Office.

MLAHMC is very proud of the successful work of TSEP, we thank all the community leaders, members, tenants and service providers who have supported TSEP through our time.

Contact Details for TSEP

Project Manager, Andrew Smith can be contacted on 0428 117 373 or Andrew.smith@mpra.com.au

Tenant Support Provided by MLAHMC

As a part of our service provision, MLAHMC is now building on strong community engagement and support referrals as part of day to day business for all our staff to continue to assist our tenants.