This year’s theme for Homelessness week is “Everybody needs a home”.  Quantum Support Services is working hard to help many Gippslanders who are experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness. The organisation focusses on assisting people to achieve a stable home, that compliments living a life that is healthy, secure and safe.

Quantum prides itself on helping Gippslanders who are experiencing homelessness as well as those at risk of homelessness.

Quantum delivers a wide range of programs such as Temporary Crisis Accommodation, Private Rental Assistance Program (PRAP) and Supporting Families at Risk of Homelessness (SFAR).  Quantum is also proud to deliver the recently introduced Victorian State Government funded Homelessness to Home (H2H) program alongside local partner agencies.

Quantum maintains that while these programs provide an avenue to assist a reduction in homelessness and to support families obtain stable living environments, severe housing shortages and affordability considerations will continue to be a concern for the community into the foreseeable future.

Quantum’s Executive Director, Cindy Pullar says that often (in order for a housing application to be considered) “A person on Governmental income support needs to prove that rent does not exceed 30% of their income.  In most cases this is unattainable.  Property that does meet this income formula often isn’t a very nice or safe place to live”.

Cheryl Barnes, Quantum’s Manager of Homelessness and Support states that “Private rental properties have remained ‘not affordable’ to people with low incomes – the significant increase in rental prices, in conjunction with high demand and low stock will mean that we have only seen the tip of the iceberg in the numbers of people presenting as ‘experiencing homelessness’”.

Quantum’s delivery of programs to assist victim/survivors of family violence also provides an additional insight into the impact of limited housing options within community. Often the perpetrator of family violence needs to leave the traditional home, due to court ordered interventions to protect affected family members.  In some cases this means that the perpetrator needs to secure alternate accommodation, sometimes leading to homelessness.  The alternate scenario is when victim/survivors need to leave a housing situation in order to escape family violence, often struggling to find suitable stable accommodation.

Quantum continue to focus on supporting those at risk and in need of safe housing supports. Alongside homelessness support services, they host a Women and Children’s refuge to assist victim/survivors of family violence, along with a crisis youth accommodation refuge.

Quantum welcomes the recent announcement of the Victorian State Government to allocate an estimated $60M to assist in achieving quality housing outcomes for social and affordable housing across the municipality of Latrobe City.  Quantum along with other agencies in the region are actively collaborating to help inform the Latrobe City Social and Affordable Housing Strategy.