About Future Directions

There are many barriers to building independence and leaving social housing. These include access to education, finding work and having affordable housing options to transition to.

DCJ and other government agencies are working together to make services better for tenants. This includes:

• giving young people and families with children homes that are closer to schools and jobs
• investing $2 million toward early childhood education services for children living in social housing to ensure school readiness.
• funding NSW Health to deliver a home visiting program for mothers and babies in social housing
• supporting transition to affordable housing to give tenants a stepping stone out of social housing.

Supporting clients to achieve education and work goals

We are helping social housing clients take advantage of economic opportunities through new and expanded programs to help build housing independence.

• DCJ Scholarships assist high school, TAFE and university students who are living in social housing, out-of-home care, crisis/supported accommodation, receiving private rental assistance or on the NSW Housing Register.
• Opportunity Pathways will help social housing clients across NSW to build housing independence through training, practical assistance and work opportunities. The program commences in March 2019 and will be available for three years to public, community and Aboriginal housing tenants, as well as their household members, people on the NSW Housing Register and Rent Choice recipients.
• Career Pathways helps social housing tenants to train and gain on-the-job experience. The program operates across seven districts and provides wrap-around support and services to clients, supporting them to enrol in and complete a partial qualification, complete work experience and enter paid employment and/or further vocational or teritary study. The Careers Pathway program will end on 30 June 2019.
• Employing social housing tenants as part of new maintenance and building contracts.
• The Start Work Bonus supports tenants when starting or returning to work by providing a rent freeze of up to 26 weeks where rent is not adjusted to the new income level.
• Smart and Skilled Fee-Free Scholarships are available to clients to assist them to get the skills they need to find a job without having to worry about course fees.

Supporting clients to access the private rental market

• Private rental assistance is a suite of products and services designed to help people set up or maintain a tenancy in the private rental market.
• The Rent Choice initiative provides clients with rental subsidy for up to 36 months in the private market and support services to build their capability to transition to independent housing.
• The Start Safely Program provides private rental subsidy for up to 36 months for people escaping family or domestic violence who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

A ‘place-making’ approach to building communities

Place Plans are tailored plans developed with social housing communities to create a connected community.

Place Plans combine co-designed community initiatives in partnership with government, councils and local support providers to improve the lives of residents.

There are 16 project teams delivering Place Plans across 20 sites in NSW.