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The Strategic
Framework is a plan of action developed for and by the
community housing sector every 4 years, to coincide with
Commonwealth State Housing Agreements (CSHA).
The Framework
is an ‘in principle’ agreement developed jointly
between governments and the community sector, identifying
key areas of policy and practice considered to be vital
to the future development of community housing.
It provides
government with information about the aspirations of
providers and the broader community sector, and the community
sector
and other potential partners with equally relevant
information regarding policy and funding parameters, including
those
set out in the CSHA and bi lateral agreements.
The
document sets out broad strategic direction for the community
housing
sector and it is particularly useful to those with
a key interest in the planning and delivery of community
housing
in Australia.
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The Strategic
Framework has played a very important role in fleshing
out ‘a
national vision’ and overall strategic direction
for community housing around Australia. Through the consultation
process, the development of the framework has provided
valuable
opportunities to engage with key stakeholders and debate
key issues impacting on the sector nationally.
The national
strategic framework has been most valuable in:
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Providing an opportunity
to key government and non government stakeholders in community
housing to develop a broad set of shared values and understandings
around community housing. |
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Identifying and strengthening
links between the aims and objectives of the Commonwealth,
State, and Territory Governments, community housing providers,
and communities nationally. |
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Providing opportunities to
engage government and community in proactive dialogue, stimulating
discussion around policy direction, identifying structural
barriers to growth, setting and reviewing strategic direction
at regular intervals. |
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Focusing resources and discussion
around initiatives that would assist in consolidating community
housing by strengthening governance structures, and implementing
strategies that would result in higher levels of quality
control and accountability, both to tenants and to those
providing funding. |
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Promoting a community housing
sector that upholds a set of broad shared values including
diversity, that embraces flexibility and is able to respond
to emerging community needs, maintaining a commitment to
taking up opportunities to engage in innovation |
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Providing a shared set of
priorities against which to measure national developments
in community housing for government and community stakeholders. |
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The 99-2003 Framework
placed considerable emphasis on strategies that would result
in a more resilient, accountable, transparent, and innovative
sector. A number of key developments have been undertaken
around the country to strengthen and advance the community
housing industry.
Through the work of the Forum, key national developments
have been achieved by stakeholder members, including: |
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The development of a National Community Housing
Standards and Accreditation Framework |
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Recognition and promotion of good practice
through the National Awards for Excellence in Community Housing. |
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Identification of research priorities and
the development of collaborative research projects in order
to produce quality information that would assist the sector’s
development. |
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Active participation in the improvement of
measures that will result in gathering reliable data on community
housing to inform decision making. |
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The 2004-08 Strategic
Framework has been developed for and by the community housing
sector. The process has been facilitated by the secretariat
with input -through national consultations- from peak organizations,
providers, and other key stakeholders including the NCHF’s
Policy Advisory Committee Members.
A Snapshot of Community Housing nationally has also been
added in this version of the Framework. A broad range of stakeholders
will find the Framework accessible and useful in broaching
emerging issues facing the community housing sector.
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The goals endorsed
by stakeholders nationally are: |
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Goal
1: To promote investment and productive partnerships
that result in the growth and overall strengthening of community
housing nationally. |
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Goal
2: To achieve a national coordinated approach to community
housing that delivers cost-effective outcomes through best practice. |
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Goal
3: To ensure the community housing industry is competent,
viable, and effective in all aspects of its business. |
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Goal
4: To deliver quality outcomes to tenants and applicants,
and generate higher levels of confidence in the sector, through
the ongoing implementation of consistent and robust quality
control mechanisms. |
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Goal
5: To promote tenants’ involvement in the provision
of community housing, and support a higher level of tenant participation
in social, political, and economic life. |
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The
National Strategic Framework 2004 > 08 November
2004
Download
here (850K PDF) |
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Policy Advisory Committee Update |
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At the Policy Advisory Committee (PAC) Meeting in March 2006, PAC reviewed developments surrounding the National Strategic Framework for Community Housing 2004>08 and discussed trends in the current environment affecting community housing. Two years after the formulation and dissemination of the Framework, PAC recorded the following general observations : |
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The tightening of funds in the SAAP sector will affect community housing providers as they will increasingly be expected to house people with higher support needs. |
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The viability of some smaller community housing providers, particularly those providing services to tenants with high support needs and those operating in rural and remote areas, is being called into question by some government housing agencies. |
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Government housing agencies in some states are attempting to reduce the numbers of community housing providers through driving amalgamations as a solution to a perceived viability problem. |
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Solutions to viability concerns other than amalgamation need to be explored. |
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There is a growing divergence between large community housing providers and smaller providers in their capacity to resource the growing need for expert governance and management services |
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PAC considered the continuing relevance of the five goals in the Strategic Framework 2004-08 in more detail and expressed the following views: |
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Goal 1: PAC observed that this goal would be clearer if it referred to “community housing in the delivery of affordable housing” instead of simply community housing. It also considered that “assists in growth” instead of “results in growth” more accurately portrays the roles played by government, not for profit organisations and private enterprise. Community housing organisations need to develop their capacity to attract investment and work with the private sector, within a continuum of housing options, which will involve government, not for profits and private enterprise. The reformulation of the goal therefore reads as follows:
“To promote investment and productive partnerships that assist in the growth of community housing in the delivery of affordable housing” |
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Goals 2 and 3 were considered to be relevant and appropriate. |
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Goal 4: This goal is a combination of two ideas. PAC considered that this goal should be separated into two parts, one related to outcomes for tenants and applicants, the other related to the need for the application of robust quality control mechanisms to increase confidence in the sector. The reformulation of the goal therefore reads as follows:
“To deliver quality outcomes to tenants and applicants.”
“To implement consistent and robust quality control mechanisms as a means of raising confidence in the sector.” |
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Goal 5: There was some discussion on the language used to promote tenant outcomes. Whilst the goal does highlight “participation in social, political and economic life”, PAC considered that “tenant empowerment to be a stronger statement. Appropriate advocacy and representation will be an important role played by community housing in the coming period. PAC noted that some clients do not wish to be involved with their housing provider however the availability of secure housing is of itself a form of empowerment. The reformulation of the goal therefore reads as follows:
“ To promote the empowerment of tenants through involvement in the provision of community housing and support for a higher level of participation in social, political and economic life.” |
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