Where housing is safe, secure, affordable and appropriate, it gives people security and a sense of belonging. When people face housing insecurity or homelessness people are at risk of poor mental and physical health, low education attainment, poor employment outcomes, financial stress and intergenerational and long-term housing insecurity.
The Social Impact Project aim is to address homelessness and the affordable housing supply crisis by bringing together students, advocates and industry experts to engage in discussion to develop awareness of this complex issue and generate innovative and effective solutions.
Our focus will be on building awareness and understanding of key complex social problems. Within this focus we will strive to understand whether and where progressive change is occurring; what is working and why, and how we might have a meaningful impact on this issue together.
Facilitated by the Social Impact Project, industry partners and key staff will work collaboratively with students to co-design solutions through a series of sprints. Solutions are aimed at addressing key issues identified by students and co-designed with key partners.
Take a look at our 2024 Homelessness Project below and the innovative solutions our students co-designed with industry partners.
This initiative is proudly supported by the following industry partners.
The shelter project aligns with the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):
Prior to the online sprints, students will participate in an online induction workshop. This workshop aims to provide a framework and practice to help set the foundations for a successful, safe and inclusive project experience. The workshop will provide an opportunity for students to gain skills, knowledge and self-awareness in working collaboratively and looking after their own wellbeing throughout the project. During this workshop students will work to co-create a culture that is safe, welcoming, collaborative and supportive. Students will also be supported to become familiar with the online technology we will be using throughout the online project.
Students will participate in an industry induction session and will hear from a variety of professionals and organisations working in the homelessness space, including Government departments, support staff and self-advocates. The industry induction session is an interactive panel discussion and Q&A session that will give students specialist insight into homelessness. Students will also have an opportunity to enter meaningful dialogue around the complexities and challenges of addressing homelessness with a diversity of people. This session will encourage deep reflection and dialogue and will contribute to enhanced understanding of homelessness.
Students will gain a deeper understanding of the principles of co-design and will explore collaborative ways of working with complexity and diversity. Students will be introduced to a diversity of participatory practices and processes that will help support them in their exploration and understanding of the issue.
Using virtual technology, students will be introduced to several methods and tools to design innovative approaches to address homelessness. During this period of design, students will collaborate with and seek input from peers, experienced voices and industry professionals to refine their ideas, test assumptions and respond to the needs of the community they are working with.
Students will finalise their project ideas and develop an implementation strategy which will include clear actions and strategies for how the project will be implemented, monitored, and measured for impact. Industry professionals and experienced voices will be invited to offer feedback on the final project design.
During this period students will be working with the community to implement their project. Students are encouraged to regularly reflect and seek feedback on how their project is tracking, and make any adjustments as required.
Out of all the issues that someone could be facing, specifically at a time such as this, Homelessness and displacement are among the largest.
