Placemaking Case Studies

Talking with community leaders, Community Development Manager Steve Neale and his team of two officers identified several areas of concern.

Rebuild community culture

The first was the community centre – so the task was to get a new one up and running.

Waste management

The second was a build-up of bulk waste, causing health and environmental detriment.  Here, the local council had begun charging for bulk waste collection – or residents could bring it to the recycling centre. But residents could not afford the charge, and many had no transport or were not physically able to remove waste themselves.

CHL’s discussions with the council led to action. The Aboriginal Environmental Health Unit got existing waste picked up. Then the council came on board to ensure everyone had as many bins as they needed, that recycling bins were available, and that new waste would be dealt with.

Drug use prevention

Another issue was around young people and drugs. First CHL worked with the local needle exchange team. Then it got funding from the Australian Drug Programme for a three year package to give information to young people, clean up paraphernalia and needles, and offer Hepatitis C testing. Peer to peer support is another important part of the initiative to reduce harm.

CHL identified drug dealers on the estate and ended their tenancies. Unfortunately some are still in the area but it is important to the organisation not to allow a return to its housing. Steve Neale’s team continues to work with police and urge them to take firm action, but police resources are stretched. ‘It’s an ongoing dialogue,’ he comments.

Taking on drug, alcohol and related mental health issues has been a new role for CHL and did bring some internal debate on the role of landlord. The decision was that if CHL is to help achieve better outcomes for its tenants, as a ‘key knowledge holder’ it must engage on these issues, and work closely with other agencies.

Employment support

A further issue identified in discussion with the community was around the very high unemployment rate and anti-social behaviour, mainly involving young people who were disengaged from school.

Here, CHL began working with an Aboriginal youth worker and is planning support and activities, including for those currently in custody on their release. One initiative that has been building momentum is to train Aboriginal tenants to work alongside a housing officer. They go to a home and check facilities such as running water, the heating, lighting and so on.

Now, using three year funding from the NSW Ministry of Health, the plan is to train the young people to do the work needed. This has twofold benefits: young people can learn a trade, and the tenants have improved and better maintained homes. CHL held discussions with the Aboriginal community on how to manage the scheme: it could, for example, have involved rent discounts in return for work. But the mutually agreed solution has been to treat the trainees as employees and pay them a wage. An important caveat is that their rent would not be increased as they start to earn – in NSW, rents are normally based on the tenant’s income.

Elders too have been getting involved. Some also wanted to work, but for limited hours up to 20 a week so as not to affect their government benefits. They will act as mentors for the young people.

The ministry is keen to know the effect of the programme so CHL will be monitoring health outcomes, and particularly any decrease in preventable illness or disease arising from the improved living conditions.

Learning from Aboriginal elders

Taking on West Kempsey has been a steep learning curve for CHL. Steve Neale says working closely with elders of the Aboriginal community – the ‘aunties’ especially, and also the ‘uncles’ – has been key to making progress. Drawing in Aboriginal and other organisations, and securing grants where possible, has been essential to supplement the small team of housing officers.

Council and community dialogue

Now CHL is looking to plan out the next three years on the estate. It has been working with the local council to buy up parcels of land and disused buildings, with a view to building new homes. Discussion has begun with the community on what kind of housing they want to see: ideas to date include homes with a granny flat, and a ‘tiny homes’ collective.