The case for Diversionary Brokerage Funding in Youth Homelessness

The April 2023 edition of Parity Magazine, ‘Towards a New Child and Youth Homelessness Plan’, was launched on Wednesday, 19 April to coincide with Youth Homelessness Matters Day.

Among the many contributions is an article with a focus on Diversionary Brokerage Funding by Stefaan Bruce-Truglio, Senior Policy and Advocacy Officer, Youth Affairs Council of Western Australia and Lucia Savini, Policy and Special Projects Advisor, Shelter WA.

Diversionary Brokerage Funding

Brokerage funding refers to the flexible use of resources to enable individuals to access a range of supports and/or amenities. This could include support to find and maintain housing, helping young people to move towards their goals by facilitating access to employment and education, as well as providing a financial safety net in times of crisis.

The article makes a case for “fostering a systemic approach to brokerage funding which would enable youth services to flexibly and rapidly source accommodation outside the social housing waitlists”.

Sourcing two local examples – Home Stretch WA trial by Anglicare WA and Towards Independent Adulthood trial run by Wanslea Family Services – the article outlines how youth workers “were able to support young people to complete activities and access services at a much faster rate and more flexible way than traditional departmental processes usually allow”.

In conclusion, the article says with sustainable funding and if embedded into a data-driven community response system an expansion of diversionary brokerage has the potential to substantially reduce the number of young people falling into cycles of unstable housing and homelessness.

“The success of this system, however, will require decision-makers to recognise the importance of prevention and early intervention, trust young people and their support workers to know what they need, and invest the resources necessary to realise these needs.”

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Parity is Australia’s leading national homelessness publication. Published ten times a year, each edition explores a specific element of homelessness from personal, local, social, and global perspectives. It is published by the Council to Homeless Persons. Visit this page to subscribe.