New Veteran Housing and Support Officer Roles

The Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide made many recommendations around providing greater support for veterans experiencing homelessness. The Veteran Acute Housing Program (VAHP) grants were opened and our submission for Veteran Housing & Support Officers (VHSO) was successful. The team is now in place with one full-time and two part-time VHSOs.

Filling one role is Adam and sharing the second role are Neisha and Jane.

Veteran homelessness in Australia is nearly three times the rate as the general population (5.7% compared to 1.9%). The term ‘homelessness’ relates not just to those who are sleeping rough, but those who don’t have a permanent home; for example, they may be sleeping in a car, caravan, bungalow or other temporary shelter; they could be ‘couch-surfing’ at friends’ or families’ homes; or they might be staying in inadequate or overcrowded accommodation.

Around 6,000 ADF personnel leave the forces annually and of these, around 300 become homeless each year (AHURI 2019).

The role of the VHSOs is to provide a much-needed service to connect veterans seeking housing and support with the services and organisations providing it.

“Most importantly, we are able to provide veteran-specific support and direct veterans to services that understand their needs,” says Georgie Thobis, Vasey RSL Care Housing Manager.

Veteran Services Team Visit North East Victoria

Georgie (Housing Manager), Adam (VHSO) and Emma (Tenancy Officer) – pictured left – made a trip up to Wodonga and surrounds in February to meet with the veteran community.

On their first day, the team presented at a Veterans Information Session held at the Wodonga RSL Sub-branch, then met with the Wodonga Veterans Hub Wellbeing Coordinator, Vanessa and dropped by our Ex-Service Accommodation in McFarland Road, where they were able to hand over a home to a homeless veteran who moved in a couple of days later.

The next day, the team dropped into Wangaratta RSL Sub-branch where they met veterans over morning tea, before visiting the Salvation Army at Beechworth.

They said a quick G’day to Ned before heading back to Melbourne.

Thank you to the Wodonga Veterans and Families Hub, Wodonga RSL Sub-branch, Albury Legacy Group, LLC, Open Arms – Veterans & Families Counselling, Wangaratta RSL Sub-branch, Benalla RSL Sub-branch and Hume Patient Transport for the warm welcome and hospitality.

We look forward to seeing you again next time.