Aspire Program
A partnership
The Aspire program helps people with medium and long-term case management and assistance.
Aspire is an individual and flexible program, that connects people with sustainable housing, employment and community.
Who is it for?
People who are experiencing chronic homelessness, living in metropolitan Adelaide and aged between 18 – 55 years old at the time of referral.
How it works
The Aspire program works through three stages, Stabilisation, Re-engagement and Monitoring, which help with:
- Housing – we hope to prevent homelessness by supporting people to maintain their tenancies. We achieve successful housing outcomes for people by having a low caseworker to client ratio.
- Case management – our Case Navigators support participants with many life issues including accommodation, alcohol and other drug concerns, mental health education and employment. This support helps build self-worth and confidence.
- Community – we know that helping a person feel connected with community will set them up for success in all areas of their life.
How can I access this service?
Aspire has received State Government funding to extend Hutt St Centre’s Aspire program, operating as Aspire X, to support up to 260 referrals through to June 2024.
To find out more, please talk to us.
Monday–Friday: 8:30am – 4:30pm
Phone: (08) 8418 2590
Email: aspire@huttstcentre.org.au
Program Partners
Aspire is a collaboration between Hutt St Centre, South Australian Government, Social Ventures Australia and Housing Choices South Australia. Aspire is funded through the Aspire Social Impact Bond (SIB) and is the first social impact bond in South Australia, and the first homelessness SIB in Australia.
Aspire Social Impact Bond (SIB)
Information for Referrals & Eligibility
The Aspire Approach
The Aspire Program applies the over 60 years of experience Hutt St Centre has in assisting people in Adelaide and continues our history of introducing innovative ideas and approaches. The Aspire Program has been devised with a person centred approach to ensure the participants are put at the centre of the project. This approach seeks to leverage on the relationship and partnership between the participant and the service, to include the participant as a primary designer of their own service. Hutt St Centre has re-imagined and updated the well understood concept of Case Management resulting in new guidelines and language.
Housing First Principle
The model applies the Housing First principle. Housing First is an approach to ending homelessness that centres on quickly moving people experiencing homelessness into independent and permanent housing and then providing additional supports and services as needed. The basic underlying principle of Housing First is that people are better able to move forward with their lives if they are first housed. Housing is provided first and then supports are provided including physical and mental health, education, employment, substance abuse and community connections.
While Aspire work hard to house people rapidly, the availability of housing stock can be limited and matching participants to the right housing option can take time.
The Aspire Program works in partnership with the South Australian Housing Authority and various Community Housing Providers to secure appropriate and sustainable housing options for participants.
More information about the Housing First Model can be found here
Referral and Intake
The final intake for the Aspire Program has now been completed and the program is closed for new referrals.
Referral and intake for the Aspire Program occured in a staged way, with 13 new people accepted into the program every month for the first 4 years.
Referrals were accepted from any Specialist Homelessness Service in Metropolitan Adelaide or Yatala and Northfield Prisons and the RAH (including Glenside) Hospital.
Eligibility
To be eligible for the Aspire Program a person will have to fulfil Criteria 1 and at least one of either Criteria A, B or C.
Criteria 1
Aged 18-55 years old at referral
Living in Metropolitan Adelaide at referral, and with the intention to remain in Adelaide
Has the legal right to work in Australia
Not currently on bail
Criteria A
Currently homeless (primary, secondary or tertiary.)
Homeless (primary, secondary or tertiary) for at least 3 months within the last 12 months.
Criteria B
Exiting Yatala or Northfield prisons and identified as at risk of homelessness.
Criteria C
Exiting the RAH (including Glenside) hospital and identified as at risk of homelessness.
Support Stages
Support for participants in the Aspire Program will be delivered in three distinct stages. Participants will move through each stage at different rates depending on complexity and it is expected that some participants will move back and forth between stages.
Stage 1 – Stabilisation
Intensive case management focusing on the life issues that contributed to a participant’s homelessness. A key function during this stage will be referring and linking participants to multiple external supports and providing on-going support coordination.
Stage 2 - Re-Engagement
This stage focuses on re-engaging participants into work and study. Participants may move to stage 2 at any stage, but it is anticipated that most people will move over after about 6-12 months in the Aspire program. Participants will engage with education programs focusing on literacy, numeracy, job readiness and life skills. A Volunteer Tutor will be assigned to each participant to provide one-on-one support and study skills. Participants will be allocated to an Employment Officer who will support them to seek and find employment.
Stage 3 – Monitoring
Once participants are stabilised, engaging in regular activities and requiring less intensive support they move to stage 3. Aspire case management reduces in intensity and volunteers take on a role to provide participants with contact support. Stage 3 continues for the remainder of the full 3 years support timeframe, unless a participant decides to exit early.
These stages are designed to be flexible and responsive to participant’s needs who may need different levels of support at different times. The program is designed to taper down support to encourage participants to be independent before they exit. Participants can chose to exit the program early but those in particular social housing may then be in breach of their agreements.
