How we help?
Thrive Services provides specialised case management support to families in the Blue Mountains, who need help when their tenancy is at risk or when homeless.
We work to ensure that families have access to safe, affordable, sustainable housing where possible.
Our Services
Thrive Services provides free and voluntary case management support to:
- Families with dependent children under 18 years old
- Families living (or last permanent place to live) in the Blue Mountains LGA
- Families who are experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness.
We work from a person centred, strength-based framework, where we tailor our support to the needs and priorities of the family. Our goal is to support families to achieve safe, stable, sustainable housing in the local community.
Our focus is on early intervention and prevention support, where, if possible, we support families to reduce the risk and prevent homelessness. We ensure families are treated with dignity and respect, including a commitment to informed choice, self-determination and culturally safe supports.
At risk of homelessness:
A family is at risk of homelessness if they are at risk of losing their accommodation, or they are experiencing one or more of a range of factors that can contribute to homelessness, for example, accommodation ending (termination/eviction notice), housing affordability, inadequate/inappropriate/unsafe dwelling conditions, relationship/family breakdown.
Experiencing homelessness:
Living in non-conventional accommodation for example, staying in car, couch surfing, staying in emergency/temporary accommodation, living temporarily with friends or relatives, insecure accommodation on a short-term basis.
What does this look like in practice?
When we start working with a family, we complete an initial assessment, where we collect all relevant information regarding the families’ current circumstances. We then work with families to identify goals and collaboratively develop a case plan outlining how we can assist to achieve those goals. These case plans guide the work that we do and provide clear, transparent and realistic case management support.
Our case management support looks different for each family but may involve:
- Providing assistance to obtain and/or sustain a private rental property.
- Assistance/guidance to complete private rental or housing applications.
- Providing tools/knowledge/education to independently obtain/sustain tenancies.
- Providing referrals to mainstream and specialist services (e.g. to health services, financial counselling, DV specialist services, mental health supports, drug and alcohol services, legal support and services, employment services, and court support).
- Providing assistance to access products, such as a bond loan and/or private rental subsidies, including work with real estates to secure properties.
- Providing assistance to obtain identification documents if required.
- Providing support letters to assist applications.
- Support to create budgets and calculate affordability for private rental properties.
- Engagement with real estate agents to work collaboratively with tenancies at risk, and intervene early to identify housing opportunities.
- Engagement with social housing – Homes NSW or Community Housing Providers to advocate on behalf of people accessing our program.
- Collaborate with other support services to provide the best possible support to the families accessing our program.
- Supporting families to obtain emergency or transitional accommodation when experiencing homelessness.
Families need to complete a referral form for our SHS case management support. This can be a self-referral or completed in collaboration with an external support service. You can access our referral form by emailing referrals@thriveservices.org.au or calling our Katoomba office on 02 4782 1555.
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