THE Capalaba Housing Service Centre’s outreach service to Wynnum will be extended indefinitely.
The service was introduced last year and is part of beefed up help for homeless people, an emerging problem in bayside areas.
Public Works Minister Mick de Brenni said it would help fill the service gap left by the previous government’s closure of the Wynnum Housing Service Centre in 2012.
“The closure of the Wynnum HSC is another shameful example of the previous government’s savage cuts to frontline services,” Mr de Brenni said.
“From day 1 the Palaszczuk government has had a strong commitment to restore frontline services, and (Lytton MP) Joan Pease has worked hard to ensure people in this community have access to housing services.
“The previous government treated people experiencing homelessness and public housing tenants with disdain.
“Everyone has the right to live with dignity irrespective of the situation they may find themselves in, but with homelessness comes isolation and marginalisation.’’
Ms Pease said Volunteering Queensland had received $90,995 from the Dignity First Fund to establish a Wynnum Community Hub to help provide essential services to people experiencing homelessness in the bayside area.
“The Hub, to be based at the Wynnum Community Centre in Florence Street, will provide an accessible point of entry for information and referral to the broader service system,” Ms Pease said.
The service helps people with social housing applications, or to access services such as RentConnect, or products such as bond loans or rental grants, to help them in the private rental market.
Mr de Brenni said there was a need for government services to offer hope as well as support.
“By providing support services within a community hub, there is also an opportunity for people to interact socially, for them to engage and connect with others and to access the information and support they need,’’ he said.
“This is particularly important for people who have been homeless for a long time, and who have lost touch with many of the social and community connections we take for granted.”
