CASE STUDY

PROMOTING DEBATE ABOUT HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS

How governments and the community sector provide housing to those in need and tackle issues of homelessness has become increasingly of interest to the broader community. With the release of the Federal Government’s White Paper on homelessness in December 2008, recent significant reforms of the housing sector by some state and territory governments and an increased media spotlight on these issues, housing and homelessness are well and truly at the fore.  

Within this context the Victorian Department of Human Services and the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI) co-hosted the 6th National Housing Conference in Melbourne from 24 to 27 November 2009. Featuring an impressive line up of international and local experts, the conference explored topical issues including housing affordability, homelessness, sustainable homes and housing in the future.

To extend the reach of the conference and generate broader community awareness and debate about conference themes, Fenton Communications worked with Victoria’s Department of Human Services to develop a media and issues management strategy. The media campaign successfully highlighted key research findings and prompted discussion about how to tackle these issues. Highlights from the campaign included news coverage and feature stories in The Age, Herald Sun, Sunday Herald Sun, Australian Financial Review, Sydney Morning Herald and The Australian, as well as broadcast coverage on ABC television news and ABC 774.

Some of our staff also attended the conference as delegates and greatly enjoyed the conference presentations and discussions. In particular, many of our staff commented that they were impressed that a number of tenants from social and public housing were sponsored to attend the conference as delegates and speakers. These tenants enriched conference discussions by bringing to life the impact of the policies, models and research findings being discussed by sharing their own personal experiences.

The next national housing conference will be held in Queensland in 2011.

Issue One February 2010

Main story - A smoke free zone
Design focus - To refresh or rebrand?
Tip story - Incorporating new media into the media relations mix
Tip story - The ambassador advantage
Case study - Promoting debate about housing and homelessness
Case study - Helping to blitz biodiversity
Food for thought home