For these clients , sessions allowed us to work together to complete Victorian Housing register forms , submit applications for community housing , look and apply for affordable private rentals and liaise with local caravan parks / real estate agents / housing services .
OVERVIEW
VOLUNTEER CASEWORKER – AMY LEE
This is my third full year of being involved with casework services at CSF , and I once again value the opportunity to reflect upon the year . The end of the year also offers the opportunity to consider what has worked well this year , and to identify areas for ongoing improvement . With regards to strengths , I continue to believe that the flexibility of the CSF casework service is critical . Flexibility in the type of referrals accepted , the period of engagement , and the type of support offered ultimately means that we can assist more clients who may not be able to receive assistance elsewhere . The capacity to work with external / co-located service organisations is another strength , as it has allowed clients to receive additional support and assistance that they could not receive from one agency alone .
SUPPORT PROVIDED
Across this year I have had the opportunity to work with 31 casework clients . The flexibility of the service has allowed each client to set and work towards individual goals . Goals have spanned a wide range of areas , including housing , legal and financial matters , mental and physical wellbeing , working towards employment or study , increasing connections within the community and linkage into targeted support services ( ie : family violence , family support , or drug and alcohol services ).
Clients have described barriers they face as they work towards their goals , and have also faced challenges during their casework engagement , however , there have also been successes and many clients have made progress in working towards and meeting their goals .
Clients referred to the casework service typically endorse difficulties across multiple psychosocial areas . Housing continues to be a primary issue for many . Whilst a vast majority of casework clients are housed , their housing is often insecure , unsafe , or unaffordable in the long-term . Many clients described how the stress and anxiety associated with their housing difficulties contributed to reducing their mental health and overall wellbeing , and whilst local housing agencies support a variety of clients , finding affordable , safe and secure housing continues to prove challenging for many clients due to high rental costs and a lack of social and community housing . Additionally , eligibility requirements meant that they were sometimes ineligible to access support from other agencies .
Mental and / or physical health concerns were also identified as issues for most casework clients . For many , their complex psychosocial situations contributed and exacerbated these issues . A proportion felt well supported , but for others , casework sessions assisted them to source and engage with the appropriate supports . Family violence , significant financial difficulties , alcohol and drug use and legal issues also continue to represent issues for some casework clients .
We have also seen an increase in clients who identify as culturally and linguistically diverse . For these clients , language barriers can make accessing and navigating support services even more challenging . For instance , several clients have described struggling to understand written information presented in English on websites or documents they are required to sign . During casework sessions I have been able to support clients to make calls ( or call on their behalf ) to better understand information provided to them .
Alongside these difficulties , casework clients have achieved a number of successes in working towards their goals . For instance , several clients obtained employment during their casework engagement , which led to a reduction in their financial stressors and increased their ability to afford daily living expenses . Affordable and secure housing was obtained by a number of clients , and a number of clients attended their GP and engaged in psychological support and treatment . Many clients also described feeling less overwhelmed and stressed after working through tasks and situations that they have found difficult to approach and complete alone ( ie : completing applications , paperwork , organising referrals to financial counsellors or other support services , contacting utilities providers regarding arrears , speaking with Centrelink and other government agencies regarding appeals or complaints ).
Finally , I have been reflecting upon the additional challenges that clients and staff at CSF have faced during the Covid-19 situation this year . For the casework service , Melbourne based restrictions meant that casework sessions were conducted remotely via phone for part of this year . Whilst this was a change for myself and the clients I worked with , it enabled the service to continue to offer a range of assistance types ( ie : supportive listening , advocacy , practical help , budgeting , referrals to external agencies , and emergency relief ) throughout the entire year . However , the changes did contribute to additional challenges , particularly for clients who were unable to access or easily use technology .
Restrictions also led to increased loneliness , social isolation and exacerbation of mental health difficulties for many clients . However , despite these difficulties , clients have continued to engage well with casework sessions , and I think that both clients and staff have been incredibly adaptable and resilient during a challenging period . I do however look forward to meeting with clients face-to-face again at some stage during the next 12 months !
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Community Support Frankston