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MCM undertakes purposeful advocacy at all levels – government, private sector and community. We work closely with the sector to advocate for positive social change.
You can read our policy and research submissions below.
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Newly released research has revealed that one in three Victorians is a renter, with 83 per cent having no long-term security. With this comes a range of complexities that must be acknowledged to make fair and adequate policy decisions that don’t precipitate vulnerable households into homelessness. With this in mind, Melbourne City Mission focuses on areas of concern in response to the preferences set out in the RTA Review Options Paper, advocating for the people we support who are often tenants dealing with housing stress, are living in low-income households, and who deal with vulnerabilities that increase their risk of falling into homelessness.
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Figures from the Department of Education and Training show that the number of students being expelled has risen over 25 per cent in the past year. In our submission to the Ombudsman, we share Melbourne City Mission’s perspectives as a flexible learning and education support provider working with students who have multiple and complex disadvantage and concurrent high support needs, many of whom have experienced school exclusion. The case studies and insights presented in this submission come directly from the students who attend our Academy classrooms and the educators and wellbeing staff who work alongside them. This submission aims to capture on-the-ground realities, from a student and teacher perspective, of what gets in the way of education and students’ ability to learn within the classroom and wider school context.
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In March 2016, the State Government introduced changes to Child Protection legislation. The changes – known as the Permanency Amendments – tighten the window for family reunification. The purpose of the amendments is to improve stability for vulnerable children. This is an incredibly complex area, requiring a delicate balancing of sometimes competing rights. Melbourne City Mission’s Cradle to Kinder team is on the frontline of navigating these changes with families. In this submission to the Commission for Children and Young People, Melbourne City Mission provides evidence on how the changes are being experienced thus far.
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Engaging young people. Drawing on participants’ diverse experiences of home and family, this report examines how young people first make contact with the homelessness service system and what their experiences are like. This report identifies four pathways into homelessness as well as exploring: What are young peoples’ service histories and experiences? What service offerings most effectively facilitate positive outcomes for young people, including prevention homelessness? What is the capacity for the service system to take family context and connection into account when addressing homelessness?
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People with disabilities encounter personal and systemic barriers to social and economic participation. While the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) will effect significant transformation, there will still be a role for local, State and Commonwealth governments to ensure access and inclusion for people with disabilities. In our submission to the State Disability Plan 2017-20, we share our perspectives on how the Victorian Government can effect change in the areas of Active Citizenship, Rights and Equality, Economic Participation, and Making the Most of the NDIS.