Canberra’s social housing tenants can apply for a grant pool of $70,000 to take part in the community, learn skills, and be socially connected.

This year the eligibility criteria has been expanded, so there will be more opportunities for more tenants to participate in the community and online, following the challenging and isolating lockdown, said Rebecca Vassarotti, ACT Minister for Homelessness and Housing Services.

“These grants create more opportunities for social housing tenants to engage with the community after a period of uncertainty, stress and isolation,” Ms Vassarotti said.

“Tenants will be able to apply for grants that help them build positive social relationships across the wider community, or even learn new skills to chase their ambitions and kick their goals.”

Previous grant recipients have applied for online painting classes, swimming lessons, cooking classes and purchasing utensils, career planning and coaching, skills training, and community theatre memberships.

One couple, in their 60s, attended Peking Opera classes. The grant funded their classes and a specially designed costume so they can take part in an upcoming performance.

Their daughter Jessie, who applied on their behalf, said that her parents would not have been able to participate on their low income.

“It’s great for them to have some money to spend on an activity that is not just an essential like going to the doctor or buying food. They are able to attend something good for their mental health, and something to make them feel bonded to their local community, especially as English is not their first language,” Jessie said.

“It’s really helped their sense of belonging. I recommended this program to a friend of mine whose family is in a very similar position. Applying was easy, and once the grant was approved, they were able to do something that adds greatly to their life.”

Eligible activities must be social, life skills, or education and work.

The Tenant and Participation Grants opened on Monday 15 November, and will close on Friday 21 January. For guidelines and more information, visit: https://www.communityservices.act.gov.au/home/grants.

ACTCOSS response

The ACT Council of Social Service (ACTCOSS) welcomed the grants, but said there must be more support to ensure that the most vulnerable Canberrans can also apply and access the grants.

Public housing tenants were deeply impacted by COVID-19 outbreaks in ACT public housing complexes, said Dr Emma Campbell, ACTCOSS’s CEO.

“ACT Housing tenants did more than their fair share to protect the community; whole complexes, not just individual homes, locked down over long periods. Many of these Canberrans had to remain in lockdown under difficult circumstances without easy access to services, friends, family, and other supports.

“The outbreaks in public housing have had a lasting effect on the residents, many of whom are already dealing with complex issues. For example, a disproportionate number of older people, people with disabilities, and people with complex health needs live in ACT housing accommodation.”

The Tenant and Participation Grants should be only one part of the response, Dr Campbell thought; better housing and more government investment in community services were vital to improve conditions for social housing tenants.

Two months ago, ACTCOSS welcomed the $80 million investment in the ACT Budget to maintain Canberra’s public housing stock.

“More investment is needed to deliver more public housing, to ensure it is appropriately maintained and meets the needs of tenants,” Dr Campbell said.

“In some cases, the poor maintenance of ACT housing properties contributed to the difficulties faced by tenants during lockdown.”

Dr Campbell once more called for the Federal Government to assist Canberra’s poor.

“As we emerge from lockdown, people on the lowest incomes will continue to struggle,” she said. Unemployment increased by 2.5 per cent, and Canberra now has the highest levels of people searching for work in the country.

“The Federal Government must also raise the rate of income supports such as JobSeeker to a level that is above the poverty line to enable people to keep a roof over their heads while looking for employment or who cannot work for other reasons.”

During lockdown, the ACT Government partnered with community sector organisations to look after disadvantaged Canberrans, Dr Campbell noted.

“Continual investment into community sector organisations is required to ensure that these organisations can deliver valuable services and assistance to the most vulnerable Canberrans in our community, including ACT Housing tenants.”

Investment in community sector organisations was also good for the local economy, Dr Campbell argued; it created jobs and encouraged spending – “crucial as the ACT emerges from the COVID-19 health and economic crisis”.