Almost two thirds of frontline organisations supporting homeless Australians are reporting staff burnout as a result of increasing demand for services, with many staff themselves victims of the housing crisis.
A new survey from Everybody’s Home, a national coalition of community groups working to end the housing crisis, found the vast majority (98 percent) of organisations, including those in housing, homelessness, domestic violence, and other social and community services, reported increased workloads over the past year and expect demand to keep rising in 2025.
Everybody’s Home spokesperson Maiy Azize said the findings painted a devastating picture of a sector in crisis, with services struggling to meet overwhelming demand.
Ms Azize, who is also the Deputy CEO of Anglicare Australia, said three in four (76 percent) of organisations reported more complex casework, seven in 10 (72 percent) cited increased waitlists, while two in three (67 percent) said they had been unable to provide clients with long-term housing solutions.
She said three in five (63 percent) reported staff burnout and attrition as a major impact.
“The services at the coalface of Australia’s housing crisis are at breaking point. They can barely keep up with the rising number of people facing housing stress and homelessness,” Ms Azize said.
“Frontline organisations are telling us this has been the worst summer for increased workload, as sky-high rents and the cost of living continue to smash Australians.”
She said of the organisations surveyed:
- Many have concerns about government action ahead of the federal election, with nearly two in three (65 percent) fearing that major political parties would fail to offer solutions that matched the scale of the housing crisis.
- Nearly six in 10 rated financial stress (59 percent) and homelessness (57 percent) as the major impacts of the housing crisis on clients.
- More than one in four (26 percent) reported that clients remained in unsafe home environments due to a lack of alternatives.
- Nine in 10 said staff and volunteers (89 percent) were directly impacted by the housing crisis.
“With more and more people in need of help, frontline services are facing more complex casework, longer waitlists, and staff burnout and turnover. Record numbers of people are being turned away from the help they need because there are simply not enough resources to meet the demand.
“Organisations on the frontline are worried that the major parties will fail to offer solutions that match the scale of the housing crisis at this federal election. They want to see the federal government deliver real housing solutions that will ease housing stress and homelessness.”
Impacts of increased workloads on organisations
- Increased casework complexity: 76.09 percent.
- Increased waitlists / waiting times: 71.74 percent.
- Unable to provide long-term housing: 67.39 percent.
- Staff burnout or attrition: 63.04 percent.
- Unable to meet client needs: 58.70 percent.
- Budgetary constraints: 50 percent.
- Fewer resources per client: 50 percent.
- Reduced staff capacity: 45.65 percent.
- Reduced program capacity: 32.61 percent.
- Less time taken with each client: 21.74 percent.
- Volunteer burnout or attrition: 19.57 percent.
- Other: 13.04 percent.
