RESIDENTIAL TENANCIES AUTHORITY

Grants recipients 2008

Congratulations to 2008 Grant recipients

Fourteen community organisations have received funding of over $170,000 from the RTA. The successful organisations were chosen from a field of 22 applications requesting a total amount of over $280,000.

The 2008-09 Grants Scheme funding was awarded to projects targeting a range of RTA priority target groups and geographical areas as follows:

$15,366 to Tenants' Union of Qld for the New Web Action Project. This statewide 6 month project aims to update tenancy law information and education material in readiness for changes to the legislation. In order to better inform tenants and residents about their rights and responsibilities the TU will review also review the design and content of both their hard copy and web based material, thus maximising the TU's capacity to distribute information to tenants via electronic and digital formats. The writing of the publications and content will be developed through this project while the website redesign to accommodate the new material will be provided through in kind support from TUQ.
$15,000 to Australian Red Cross for the The Sudanese Sustaining Tenancies, Building Communities Project. This 9 month project aims to increase tenancy knowledge and reduce potential homelessness for Sudanese refugees settled in Toowoomba through the development of a peer leadership network and the development of a culturally appropriate set of resources The project will incorporate the use of existing resources during the focus group stage and then focuses on the development of a DVD which has been costed on the basis of the cost encountered by other agencies developing a similar product.
$15,000 to Caravan and Manufactured Home Residents Association of Qld Inc. for the Moveable Dwelling Tenancy Law Community Education Project 2008. This statewide project aims to inform regional caravan park residents about their tenancy rights and responsibilities. It is proposed this will be done through a 12 month project incorporating information sessions in locations within Central Queensland, Central Coast, Fraser Coast and Southern Downs. Wherever possible the Tenant Advice and Advocacy Service (TAASQ) will support the provision of these sessions. The seminars will in some instances be delivered on site at the Caravan Parks (where good relationships exist with managers associated with the Caravan Park Association Queensland) and in community venues where this relationship does not exist. The seminars will cover most aspects of a tenancy and will also be events where RTA publications and documents are distributed.
$15,000 to Ethnic Communities Council of Qld Ltd for Community Education with CALD Communities Research Project. This research project aims to consolidate the learning's from previous research and practical projects targeting the education needs of tenants from emerging communities. The study will define the elements of successful models of information delivery with a particular focus on how Tenant and Advice Advocacy Services (TAASQ) could be strengthened to meet the needs of emerging CALD communities. A set of best practice guidelines and a report will be developed and available to tenancy and refugee organizations statewide.
$15,000 to Youth and Family Service (Logan City) Inc for the Logan TAAS Multi-lingual Fridge Calendar Project 2009. This six month project aims to develop a writable fridge calendar which is available in six languages and informs tenants in the Logan area about their obligations as tenants and what local services can assist them when things go wrong. This educational/promotional calendar will be available in English and translated into languages used in Burma, Congo, Sudan, Tanzania, and Burindi. It will promote the Tenant Advice and Advocacy Service (TAASQ) to the wider community while also improving access to tenancy information and advocacy to newly arrived migrants under the Humanitarian Settlement Program. It is proposed that the calendar will be officially launched in a ceremony and that approximately 4,000 calendars will be subsequently distributed throughout Logan.
$14,975 to ARAMA Qld Inc for the New Tenants, New Needs: Helping Building Managers Understand the needs of the disadvantaged project. The target groups for this project are Australian Resident Accommodation Managers' Association (ARAMA) members and their staff. Members manage 43,000+ properties across Queensland. This state wide project aims to educate members about the special needs of tenants from a number of priority groups and provide them with skills and information for better meeting these needs. This is proposed to be done through the provision of seminars to branch members around the state. It is proposed that the project would be done in a three month period and that PowerPoint and "leave behind information" would be developed in consultation with a number of government and non government human service providers.
$14,950 to Bundaberg Housing Services Inc (TAAS) for Rights and Responsibilities Road Trip Project. This project aims to increase awareness about tenancy rights and responsibilities and subsequently increase tenancy stability and options within the rental market. The project will specifically cover areas within a 200km radius of Bundaberg and therefore promote the Tenant Advice and Advocacy Service (TAASQ) to people who may only otherwise be able to contact it by phone. It is proposed that 8 rural communities will be visited with a total of 3 sessions provided over the year of the projects duration. Sessions will be delivered by the local (TAASQ) worker and will be tailored to fit the issues and character of each of the communities. Highly likely that a sausage sizzle will be held in each community for one of the sessions and all sessions will include information about rights and responsibilities for both tenants and landlords in the form of PowerPoint, posters and brochures etc.
$14,945 to Multicultural Development Association Inc for Peer Tenancy Learning Project. This twelve month project targets humanitarian settlement clients of this organisation in the wider Brisbane area. It aims to develop and implement short and long term strategies for providing information and education to the above group on key tenancy processes, in particular the filling out and comprehension of the Tenancy Agreement and Entry Condition Report. A resource package will be developed relating specifically to these two documents and approximately 100 of these packages will be produced. These education packages will be utilised in peer training with existing volunteers of the organisation and bicultural workers. It is proposed that the resource package developed will be available on the organisations website for use by other settlement services and interested groups.
$13,933 to Nambour Community Centre Inc for CATISC - Culturally Appropriate Tenancy Information on the Sunshine Coast. This six month project targets international students and temporary visa holders on the Sunshine Coast and aims to raise their awareness of tenancy rights and responsibilities and the local Tenant Advice and Advocacy Service (TAASQ) and its services. It is proposed this will be done through identifying existing gaps in information availability and the subsequent development and delivery of five information sessions to be delivered throughout the Sunshine Coast in collaboration with the local (TAASQ). A project worker will be employed and will work within the Neighborhood Centre's Cultural Connections Program.
$11,260 to Brisbane Housing Company Ltd for Bridging the Divide: Educating BHC Tenants on the RTA Through an Informative Audio CD-ROM. This 6 month project aims to improve accessibility to tenancy information and develop education resources for Brisbane Housing Company residents who are faced with literacy issues, visual impairment or linguistic barriers to understanding their rights and responsibilities. This will be achieved through the development of an audio CD Rom with content on rights and responsibilities that are relevant for all tenants around Queensland.
$11,067 to Charters Towers Neighborhood Centre Inc for the Don't Let Your Housing Problems Come Crashing Down on You project. This project aims to increase knowledge about tenancy rights and responsibilities within this regional community and consequently decrease housing stress and homelessness due to avoidable tenancy breaches etc. The proposed project will deliver a 12 month program of intensive tenancy education through: a) 3 community education sessions; b) 12 newspaper announcements over the year relating to rights and responsibilities; and c) placing an information booth in a local shopping centre once a week over a 6 month period.
$10,300 to Centacare Fraser Coast for the Youth Tenancy Education project. This Harvey Bay based service proposes a project that will deliver tenancy and education to a broad range of youth living within the Fraser Coast Regional Council. Whilst the information will be targeted at high school aged youth, it will not necessarily target schools but those youth in contact with various government and non-government services in the area. The project aims to equip young people with skills to successfully negotiate their tenancy agreements and maintain their tenancies. It is proposed this will be done through the development of information modules and the delivery of these modules through information sessions over a period of six months.
$5,900 to Murri and Torres Strait Islander Network for Indigenous Community Tenancy Information Sessions. This is a nine month project which aims to increase knowledge about tenancy rights and responsibilities amongst ATSI peoples in Logan and to consequently decrease tenancy breaches and property damage and increase bond loan returns. It is proposed that a culturally appropriate training/information package will be developed and information sessions delivered with guest speakers from Interlink, Logan Tenant Advice and Advocacy Service (TAASQ), RTA and other relevant organisations.
$4,200 to Tenants' Union of Qld (Fraser Coast) for the Responsible Tenancies project. This 12 month project aims to provide disadvantaged groups including low-socio economic, youth, indigenous etc with information and tools to maintain responsible tenancies. This will be done through eight 4-5 our information session to be held at Marlborough Neighborhood Centre as part of the centre's wider program of community education.