A new report by CHP has for the first time documented the full, limited extent of assertive outreach in Victoria.

The report finds Victoria currently has a total equivalent of 40.5 full time workers to support a rough sleeper population that exceeds 11,000 people. This equates to 1 worker for, conservatively, every 272 rough sleepers. 55 local government areas have no assertive outreach at all.

Amongst its recommendations, CHP has called on the Victorian government to expand assertive outreach programs to fund at least 177 full-time workers across the state, by expanding existing government-funded programs, resourcing and expanding existing community-funded programs, and establishing new assertive outreach programs in local government areas that currently have none.

The Victorian Government has handed down its Budget for 2026/27, delivering $47 million in homelessness assistance.

As part of this investment, it’s welcome to see $25.8 million committed to expanded assertive outreach programs, which will engage more rough sleepers across the state.

However, in a budget forecasting an operating surplus, we needed to see far more support for the more than 100,000 Victorians coming to homelessness services every year. Click through to read more on our initial take on what’s in it for the sector and Victorians experiencing homelessness.

‘Walk In Her Shoes’ – CHP’s touring exhibition and forum series – is now making its way around Victoria, sparking vital community conversations along the way.

The immersive exhibition challenges expectations of what homelessness looks like, by sharing the stories of three women who each experienced homelessness at a different stage of life – as a youth, as a mother, and as an older Victorian.

At each stop in the tour, a local forum brings together community leaders with homelessness workers, lived experience experts and MPs to discuss the actions needed to end homelessness in their region.

Catch Walk In Her Shoes as it stops in your area.