Jenny Smith Housing First Scholarship 2024

The Scholarship will be awarded for the purpose of pursuing an international investigative project into Housing First principles, policy, practice or systems change of a kind that could not be achieved within Australia. The design and conduct of the Scholarship proposal should contribute to the advancement and embedding of SHS Housing First in Victoria, and the project must be complete with 12 months from the announcement of the recipient. This comprises all travel and agreed project deliverables, including a final project report.

Proposed itineraries may include service visits, meetings with Housing First service delivery or commissioning agencies, researchers or experts by experience, or attendance at relevant training or conferences. Proposals may focus on one or several Housing First related issues. The following topics are offered to kickstart thinking by potential applicants as they develop a scholarship proposal – please note this list is NOT exhaustive nor prescriptive and applicants are not limited to these topics.

• – Housing First for Youth
• – First Nations Housing First models
• – Housing First and systems change
• – Housing First and alcohol and other drugs
• – Housing First from a gendered lens
• – Co-production with people with lived/living experience in Housing First
• – Housing First and housing advocacy – generating housing supply  
• – Housing First and Specialist Family Violence co-design
• – Housing First and LGBTQIA+ services co-design
• – Housing First and mental health
• – Housing First and multi-disciplinary teams
• – Assertive outreach in Housing First
• – Housing First model fidelity
• – Engaging other sectors in Housing First
• – Housing First in rural and regional settings
• – Social inclusion – social and family networks in Housing First
• – Breaking the institutional cycle with Housing First

The value of the scholarship is up to $15,000 for airfares, surface travel, accommodation, and incidental travel expenses (e.g. travel insurance, daily living allowance).  Incidental expenses must not exceed 20% of the scholarship value. 

The scholarship recipient will be responsible for:

1. 1. Any expenses incurred above the value of the scholarship
2. 2. Any incidental expenses incurred above the funding cap of 20%
3. 3. Any costs associated with obtaining or renewal of passport or travel visas
4. 4. Booking all travel arrangements
5. 5. Maintaining a record of expenses funding by the scholarship amount
6. 6. Return of any unexpended scholarship funds
7. 7. Travel must be taken as one continuous journey from Australia.

The scholarship recipient will be expected to enter an agreement with CHP prior to the scholarship amount being paid or any overseas travel being undertaken for the purpose of the scholarship. The agreement will set out the terms and conditions of the scholarship.    

The exact scope of deliverables will be negotiated and agreed with the Lead Practitioner Housing First prior to acceptance of the Scholarship terms and conditions and provided to Council to Homeless Persons. Project deliverables will include the following elements:

• – Travel journal
• – Project report upon return
• – Presentations to a range of audiences that may include SHS services, CHP staff and Board, Homes Victoria.

Council to Homeless Persons will be granted a fee-free, unlimited licence to share and use the materials for the purpose of fulfilling its functions, including advocacy, communication, policy and capacity building.

Every application will be assessed based on merit, with consideration of the quality of the proposal for study, research and experiential learning, and its utility in building the knowledge base and strategic perspectives around Housing First in Victoria.

The Scholarship selection committee will consider each of the following key selection criteria:   

1. 1. PURPOSE – the strategic relevance of the itinerary is to include engagement with individuals, organisations or researchers at the forefront of Housing First practice and innovation and state the necessity of overseas travel to gain the proposed benefits.
2. 2. BENEFIT – the potential benefits to sector development of the applicant’s proposal in Victoria.
3. 3. FEASIBILITY – achievability of the applicant’s proposal within the guidelines.
4. 4. READINESS AND LEADERSHIP – the applicant’s current understanding and commitment to Housing First principles, practice and leadership experience. Previous winners are ineligible to apply. 
5. 5. CAPABILITY AND COMMUNICATION – the applicant’s ability to maximise and capitalise on the opportunity, benefits and lessons of the scholarship while overseas and upon their return including a commitment to disseminate their findings to the Victorian Specialist Homelessness Sector.

Candidates are required to provide a Project Referee and a Personal Referee as part of the application process. It is preferable that referees are Victorian residents. Referees will be required to provide a short, written reference that speaks to the applicant’s proposal. Referees will be checked along with any supporting information.

It is recommended that you identify your referees and request references early in the application process to allow sufficient time for them to write and lodge their references online prior to the closing date.

1. 1. The Chair of CHP will convene a panel to undertake the selection process. 
2. 2. The selection process will include the written application, interview(s) of shortlisted candidates and referee checks for at least the preferred candidate.
3. 3. Interviews will be held in person at CHP’s offices in Collingwood at a mutually suitable time.
4. 4. The successful candidate will be notified personally then announced via CHP E-News
5. 5. Unsuccessful candidates will be notified of the outcome but will not receive individual feedback on their application.   
6. 6. The selection panel reserves the right to not award a scholarship should no application meet the guidelines.

1. Questions and requests for further information can be directed by email to admin@chp.org.au with Query: Jenny Smith Housing First Scholarship in the subject line.