Social Impact Statement – The Uniting Church in Australia Property Trust (NSW)

Stage 1 Development Application – 13 April 2017

inSpiring the Common Good – Parramatta Mission

Background, Context and Vision

Set in the Parramatta Square Precinct the Macquarie Street sites of Parramatta Mission, as part of the Uniting Church in Australia, are well placed to offer an integrated service of care for the homeless that is of a world’s best quality. That intention is consistent with the redevelopment of Leigh Memorial Church as a place of worship, hospitality and a public space for the arts and music. These developments will take place on a site which has an indigenous history reaching back 2 to 3000 years and one which is closely aligned to the earliest days of settler history in Parramatta. The Macquarie Street site provides the Mission with the opportunity of connecting a living past with an emerging future in a way which will be quite distinctive in the built form of Parramatta Square. It allows the Square to be true to its history of being a “meeting place” – “yurora” – for a culturally and linguistically diverse city. It is consistent with the Mission’s longstanding committee to social connectivity.

The project’s name is deliberate and is designed to convey these aims. The reference to inSpiring captures, first, the intention to replace the spire on Leigh Memorial Church. The spire is an historical link back to the 19th century and its imminent return is pleasing to the indigenous peoples. It is at the same time an imaginative call to be energetic and committed to the welfare of all, especially those who are most in need in our city. The underlying assumption is that a good city is more than its infrastructure, its commerce, its transport and governance. Of equal importance is the cultivation of qualities like mercy, justice, hospitality and compassion – hence the common good. That focus on the common good is consistent with the Christian faith’s desire to love one’s neighbour (whoever that might be) as oneself and “do good to all”.

The terminology of the common good is frequently invoked in discussions surrounding the nature of a civil society. The mission and its various activities belong inside what is called the third sphere of the public domain.

The first two have to do with (i) governance, law and justice, and, (ii) commerce, economics, business and labour. The fourth and fifth spheres have to do with (iv) media, the arts, education and those who influence public opinion, and (v) social media.

This third sphere in which this development is based is the site of NGOs, voluntary organisations, churches and other religions: their particular function is to furnish care and advocacy as well build networks of ‘thin relationships’ between diverse entities.

The Uniting Church in Australia Macquarie Street site allows Parramatta Mission to address this missing link – this third sphere – in the Parramatta Square precinct.

The Model

At Parramatta Mission, our goal is to transform people’s lives so people are able to move towards neither dependency nor independence but interdependence and lead a meaningful and contributing life. We intend to use our site in Macquarie Street Parramatta to fulfil this objective.

Parramatta Mission has a long and valuable history of supporting people who are facing homelessness, those facing crisis and people living with severe and persistent mental health issues within Parramatta, and these activities complement the aims of the City of Parramatta Council in their quest to lead the creation of Australia’s next great city.

Mental illness is episodic in nature, which can result in periods in and out of employment, as well as significant transitions through the housing market. Due to these factors, people living with a mental illness are more likely to experience homelessness and insecure accommodation, if the right services are not accessible at the right time. Unstable tenancy and uncertain accommodation can in turn affect mental health and wellbeing, thus creating a rapid cycle of downturn for the person.

Parramatta Mission aim to create a service system to increase positive outcomes for clients in Parramatta, known as InSpiring the Common Good. This will be achieved by the development of the evidence based Common Ground model, which brings together people, including those with mental health issues and those who are homeless and people on low incomes in a residential complex which includes self-contained apartments and communal spaces as well as office space for case management and support services, financial counselling and a range of social and living skills activities.

The Common Ground model provides a range of accommodation options both on site and in the community, predominately self-contained studio apartments, but also one and two bedroom apartments. These accommodation options may be offered as affordable housing, social housing or housing designated for those who have experienced long term homelessness. The success of this model is enhanced by the wrap around services for the residents, providing direct and integrated linkages to health, social supports, counselling and drug and alcohol services, thus supporting people with complex needs.

The InSpiring the Common Good models create a warm and nurturing place to live, providing people with opportunities and resources to live with dignity and lead a productive life.

One of the most debilitating consequences of homelessness is that it can strip someone of their self-worth, and access to education and training, and meaningful employment is a crucial part of restoring a sense of personal purpose, contributing to the local community and the provision of a living wage to support independence.

A social enterprise has been developed focused on the hospitality sector, providing training, skills development and support for InSpiring the Common Good clients, producing meals for sale and available to people that are homeless across Parramatta. Parramatta Mission will employ people from the Common Good residential program through their training program, as well as partner with other social enterprises such as Two Good, Bright Hospitality and Cana farm in Western Sydney. Our staffing model will include employment specialists who will support people in their roles and work with local business about ongoing employment opportunities for graduates of the social enterprise training program. Likewise, Parramatta Mission itself will provide employment for people completing the program in a variety of roles.

The group of activities known as the Common Good will have a positive effect on the social fabric of the Parramatta community and wellbeing of its residents. A socially inclusive city is one where all people feel valued, their differences are respected, and their basic needs are met so they can live in dignity.Safe and affordable housing is a basic human right, and is also fundamental to an inclusive, dynamic and sustainable city, one which its residents are able to engage and participate, knowing that people from a diverse range of circumstances and backgrounds are included.

13 April 2017