The model is based on the following principles:
Affordability - offer affordable housing to people on low incomes.
Safety & comfort - tenants should feel safe and comfortable in their homes and consideration is given to ensuring protection to more vulnerable tenants: support services are accessible, flexible and aimed at fostering.
Stability - support services aim to ensure housing stability to maximise each tenant’s ability to live independently.
Empowerment, independence and personal development - the focus of the housing supply and allied programs are viewed as a suite of pathways to foster independence, self esteem and connection to the community.
The critical ‘ingredients’ of the Common Ground model are to:
- Build support provision (in the form of effective relationships with case workers and other specialist staff) into the overall housing model, so that people with a history of homelessness, who may otherwise not be able to sustain an independent tenancy, can be assisted to maintain housing and establish stable, safe and secure lifestyles.
- Utilise mixed tenancies to facilitate social inclusion, a sustainable community environment and the opportunity to live an a non-institutionalised setting.
- Establishing stable, safe and secure lifestyles.
- Establish productive linkages into the arts education, sport and employment fields to maximise the opportunity for participants to become reconnected with the mainstream of the community in ways that build capacity and interest.
