We are a point of contact for the media, along with providing strategic advice on programs, crisis management, promotion of services and activities, along with support for fundraising events such as Walk a Mile in My Boots.

Hutt St Centre has been providing support services for people who are at risk of or experiencing homelessness for more than 70 years. It provides a range of services and programs, including providing a hot breakfast and lunch each day, lockers, hot showers, engaging daytime activities, mobile charging facilities and access to a nurse, case managers and other support workers. 

Aspire is a key program which Hutt St Centre runs, where it provides intensive case management for people who have been homeless for a significant period of time, helping them to not only move into a house, but to create a sense of homefulness. This includes providing wrap-around services, whether it be support in providing documents, health and wellbeing services, and in some cases, employment support. 

The Social Impact Bond was undertaken over a seven-year period, with clients case managed for three years. This allowed for four annual intakes. Aspire achieved a significant success rate, however, funding to continue to program after the first four intakes was no longer able to be provided by the Social Impact Bond model, and funding was needed from another source. 

Over its seven years, Aspire has saved the South Australian Government more than $35 million in avoided services including hospital bed days, criminal convictions and in emergency accommodation. Participants avoided spending more than 6,000 nights in hospital, a 28% reduction in hospital bed days relative to participants’ prior use. Close to 1,500 convictions were also avoided – a 35 per cent reduction relevant to participants’ experience prior to Aspire. The program saved close to 3,000 nights of emergency accommodation, with 81 per cent of participants placed in housing, and 86 per cent maintaining their tenancies.

Objectives

With a change in the funding model, Hughes began working with Hutt St Centre to promote the success of the Aspire Social Impact Bond in late 2020. Since then, Hughes has worked on promoting the annual figures from the program, along with providing more intensive support in subsequent years as the Social Impact Bond approached its final year and intake.
The aim of our work with Aspire has been to raise awareness of the success of the program in the media, with industry stakeholders and with government decision makers.
 

Elements

• Holding a workshop with the Hutt St Centre board to discuss objectives to raise awareness of the program with stakeholders
• Support for the development of a business case for Aspire going forward
• Developing stakeholder communications plans in the lead up to South Australian budgets from 2022-23 to 2025-26, including developing a strategy for meetings with industry stakeholders and government decision makers. This included outlining every key stakeholder and creating a calendar of engagement opportunities
• Developing messaging documents to share with stakeholders at meetings in the six months leading up to each State Budget
• Developing talking points ahead of media engagement opportunities for CEO Chris Burns
• Developing a media engagement plan including mainstream radio, TV, print and online coverage, including editorial and advertorial coverage and a feature article
• Holding media calls to launch annual results, including providing case studies
• Supporting the publication of summary documents including editorial and graphic design, along with social media tiles and messaging 
• Preparation of several versions of media releases depending on State Budget outcomes, including responses from Chris Burns
• Preparation of messaging for staff depending on State budget outcomes, including several versions
• Drafting of communications to stakeholders including government representatives
• Briefings on what to expect from the media, including potential questions and pain points, along with highlighting key points