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Exploratory research grant
project overview

OVERVIEW

The Journey to Home project exploratory phase (2019-2022) has set about identifying the unique needs of people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) backgrounds who may experience housing stress and vulnerability in Western Australia, and who may have experienced or be at risk for poor mental health outcomes and social isolation. At the conclusion of the exploratory phase, recommendations for interventions and services that are provided in a culturally appropriate, holistic and equitable were co-designed with key project stakeholders. This exploratory phase of the project also aimed to inform approaches to increase access to secure housing and improve mental health outcomes for CaLD people who are vulnerable to or experiencing homelessness.

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Specifically, this project consulted with the following key stakeholders:

a) people from CaLD backgrounds (over the age of 18 years old) residing in Western Australia who have or are experiencing homelessness, or those who may be identified as vulnerable to homelessness (primary target group); and

b) Western Australian service providers (working in housing, migration and mental health) working with people from CaLD backgrounds who have or are experiencing homelessness, or those who may be identified as vulnerable to homelessness (secondary target group). 

 

The project operated in three phases which have been outline below:

  • Develop a governance model and communication plan

  • Seek ethical approval

  • Recruit staff

  • Initial stakeholder consultation

  • Recruit RSG members

  • Scoping review

  • Cluster analysis

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  • Stakeholder consultation

  • Scoping review

  • Recruit CaPAG members

  • In-depth interviews

  • Initial qualitative analysis and journey mapping

  • Feedback from RSG and CaPAG

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  • Interviews

  • Stakeholder consultation

  • Qualitative analysis and journey mapping

  • Feedback from RSG and CaPAG

  • Sense making workshops

  • Development of recommendations

  • Synthesis and write-up

  • Knowledge translation activities

phase one
sept - jan 21

phase two

feb - jul 21

phase three
aug -NOV 22

GOVERNANCE

Project governance is designed to integrate the research process with the translation of project findings for 'end-users'. This comprises community/peer advisors, community agencies working with CaLD health and social services, those working in homelessness and mental health, government stakeholders and researchers. The involvement of community/peer and organisational representatives improved project understanding of context, ensuring early consideration of key issues from a variety of perspectives and development of outcomes in a way that ensures relevance and appropriateness. Governance comprise four components: Project Action Team (PAT), Project Implementation Team (PIT), Research Steering Group (RSG), Community and Peer Advisory Group (CaPAG). Access a research summary detailing the exploratory project governance model here. To view the current project and governance team, click here. See below the governance model team for the Exploratory Grant 2019-2022:

The following key stakeholders participated in the Research Steering Group throughout the 2019-2022 exploratory phase:

  • Andrea Knox Lyttle, WA Department of Communities

  • Bianca Fish, WA Mental Health Commission

  • A/Prof Christina Pollard, Mentally Healthy WA, Curtin University

  • John Berger, WA Alliance to End Homelessness

  • Len Hopkinson, St Bart's

  • Pearl Proud, Life Without Barriers

  • Ramdas Sankaran, Multicultural Service Centre of WA

  • Dr Rita Afsar, Office of Multicultural Interests

  • Tandiwe Kuwana, Mental Wellness Keys

  • Vivienne Pillay, Ethnic Communities Council of WA

The following research student completed Master of Public Health throughout the 2019-2022 exploratory phase:

  • Dr Elizabeth Connor completed her Master of Public Health by supporting the project's scoping review and undertaking the interviews conducted with the secondary target group.

The following student volunteers provided valuable research support throughout the 2019-2022 exploratory phase:

  • Brooklyn Royce, Bachelor of Science (Health Promotion): Supported the checking of interview transcripts.

  • Clare Logan, Bachelor of Science (Health Promotion): Supported the co-production of project e-newsletters.

  • Eliza Lock, Bachelor of Science (Health Promotion): Supported compiling data extraction tables for scoping review.

  • Heather Cattani, Bachelor of Science (Nutrition, Health Promotion): Supported the identification of appropriate resources for inclusion in the scoping review.

  • Issy Falatin, Bachelor of Science (Health Promotion): Created project promotional and recruitment content.

  • Karri Lee, Bachelor of Science (Health Promotion): Supported the identification of appropriate resources for inclusion in the desktop review.

  • Karina Reeves, Bachelor of Science (Health Promotion): Supported the identification of appropriate resources for inclusion in the scoping review.

  • Kathleen Blackburn, Bachelor of Science (Nutrition, Health Promotion): Supported the co-production of project e-newsletters.

  • Natasha Reid, Bachelor of Science (Health Promotion): Supported the identification of appropriate resources for inclusion in the scoping review.

  • Lauren Sammons, Bachelor of Science (Health Promotion): Supported the co-production of project e-newsletters.

  • Sasha Parker, Master of Public Health: Supported the identification of appropriate resources for inclusion in the desktop review.

  • Telysha Lyon, Bachelor of Science (Health Promotion): Supported the identification of appropriate resources for inclusion in the desktop review.

  • Tess Dalton, Bachelor of Science (Health Promotion): Supported compiling data extraction tables for the scoping review.

  • Tom O’Malley, Bachelor of Science (Health Promotion): Created an animated video summarising the project. 

  • Victoria Mitic, Bachelor of Science (Health Promotion): Extracted relevant data from eligible desktop review literature.

DESKTOP + DATA

The use of the literature is pivotal in guiding the study protocol, aim and objectives of the research, the development of project instruments, during analysis and in developing recommendations. The desktop review has been conducted in two parts: 1) a desktop review of the literature to gather data that will compile existing prevention strategies and services in Western Australia; and 2) a scoping review to consolidate the scholarly literature reporting on interventions to address mental health and social factors influencing vulnerability for homelessness amongst CaLD migrants in high-income countries. Access a research summary detailing scoping review findings here.

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Additionally, this study aimed to identify heterogeneity among migrants from CaLD backgrounds experiencing homelessness in WA, by conducting a cluster analysis using homelessness data collected in Perth to inform recommendations to facilitate access to secure housing for these groups. Participants from CaLD backgrounds (n=143) were identified from secondary cross-sectional data sourced from Vulnerability Index Service Prioritisation Decision Assistance Tool (VI-SPDAT) surveys conducted with people experiencing homelessness in Perth, WA, between 2012-2020. A two-step cluster analysis was used to identify subgroups within the data, and chi-square tests compared demographic characteristics and drivers of homelessness among the determined clusters.
 

Desktop Review Summary

​An initial desktop review was conducted to assist with determining the scope of experiences of homelessness amongst migrants from CaLD backgrounds with links to mental health in WA. Eligible literature was then categorised: government reports (n=11), community organisation reports (n=13), research reports (n=8), or local government reports (n=1). A total of 33 sources of grey literature were included in the review.

STORYTELLING

Narratives were sought from the primary and secondary target groups through in-depth interviews. Interviews with the primary target group focused on lived experiences specifically: barriers and enablers to service access; the determinant of homelessness; mental health and social inclusion, experiences of stigma and discrimination, migration stressors, housing and employment, and visa status. Interviews with the secondary target group focused on the systemic and structural issues that relate to the provision of services to people from CaLD communities and perceptions of factors influencing vulnerability for homelessness and risks for mental health.

As part of the exploration of the lived experiences of participants, a journey mapping activity was utilised. Journey mapping can be used to document and understand the many different steps or stages in a journey or pathway that a person may undertake. Journey mapping helped us to understand critical points in participant journeys with relation to migration, settlement, mental health stressors and experience with a range of services including housing and homelessness.

SENSEMAKING

Sensemaking is a collaborative technique used to validate, organise and interpret research data. We held a sensemaking workshop with the primary and secondary target groups to consolidate findings, develop recommendations for research policy and practice and possible prototype intervention(s). Dr Gemma Crawford, Dr Krysten Blackford and Dr Kahlia McCausland (members of the Project Implementation Team) presented findings from the scoping review, cluster analysis, and the stakeholder and primary target group interviews. The session involved engaging workshop attendees in group discussions and provided attendees with the opportunity to comment on research findings and suggest recommendations. The recommendations suggested by workshop participants were then entered into an online brainstorming website called GroupMap. At the end of the workshop participants were each allocated 10 votes in GroupMap to vote on the recommendations they deemed to be most significant. Following the workshop, the Project Implementation Team met to categorise the recommendations suggested by workshop attendees and the data-driven recommendations derived from project findings into guiding principles and recommendations for policy, practice and research.

J2H Workshop Pic 4.jpg
J2H Workshop Pic.jpg
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