Most Tasmanians recognise that having a roof over your head is essential to everything we value in life.

Without a home, it is extremely difficult to attain a reasonable level of health and wellbeing and maintain connections with family, friends and the community.

Common Ground views access to stable, affordable and high quality housing as a vital first step towards personal well being, life fulfilment and being accepted as a valued member of the community.

The Common Ground model provides quality, long term and affordable housing and support services to people who were previously homeless and low wage earners.  The Common Ground supportive housing methodology is recognised internationally for its effectiveness in housing people who have been chronically homeless, including people who have been long-term rough sleepers and stabilising their lives through supportive housing services. It is backed up by decades of evidence that verifies the value and success of the model.

The idea is to house a mix of people in a high quality residential complex, which includes self-contained apartments and communal spaces as well as office space for support services, and training activities such as education in the areas of arts, sports, employment, living skills and financial management.

The Key Elements of the Common Ground Model

The 4 critical components of the Common Ground model are:

• high quality, long term and affordable housing
• a safe, secure environment. The emphasis on safety and security is a hallmark of Common Ground developments. Security strategies invlude monitored building access, on-site staff and CCTV site coverage. Evidence shows that these features, managed carefully, enable the prevention of most incidents and the ability to respond quickly and effectively to incidents that do occur
• coordinated on-site support services designed to assist tenants, who may not otherwise be able to sustain an independent tenancy, to maintain housing
• a diverse social mix to facilitate social inclusion and develop a sustainable community. It is this aspect of the model that can also work to facilitate economic growth and neighbourhood renewal in local communities.

The Support Services

Common Ground is not just about housing. CGT's key mission is to get people housed and keep them housed, that is why support services form a crucial component of the Common Ground model.

Onsite support workers provide a flexible range of support services (one-on-one and in group settings) to help tenants live independently and maintain their tenancy.

The support service programs are specifically designed to:

• ensure tenants are safely housed and maintain their housing stability, avoiding returns to homelessness
• assist tenants to meet the obligations of their tenancy agreement
• support tenants to develop the personal skills they may need to achieve independence
• improve tenants' ability to manage their health and improve their health outcomes
• increase tenants' access to educational and vocational services to they have the opportunity to
• increase their incomes and develop employment pathways