You cannot design a program for all of Western Australia without first understanding all of Western Australia. That is exactly what Shelter WA set out to do between 2021 and 2023, when it undertook a landmark three-stage regional engagement project, funded by Lotterywest, that took the organisation into communities across all nine WA regions. 

What Shelter WA Did: 

Delivered in three stages, Research, Understand, and Embed, the project involved 14 regional trips, in-person and online engagement with 139 stakeholders, attendance at eight events, and the hosting of three forums in the Kimberley. It was one of the most comprehensive efforts by any WA community services peak body to understand the housing and homelessness challenges facing regional organisations.  

What They Found: 

The findings were stark. Regional WA was facing acute and unprecedented housing pressures. At the time, there was an estimated unmet need for 22,700 social and affordable homes across regional WA. Housing markets were being distorted by commodity prices, tourism, and seasonal workforces. Many existing policies were simply not fit for purpose in a regional context.  

But the research also found something important about organisations: they were doing remarkable work with very little. Many regional CHOs and ACHOs were operating on extremely limited resources, with no dedicated support, no place-based advisory services, and no clear pathway to access the funding and expertise they needed to grow.  

What It Means for Community Housing Futures WA: 

This work directly informs how Community Housing Futures WA is designed and delivered. The program’s deliberate focus on regional equity, ensuring that geography is not a barrier to participation, that engagement is face-to-face where possible, and that support is tailored to the realities of operating in remote and regional WA, is a direct result of what Shelter WA heard during those 14 regional trips. The voices of regional organisations are embedded in this program’s DNA.