Colony Outreach Support Services - COSS

The Colony Outreach Support Service supports individuals and families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Funded by the State Government through the National Affordable Housing Agreement (NAHA), COSS provides a wide range of accommodation support services which are tailored to meet specific client needs.
Our practice is centred on identifying the strengths and resources in a person’s life and building on them as we work together towards achieving the best possible outcomes. Our case workers are specialised in delivering the following levels of support:

• Early intervention and prevention
• Tenancy Support
• Emergency accommodation
• Short to long-term case management and co-case management with a range of support services
• Brokerage and emergency relief funds to access further supports required to access or maintain independent accommodation
• Community tenancies for temporary accommodation and intensive case management
• Advocacy, information and referral.

Client Feedback
COSS works in the community to reduce the stigma and breakdown the stereotypes related to homelessness. We emphasise the message that homelessness is not a choice. The following comment from a COSS client highlights this point: ” I’m a capable, intelligent person who used to have a fantastic career. I stopped working, then my relationship ended badly and now I’m living in a shelter. Now that I find myself in this situation, I have realised that homelessness can happen to anyone.’