Project Overview

Homelessness is a significant public health challenge in Australia. It is defined as a lack of suitable accommodation, inadequate housing conditions, unstable tenure, and lack of space for social interactions (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2018). A widely accepted ‘cultural’ definition of homelessness captures concepts of primary homelessness (lack of “conventional accommodation” including sleeping rough), in addition to secondary homelessness (emergency accommodation, youth refuges, “couch surfing”) and tertiary homelessness (accommodation that falls below minimum community standards) (Chamberlain & MacKenzie, 2008). 

Age and gender identity appear to play a role in housing insecurity and homelessness in Australia. On census night in 2021, approximately 122,000 people were estimated to be homeless (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021), with women’s homelessness on the rise. Women accounted for 81.7% of the 6,067 increase of people experiencing homelessness between 2016 and 2021, with older women more likely than older men to be in supported accommodation for the homeless, staying temporarily with other households, and living in 'severely' crowded dwellings (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021). According to the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (2024), women experience greater barriers to accessing housing than men, such as experiencing difficulties saving for a house deposit, being more likely to raise children as a single parent, and possessing fewer resources such as superannuation in older age due to work lives being fragmented by raising a family.  

In addition to gender and age, previous research conducted by the Collaboration for Evidence, Research and Impact in Public Health (CERIPH) via the Journey to Home Project highlights that migration and cultural and linguistic diversity also play a role in housing insecurity and homelessness in Australia (Blackford et al., 2023; Connor et al., 2021; Crawford et al., 2022). The literature also shows that the intersection between gender and cultural and linguistic diversity contributes to housing insecurity for migrant groups, particularly for women experiencing domestic violence, family breakdowns, and those on temporary visas (Kaleveld et al., 2019). Findings from the Journey to Home Project revealed that intersections between mental health and housing for migrants are not well understood; public health interventions are limited; culturally tailored housing interventions are required; and migrants have complex needs beyond housing. What is not well understood is the complex interplay between gender and other intersecting identities for women in WA, such as culture and ethnicity, in the context of housing insecurity and homelessness risk.  

Intersectionality theory may offer some insight into the growing issue of housing insecurity and homelessness among diverse groups of women in WA. Intersectionality refers to the interconnections between social factors such as race, class, and gender, and how these create interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage (Crenshaw, 1989). Comprehensive interventions should address individual, interpersonal, institutional, and societal factors (Gray et al., 2021) including the individual and structural drivers that are strongly associated with homelessness (Kaleveld et al., 2018). Considering the increasing homelessness among different groups of women in Australia, understanding how intersecting identities and individual drivers interact with structural drivers of homelessness for women will inform comprehensive health promotion strategies to improve housing security among these priority populations.  

References 
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2018). Census of population and housing: Estimating homelessness. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/housing/census-population-and-housing-estimating-homelessness 
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Estimating homelessness: Census. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/housing/estimating-homelessness-census/latest-release 
Blackford, K., Crawford, G., McCausland, K., & Zhao, Y. (2023). Describing homelessness risk among people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in Western Australia: A cluster analysis approach. Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 34(4), 953-962. https://doi.org/10.1002/hpja.704  
Chamberlain, C., & MacKenzie, D. (2008). Counting the Homeless https://apo.org.au/sites/default/files/resource-files/2008-09/apo-nid4672.pdf 
Connor, E., Blackford, K., McCausland, K., & Crawford, G. (2021). Journey to Home: A scoping review on housing, mental health, and cultural and linguistic diversity Curtin University]. Perth, Western Australia.  
Crawford, G., Connor, E., McCausland, K., Reeves, K., & Blackford, K. (2022). Public health interventions to address housing and mental health amongst migrants from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds living in high-income countries: A scoping review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(24), 16946. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192416946  
Crenshaw, K. (1989). Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex: A Black Feminist Critique of Antidiscrimination Doctrine. Feminist Theory and Antiracist Politics. https://scholarship.law.columbia.edu/faculty_scholarship/3007  
Gray, C., Crawford, G., Maycock, B., & Lobo, R. (2021). Socioecological factors influencing sexual health experiences and health outcomes of migrant Asian women living in ‘Western’ high-income countries: A systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(5). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18052469  
Institute., A. H. a. U. R. (2024). What are the real costs of Australia’s housing crisis for women? Retrieved 17 May 2024 from https://www.ahuri.edu.au/analysis/brief/what-are-real-costs-australias-housing-crisis-women 
Kaleveld, L., Atkins, M., & Flatau, P. (2019). Homelessness in culturally and linguistically diverse populations in Western Australia. https://api.research-repository.uwa.edu.au/ws/portalfiles/portal/71832043/homelessness_cald_report.pdf 
Kaleveld, L., Seivwright, A., Box, E., Callis, Z., & Flatau, P. (2018). Homelessness in Western Australia: A review of the research and statistical evidence. https://www.csi.edu.au/media/Homelessness_in_WA_Report_Web.pdf

Aims

This research aims to develop health promotion strategies to address housing insecurity and homelessness among women with intersecting identities in WA using participatory action research principles. 

Objectives

Primary target group: Women experiencing housing insecurity and homelessness in WA.  

Research objectives: 
• Identify determinants of housing insecurity and homelessness among women in WA through an intersectional lens.  
• Explore the lived experiences of the primary target group.  
• Assess perceived enablers and barriers to secure housing among the primary target group.   
• Explore attitudes of the primary target group towards current and potential homelessness interventions in WA.  
• Critically analyse health promotion interventions for addressing housing insecurity and homelessness among the primary target group.  
• Review existing policies aimed at addressing housing insecurity and homelessness among the primary target group.  
• Co-produce recommendations for health promotion strategies to improve housing security among the primary target group.

Significance 

Women experiencing homelessness in Australia often encounter unique challenges stemming from systemic and social factors, including limited resources, gender-based violence, and limited access to safe housing options. Recognising the intersections of gender, ethnicity, and other identities is crucial in developing comprehensive health promotion approaches to address homelessness and ensure equitable outcomes for marginalised women in Australia.

The scholar will be based in the Collaboration for Evidence, Research and Impact in Public Health (CERIPH), facilitating a multidisciplinary training experience. The scholar will work with established teams in health promotion and housing research, including the Journey to Home project. The scholar will work alongside and be mentored by PhD scholars and researchers and participate in the activities of CERIPH including lunch and learn sessions and social activities. The scholar will work alongside external organisations to support knowledge translation. Research aims are congruent with the Community arm of Curtin’s enAble Institute, specifically the Mental Health Domain, and the Odyssey Research Hub. The project will contribute to more than a decade of work by CERIPH and build WA research capacity. It will continue to raise Curtin’s profile as a key contributor to research to address a range of health issues and determinants which result from cross-border movement. This vision is congruent with Curtin’s strategic priority to identify and enable areas of emerging research capability.
 

An internship may be available for this project. The scholar will be provided with the opportunity to work closely with relevant partners of the Journey to Home project:  
• WA Alliance to End Homelessness  
• Mentally Healthy WA 
• Mental Health Commission 
• Department of Communities  
• St Bart’s 
Organisations will be invited to host the scholar to provide opportunities to develop an understanding of the policy and service user context and environment, which will directly benefit/inform the research project.

• Future Students

• Faculty of Health Sciences

• Higher Degree by Research

• Australian Citizen
• Australian Permanent Resident
• New Zealand Citizen
• Permanent Humanitarian Visa
• International Student

• Merit Based

The annual scholarship package, covering both stipend and tuition fees, amounts to approximately $70,000 per year.

In 2024, the RTP stipend scholarship offers $35,000 per annum for a duration of up to three years. Exceptional progress and adherence to timelines may qualify students for a six-month completion scholarship.

Selection for these scholarships involves a competitive process, with shortlisted applicants notified of outcomes by November 2024.

1

All applicable HDR courses.

We are looking for an applicant with a strong commitment to social justice and health equity. Ideally the applicant will have: 
• a background in public health, health promotion, social or behavioural sciences;  
• an interest in community-facing, policy-relevant research; 
• strong verbal communication and interpersonal skills; 
• excellent written communication skills including the peer-reviewed and grey literature; 
• experience and/or interest in co-design and emancipatory principles; 
• strong project management skills;  
• ability to work independently and as part of a team; and 
• experience or interest in qualitative and mixed methods research.

 

Please send your CV, academic transcripts and brief rationale why you want to join this research project via the HDR Expression of Interest form to the project lead researcher, listed below. 

You must be enrolled in a Higher Degree by Research Course at Curtin University by March 2025.

Project Lead: Dr Krysten Blackford