Evaluation of the Integrated Humanitarian Settlement Strategy (IHSS)

ather than a standard package based on the number of people in the household. In practice,
however, some service providers supply some goods as a standard package – eg in Adelaide kitchen
and linen packs are supplied prior to the family’s arrival, and the remainder is provided once a needs
assessment is carried out.
One practical problem experienced by some service providers has been gaining access to families to
conduct needs assessments. Often HFS providers find themselves unable to interview the family for
some time as other needs take priority. This inevitably delays the delivery of goods to the family, as
the service provider needs time to locate, purchase and arrange delivery of household items.
Some service providers reported that they would prefer to give families a combination of money,
vouchers and goods as this provides entrants with choice and enhances self respect.
Barriers to providing goods
Providers reported difficulties in some areas in providing the household goods needed. Service
providers in some of the larger States reported that legislative provisions limit the purchase of second
hand goods, particularly electrical goods, meaning a larger portion of the allocation must be spent on
buying new goods.
It is also difficult to find quality second hand goods in some areas – particularly in regional areas
where options are limited, and in some metropolitan areas where demand for second hand goods
exceeds the supply of these goods.
Service providers have also found that clients often compare the goods they receive under HFS and
ask for similar things. For this reason, in small regional areas, service providers often have to provide
goods of similar standards, regardless of need. Where volunteers are asked to deliver this service,
trying to access goods of similar quality in areas where this might be limited places huge burdens on
volunteer capacity.
Top-up goods
It is an expectation of the service that community organisations will continue to supplement HFS
goods in the normal course of their work. However, in practice, this does not always occur. On some
occasions this has been because the goods are not available. In some instances other community
organisations do not assist because they perceive that this is the job another service provider is paid
to do. Where the delivery of HFS was divided up among different community organisations and their
volunteers, which had variable resource bases, some groups were in a better position than others to
‘top up’ goods.
The assumption that HFS goods will be ‘topped up’ results in some families waiting unreasonable
periods of time to receive some basic items.
Service provider’s capacity
Some service provider indicated that they do not have adequate capacity to purchase – then store
and deliver-goods. In particular, when bulk purchases are made there were some concerns (and
costs) associated with storing goods until they are required.
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Evaluation of the Integrated Humanitarian Settlement Strategy 27 May 2003