Phase 2: Registration (capability uplift and registration status)

Under this phase, an Aboriginal Organisation would strengthen its capability and capacity, in preparation for its application to become a Registered Housing Agency.

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1. Workforce

Aboriginal Organisations will need to have an adequately resourced and a suitably skilled workforce that will:

  1. Support the organisation to work through the registration process to achieve registration status. For example, newly established housing agencies have typically employed 2 full time employees over 3 months.
  2. Manage social housing tenancies. For example, the average Registered Housing Agency will employ one full-time employee who will manage approximately 50-100 tenancies, depending on commercial viability. 

Workforce

1.1 Organisational capacity and capability uplift

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2. Cultural Safety Framework

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Under partnership service model 2, in exchange for organisational capacity and capability uplift from the Registered Housing Agency, the unregistered Aboriginal Organisation will provide cultural support and advice to the Registered Housing Agency on culturally safe service provision for workers and clients.

The unregistered Aboriginal Organisation may in some cases introduce the Registered Housing Agency to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Safety Framework, the framework is a tool that supports individuals and organisations as they reflect on and continue on their journey of understanding and improving cultural safety in the workplace.

Part 2 of the framework is the cultural safety continuum reflective tool. The reflective tool represents the high-level intent of each stage of maturity based on a competency continuum.

The domains of the cultural safety continuum reflective tool are:

  1. Creating a culturally safe workplace and organisation
  2. Aboriginal self-determination
  3. Leadership and accountability. 

Registered housing agencies can find more information on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Safety Framework on the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing website.

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3. Policy and procedures

Aboriginal Organisations should review and update all policies and procedures to ensure that they can fulfill their responsibilities as a Registered Housing Agency.

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4. Regulation and governance

As part of the registration process Aboriginal Organisations will be required to provide the Housing Registrar with supporting documentation that indicates they are an agency that is well-governed and is able to provide services relating to social housing. This includes:

  • Ensuring coherent and robust strategic, operational, financial and risk planning
  • Ensuring effective, transparent and accountable arrangements and controls are in place for decision making to give effect to strategic, operational, financial and risk plans
  • Complying with legal requirements and relevant government policies
  • Ensuring that the governing body has members with appropriate expertise or that this expertise is available to the governing body. 

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5. Eligibility and registration criteria

To obtain registration in Victoria as a Registered Agency, Aboriginal Organisations must satisfy the Registrar of Housing Agencies that they:

  • Meet all criteria specified within Schedule 7 of Part VIII of the Housing Act 1983 (Vic) (Housing Act)
  • Have the capacity to meet gazetted Performance Standards. 

Eligibility and registration criteria

5.1 General

5.2 Constitution - objects and powers

5.3 Constitution - additional provisions

5.4 Capacity to meet Performance Standards

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6. Application process

A key aspect of this phase is the Aboriginal Organisations ability to accurately complete all the required documentation to become registered. This includes the following:

  • Applying for registration to become a registered agency
  • Registration application process and timelines
  • Conditions of Registration

For more information, please visit the 'Applying for registration'-page on the Housing Registrar website.

Application process

6.1 Applying for registration to become a registered agency

6.2 Application timelines

6.3 Conditions of registration

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7. IT and systems

Aboriginal Organisations will need to identify and assess their need for appropriate IT infrastructure and software to manage social housing tenancies.

A useful resource for Aboriginal Organisations to use throughout this section is the CHIA NSW & ACHIA NSW Property/Housing Software Procurement Guide.

This resource provides a guide and point of evaluation of key systems and products the Aboriginal Organisation will require, specifically:

  • 5.0 Software Suppliers & Products
  • 5.1 Integrated Tenancy and Asset Management Systems
  • 5.2 Real Estate Software Suppliers
  • 5.3 Best-of-Breed Asset Management/Maintenance Software Products

For more information, visit the CHIA Vic website.

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