HOUSING AND ACCOMMODATION

Office of Housing
www.housing.vic.gov.au

The Office of Housing is a division of the Victorian Department of Human Services and provides subsidised housing for low-income Victorians who cannot access the private rental or home ownership markets, and who meet eligibility requirements.

The Office of Housing website contains very important information on issues such as public housing, crisis housing, long term community housing and issues relating to private ownership and rental, such as the bond loan scheme.

Gayshare
www.gayshare.com.au

Lots of gay friendly homes & flatmates available, plus new listings daily! To search and make contact create a profile, to preview gay friendly homes and flatmates in Melbourne use preview listings.

Gumtree
www.melbourne.gumtree.com.au

Classifieds website with a good listing of share accommodation available as well as private rental availabilities.

Flatemate finder
www.flatmatefinders.com.au

Lots of Melbourne homes & flatmates available, plus new listings daily! To search and make contact create a profile, to preview available shared accommodation and flatmates use preview listings.

Real Estate.com.au
www.realestate.com.au

Listings for rental properties and share accommodation across Australia.

Homeless Accommodation Melbourne
www.melbourne.homeless.org.au

Crisis Accommodation links and services across Melbourne.

HEALTH

PLWHA Victoria
www.plwhavictoria.org.au

People Living with HIV/AIDS Victoria is the peak advocacy, education, advice, support and social networking body for ALL People Living with HIV/AIDS in the state.

Victorian AIDS council
www.vicaids.asn.au

Our core services include:
Building the capacity of HIV vulnerable/at risk communities and individuals through preventative health strategies such as education, training and support;
Care, support and advocacy for HIV positive individuals and communities; and,
Advocating for social justice for the GLBTI community and improving their experience of the health service system.

The VAC also has a vast selection of websites listed on their links page to information, networks, services, and events. Check it out here.

AIDS education global information system
www.aegis.com

The AIDS Education Global information System (AEGiS.org) is a nonprofit organization that was established in response to the growing HIV/AIDS pandemic.

Their mission is aimed to:

• Facilitate access to current patient/clinician information specific to HIV/AIDS via our website and its specified services.
• Preserve for future generations a global history of the pandemic with our historical news, scientific publications and treatment database.

Melbourne Sexual Health Centre
www.mshc.org.au

Melbourne Sexual Health Centre (MSHC) is Victoria’s specialist clinic for the testing and treatment of sexually transmissible infections (STIs).

North Yarra Community Health
www.nych.org.au

North Yarra Community Health are a community health service located in the inner Melbourne suburbs of Collingwood, Carlton and Fitzroy. 

NYCH provide a wide range of services, groups and activities that address both the causes and effects of ill health in our community. You can find contact details for any of the NYCH centres on their website, and there is also a good list of links to other community and health organization on the NYCH links page.

VIVAIDS
www.vivaids.org.au

VIVAIDS is a statewide membership based organisation of drug users. Our membership is made up of current users, ex users and people whose aim is to increase information and education about illicit drug use so that people who take drugs do so with minimum harm to themselves.

Australian Drug Foundation - Drug Info Clearinghouse
www.druginfo.adf.org.au

DrugInfo Clearinghouse is a service provided by the Australian Drug Foundation (ADF). The core purposes of the ADF are to prevent drug problems and reduce drug-related harms; and to help people remain safe if, when and while they use drugs.

DrugInfo Clearinghouse functions as a drug prevention network, providing easy access to information about alcohol and other drugs, and drug prevention. Professionals and members of the general community can use the service as their first port of call for information from local, national and international sources.

Turning Point
www.turningpoint.org.au

Turning Point strives to promote and maximise the health and wellbeing of individuals and communities living with and affected by alcohol and other drug-related harms. Turning Point provides a wide range of specialist treatment and support services to people affected by alcohol and drug use.

The Turning Point Online Library contains information about our programs and services, publications, newsletter, organisational documents, resources and links to other useful alcohol and drug information sites.

Reachout
http://www.reachout.com.au

A website for young people dealing with all sorts of issues in life, such as alcohol and other drugs, relationships, family issues, health, sexuality and mental health. Have your say on the Reachout forums or just get information about all of these issues and more, or where you can go if you are needing to talk to someone.

Reachout also has a section of the website for just chilling out – some games and other interactive fun stuff to just relax to for a while.

Beyondblue
www.beyondblue.org.au

One of the key roles of beyondblue is to produce and refer people to accurate, up to date, easy to read information on depression, anxiety and related disorders.

The website contains a good variety of information, as well as the find a doctor area, which contains listings for doctors and other health professionals who specialize in mental health issues, by location, across Australia.

Alfred Hospital Infectious Diseases Unit
www.hivhepsti.info/idu/

The Alfred’s Infectious diseases unit website contains information about their clinics and services, seeking medical advice, what to do when you are feeling unwell, Fairfield house which offers a maintenance program for people living with HIV/AIDS, respite services, and extra support. The website also contains important information about HIV treatments and research.

GLBTI

Gay and Lesbian Health Victoria
www.glhv.org.au

This site provides news and information of particular interest to the health and wellbeing of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex people in Victoria.

Victorian Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby
www.vglrl.org.au

The Victorian Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby (VGLRL) represents gay and lesbian interests and works co-operatively and constructively within the political framework and the community at large. The VGLRL maintains a high level of community relevance. While it focuses on key issues, the lobby continually canvasses community needs and assesses the political landscape.

The VGLRL achieves its goals through representation, advocacy and working with the media.

SUPPORT SERVICES

Crisis Help Network
www.melbourne.homeless.org.au

Website with information and links to services providing crisis support, material aid, women’s support services, domestic violence support and housing support.

Lifeline
http://www.lifeline.org.au

Lifeline’s 13 11 14 service is staffed by trained volunteer telephone counsellors who are ready to take calls 24-hour a day, any day of the week from anywhere in Australia. These volunteers operate from Lifeline Centres in every State and Territory around Australia.

The Lifeline Information Service, (1300 131 114 or on the website), provides information and referral for people dealing with mental health issues, personally or as a family member or friend of someone with mental illness.

Salvation Army
www.salvos.org.au

It has been said The Salvation Army offers caring support for every problem “from the cradle to the grave.” Services provided are as wide-ranging and diverse as the areas of need in the community, like an umbrella over Australia’s social problems.

Because the Salvos have such scope in service provision, each program is able to link with other services in the network, thus enhancing the capacity to help those in need.

St Vinnies
www.vinnies.org.au

St Vincent de Paul Aged Care & Community Services manage professional welfare services focusing on aged care, homelessness and supported employment for people with a disability. The services are largely government funded but also raise funds through donations and from philanthropic trusts to provide services above the government funded level.

Good Shepherd
www.goodshepvic.org.au

Good Shepherd Youth and Family Service a community services agency with a commitment to meeting the changing needs of low income communities in Victoria. Good Shepherd work side by side with people who are disadvantaged or oppressed, providing a range of services from family counselling to supported accommodation for the homeless; from 'no interest' loans to teenage foster care; and from financial counselling to emergency housing for victims of domestic violence.

David Williams Fund
www.vicaids.asn.au

The David Williams Fund was established to provide emergency financial assistance to people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) who are experiencing financial hardship. For hundreds of PLWHA living below the poverty line this fund is their lifeline. Not only does it assist with basic essentials, such as food, shelter, and utilities, but it also strives to assist with items that enhance life quality in a way that most people take for granted.

WIRE - Women’s Information
www.wire.org.au

WIRE - Women's Information provides free information, support and referrals to women across Victoria.

WIRE services include a phone support service, a walk-in centre, and this comprehensive, searchable website.

Phone Support: 1300 134 130, 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday
Walk In Centre: Ground Floor, Queen Victoria Women's Centre, 210 Lonsdale St, Melbourne

Men’s Referral Service
www.mrs.org.au

Information for:

• Men who are thinking about their anger, behaviour, relationship issues or parenting, and need help and support
• Women who are experiencing violence from a male family member
• People concerned about how someone else is being treated by a male family member
• People concerned about someone else's use of violence
• Service providers who are helping a man, woman or family when violence might be an issue

Centre Against Sexual Assault
http://www.casa.org.au

The CASA forum website contains information for people who have been victims of sexual assault, and people who are concerned for a loved one. The CASA forum contains links to the websites of CASA service providers across Victoria, as well as a good collection of fact sheets and information about surviving sexual assault.

ADVOCACY AND LEGAL ISSUES

Victorian Equal Opportunity & Human Rights Commission
www.equalopportunitycommission.vic.gov.au

The Commission’s role is to help resolve individual and representative complaints about discrimination, sexual harassment and racial and religious vilification by offering a conciliation process that is confidential, impartial, free and simple, and to provide education about equality of opportunity, racial and religious tolerance and human rights.

Consumer Affairs Victoria
www.consumer.vic.gov.au

Information and advice on issues such as renters rights, your rights in terms of phone and other utility companies, and general information on a range of consumer issues.

Australian Council of Trade Unions – Your Rights at Work
www.rightsatwork.com.au

Information and advice about such issues as discrimination, unfair dismissal, pay and conditions in the work place. Know your rights and join in the campaign to make Australian workplaces fairer.

Welfare Rights Unit
www.welfarerights.org.au

The National Welfare Rights Network (NWRN) provides free and independent information, advice and representation about Social Security law and its administration, providing casework advice and assistance to individuals to ensure they can exercise their rights, fulfil their obligations, meet their responsibilities and maximise their entitlements under the Australian Social Security system.

Office of the Public Advocate
www.publicadvocate.vic.gov.au

Promoting the human rights, interests and dignity of Victorians with a disability.

Tenants Union of Victoria
www.tuv.org.au

The Tenants Union of Victoria aims to inform and educate tenants about their rights, to improve the status and conditions of tenants and to represent and speak for the collective interests of tenants in law and policy making.

The Tenants Union of Victoria provides advice, assistance and advocacy for tenants of private and public residential properties and residents of rooming houses and caravan parks in Victoria, Australia.