Housing SA Staff

In reply to Mr TELFER (Flinders) (26 June 2024). (Estimates Committee B)

The Hon. N.D. CHAMPION (Taylor—Minister for Housing and Urban Development, Minister for Housing Infrastructure, Minister for Planning): I have been advised:

South Australian Housing Trust (SAHT) employees in customer facing roles are provided with the necessary mandatory training to address challenging customer behaviour.

All new housing officers are provided with an induction program that focuses on a general welcome to SAHT and the housing officer role, communicating with customers and using strategic empathy, risk and vulnerability, and objection handling.

There is an additional combination of mandatory face-to-face and online training relating to staff safety. Draw the Line for Safety offers training on how to identify, respond to and report customer abusive and aggressive behaviour through front counter and telephone/email interactions and when performing field activities. MAYBO conflict management training on how to calm and de-escalate a situation, using non-physical responses and insight on managing challenging situations. Introduction to Gov SAfety is a learning module for staff that will enable access, navigation, and lodgements into the Trust's incident reporting platform.

Training is provided in the form of vicarious trauma workshop for frontline staff on the negative impacts of repeated exposure to customers trauma experience and how to implement proactive practices to mitigate impacts, and safety in the field and Safety Link training on how to keep safe in the field and systems training using new safety link application for mobile telephones.

Managers and leaders are provided with training for managing vicarious trauma, including how to recognise and respond to staff who are experiencing vicarious trauma.

In conjunction with the above training the Trust has the managing customer uncivil behaviour procedure. This provides a four-tiered approach to managing customer uncivil behaviour. It defines the actions employees can take when dealing with disrespectful behaviour, and when employees are to disengage with customers when their behaviour becomes abusive and/or aggressive. It also includes a process for escalation to leaders when necessary, including supporting employees who are exposed to abusive and aggressive events as well as consequences to be issued against customers who wilfully and regularly subject employees to abuse and aggression.

The antisocial behaviour procedures states the housing officer can complete a referral to the community response co-ordinator, a specialist role within the Trust, to manage ongoing or complex antisocial behaviour.