For many people who see a social worker, it is because they are already involved in our health or community services system, and they are referred by another professional. This means they have to make contact with our formal service system, and this is something that doesn’t suit everyone. What if it was possible to walk into a public place like a library, and see a social worker? Even if you didn’t live in that local area? Who would fund a program like that? Is there a sufficient level of need for a library social worker? What difference does it make to the community? Erin McKeegan has the answers.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

https://news.melbourne.vic.gov.au/libraries-offer-a-safe-haven-for-melburnians-in-need/

Launch housing

https://www.launchhousing.org.au/

City of Melbourne’s initiatives to prevent and end homelessness:

https://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/community/homes-melbourne/ending-homelessness/Pages/ending-homelessness.aspx

Review of the trial project:

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01616846.2020.1825917

FURTHER READING

An international perspective:

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2022/01/03/1063985757/why-your-local-library-might-be-hiring-a-social-worker#:~:text=Art%20%26%20Design-,When%20the%20answers%20are%20not%20in%20books%2C%20some%20libraries%20hire,finding%20mental%20health%20and%20more.

For a contrast to this inclusive approach, see this example of a policing and security-based approach:

In the Library with the Lead Pipe:

https://apo.org.au/node/271231