Dean Cotter
Housing Sustainment Coordinator
Encircle Community Services
Dean Cotter is a proud First Nation Muruwarii man and a passionate advocate for housing stability and community wellbeing. With a career spanning Family Wellbeing programs, First Nation family support, and leadership in domestic and family violence, youth, and mental health services, Dean brings a holistic and culturally responsive approach to his work.
Dean has contributed to significant reforms, including being a key participant in the early development of the Brisbane HALT program, a Child Safety initiative aimed at reducing over-representation in the statutory system and serving as a long-time community consultant for Child Safety. Featured in a TAFE Queensland article, Dean shared: “My passion is helping to improve the outcomes for youth today, so they can break the cycle of intergenerational trauma and have an amazing tomorrow.”
Currently, as Housing Sustainment Coordinator at Encircle Community Services, Dean focuses on preventing homelessness through early intervention, service navigation, and strengths-based practice.
SESSIONS
Day 2
2.00
Concurrent Breakout Discussions
Cross-sector partnerships: Shared systems of care to address homelessness: Cross-sectoral partnerships are fundamental in addressing homelessness. This discussion will explore how partnerships function not simply as referral mechanisms, but as shared systems of care that provide continuity that is achieved and sustained through the recognition that housing, health and social inclusion are fundamentally interconnected. This session will encourage discussion around the role of trust, continuity, and co-location in enabling early intervention, sustaining tenancies, and supporting people to navigate fragmented systems. Join us for this breakout discussion to share insights and explore what works and what doesn’t and what we can learn from each other to build sustainable change.
Facilitator: Frances Cieslak, National Head of Partnerships and Service Innovation, One Bridge
Practice Innovation: Exploring new models and tools for connected outcomes-focused practice
Facilitators:
Shane Frost, Service Integration Facilitator, Encircle Community Services
Dean Cotter, Housing Sustainment Coordinator, Encircle Community Services
Melanie Tettey, Intake & Allocation Lead- Homestay, Encircle Community Services
Innovative Ways to Deliver More Homes for the Most Vulnerable: A unique housing model which brings the property and construction industry together in a collaborative way to build more homes for homeless youth.
Facilitator: Antoinette Rusby-Perera, QLD State Manager for Homelessness Youth, Property Industry Foundation
Advance to Zero: This interactive session explores the Advance to Zero methodology and how communities can use real-time data to drive coordinated, measurable reductions in homelessness.
Facilitator: Taylor Grills, AtoZ Practice and Improvement Lead , Australian Alliance to End Homelessness (AAEH)