Frances Cieslak
National Head of Partnerships and Service Innovation
One Bridge
Frances (Fran) is a Registered Nurse with over 30 years’ experience advancing health equity through policy, service design and workforce capacity building. She is the National Head of Partnerships and Service Innovation at OneBridge, where she collaborates with health, housing, social services and government partners to implement and scale equity-informed, nurse-led models of care for people experiencing homelessness and complex vulnerability.
Fran has attained national funding for nurse-led initiatives and authored policy-shaping reports to strengthen care coordination and access to community-based healthcare services. She advocates for evidence-based investment in nurses as a practical and effective strategy to improve healthcare access, reduce avoidable hospital presentations, and support system-level change. Fran is passionate about moving beyond short-term fixes to build lasting, evidence-based solutions that strengthen health, dignity and connection.
SESSIONS
Day 1
11.55
Bridging Shelter, Housing, and Health
Ensuring continuity of care rather than silos
Frances Cieslak, National Head of Partnerships and Service Innovation, One Bridge
Day 2
2.00
Concurrent Breakout Discussions
Breakout 1: 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
Breakout 2: 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
Breakout 3: 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
Breakout 4: 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)