Primary care providers across Western and Far West NSW will have the opportunity to build skills and strengthen pathways for people experiencing homelessness through a new regional training and systems engagement program in May – June 2026.
The program will be delivered by Western NSW Primary Health Network in partnership with Home Address Australia in sessions across Bathurst, Orange, Dubbo and Broken Hill.
The sessions will focus on providing trauma‑informed and culturally safe training for primary care teams and frontline staff including practice managers, care coordinators, general practitioners and community-based case workers.
The training aims to support more integrated responses across health and social services by improving how homelessness is identified in healthcare settings, strengthen referral pathways, and improve coordination between health, housing and community services.
The program will help the primary health workforce to better support priority populations including:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
- Women and children escaping domestic and family violence
- People experiencing mental health and alcohol and other drug challenges, and;
- People exiting custodial settings
Nationally recognised expert led training
The training will be led by nationally recognised experts, including Home Address Australia CEO Dr Gregory P Smith OAM, a lived‑experience expert and sociologist who now lives in Orange.
Dr Gregory P Smith OAM is a nationally recognised lived‑experience expert and sociologist, working to strengthen best practice responses to homelessness. Drawing on extensive personal and professional experience, he has held leadership roles across major homelessness initiatives and advises organisations in Australia and internationally. Dr Smith is also an author and speaker, with a TEDx talk viewed more than one million times.
Sonia Martin CF is an Adjunct Associate Professor, registered nurse and founder of OneBridge, a nurse‑led organisation delivering integrated health and social care for people experiencing homelessness and complex vulnerability across Australia. With more than 30 years of frontline experience, she is a recognised leader in equity‑informed, socially responsive models of care and the creator of the MartMolly Method. A 2022 Churchill Fellow, Sonia is a national advocate for nurse‑led services and improved access to healthcare for marginalised communities.
Catherine Player brings more than 25 years of experience across the business, not‑for‑profit and education sectors and is currently the Chief Operating Officer of Home Address Australia. An experienced educator with qualifications in business, accounting, training and assessment, and community services, she has spent two decades developing and delivering training in the vulnerability space. Catherine combines strong governance, practical insight and creativity to engage learners in thoughtful, practical and meaningful ways.
Locations and registration
Training sessions will run from 9.30am to 4.30pm, with lunch provided, on:
- Bathurst – Tuesday 27 May at Western NSW Primary Health Network – Boardroom, Unit 4, 1 Rankin St Bathurst
- Orange – Wednesday 28 May at Western NSW Primary Health Network – Boardroom, 1b Cameron Place Orange
- Dubbo – Thursday 29 May at Western NSW Primary Health Network – Boardroom, First Floor 187 Brisbane St Dubbo
- Broken Hill – Monday 2 June at Lifeline Broken Hill – Lifeline 194 Argent St Broken Hill
Register for the training here.
