Evaluating the Aspire Social Impact Bond

Homelessness remains a persistent social problem and sustainable responses that keep people housed, particularly those with a history of recurrent homelessness and high complexity of need, have been elusive.

The Aspire Social Impact Bond responds to this problem in a new way, delivering flexible and intensive wraparound supports over a three-year period to help people secure housing and maintain their tenancies, while addressing other issues in their lives.

The Centre for Social Impact Flinders and Centre for Social Impact UWA were funded by the SA Department of Treasury and Finance to conduct an evaluation of the Aspire Social Impact Bond and case management approach, which commenced in Adelaide in 2017.

The resulting report, launched by the SA Minister for Human Services in August 2022, finds that Aspire produces significant improvements for participants across a number of life domains, including housing, mental and physical health, and wellbeing and personal relationships.

In addition to the social benefits, Aspire generates substantial savings for the SA Government in health, justice and specialist homelessness services.