At Enliven, everything we do is centred on creating homes where people feel safe, independent and empowered. A key part of that is making sure our residents know that when they speak up, they will be heard.
That’s why we created the Enliven Speak Up! Program — a simple, safe and accessible way for residents and team members to raise concerns, share feedback and get support early.
We’re proud to share that this work has been recognised with the ADR Project of the Year award at the 2026 Australian ADR Awards.
What Speak Up is (and why it matters)
Enliven Speak Up! is an early intervention, safeguarding and alternative dispute resolution (ADR) initiative designed for Enliven Housing’s SDA dwellings. It helps tenants, families, carers and support workers raise concerns early — before they escalate into serious disputes, investigations or harm.
In disability and community housing, serious issues can exist for some time before an organisation becomes aware — and sometimes they are never reported at all. Enliven Speak Up! was developed to reduce that risk by making “speaking up” simple, accessible and safe.
A core part of the approach is removing common barriers to reporting — including fear of repercussions, shame or power imbalances that can exist in shared or supported living settings.
How the program works
Accessile entry point for people
A simple QR code is available for residents that links them to a secure platform where they can raise concerns and request support.
Independent or external triage
Users can elect to have their report received by external, traumainformed alternate dispute resolution practitioners at Resolve Advisers, who triage the matter, make sure reporters are heard, and help identify an appropriate pathway (including facilitative options).
Anonymous or named two-way communication
People can report either anonymously or with their name, including through encrypted two-way chat. This supports early clarification, reduces escalation, and strengthens tenant agency.
Clear internal accountability for resolution
Enliven Speak Up! is supported by an internal resolution function responsible for ensuring reported matters are addressed and outcomes communicated back via the triage pathway.
Facilitators embedded in day-to-day operations
A key innovation is that Enliven Community facilitators are trained to help tenants understand the program and discuss shared living issues as part of communitybased engagement. This makes the program feel like part of everyday life, not a “formal dispute process.”
What this enables
Enliven Speak Up! is designed to deliver benefits across the whole ecosystem:
For tenants
A safer, more accessible way to raise concerns, including with independence and anonymity where needed.
For families and carers
Reassurance that concerns about wellbeing, safety and interpersonal issues can be raised with a neutral party and addressed promptly.
For Enliven
Earlier visibility of emerging issues, timely intervention, reduced escalation into formal disputes or incidents, and stronger continuous improvement through trend identification.
For funders and stakeholders
Greater assurance that practical safeguards exist to detect and address issues early in a vulnerable setting.
What’s next
Enliven Speak Up! is now available to over 200 customers and is being introduced to more in the coming months. Because of the use of a simple QR code provided to each tenant, the model is designed to scale, enabling additional capacity, quickly and without additional equipment or implementation.
We’re grateful to all our partners who have shaped the program, including Elker and Resolve Advisers.
We’re proud to see this work recognised and we remain committed to building practical systems that support dignity, voice, and early resolution in disability housing provision.
