Find My Way – Supporting a More Dignified and Connected Response to Homelessness in Western Australia

Thanks to a collaborative partnership between Infoxchange, the WA Department of Communities, and a consortium of community and design partners, people experiencing homelessness in Western Australia now have better access to services and support through a new digital platform.

Find My Way is a mobile-friendly, 24/7 online portal designed to help people at risk of or experiencing homelessness connect to accommodation and support services across Western Australia. Launched on 31 March 2025, the platform is the result of a multi-year, $2.25 million initiative funded by the WA Government as part of its 10-year Strategy on Homelessness. 

At its core, Find My Way simplifies access to support in what is often a complex and fragmented system. Users can search for available crisis accommodation, store their personal information securely, and choose to share it with support services, reducing the need to retell their story multiple times. The portal integrates with Infoxchange’s existing platforms, including the national service directory Ask Izzy and the Specialist Homelessness Information Platform (SHIP), used by more than 1,400 services across Australia.

The WA Department of Communities initiated the project to deliver on its commitment to a "No Wrong Door" approach to homelessness support. In 2021, they selected Infoxchange as the lead provider through a competitive procurement process. Recognising the need for a holistic solution, Infoxchange brought together a consortium of delivery partners, including Anglicare WA, Third Story (formerly Innovation Unit) and Anthologie.

Third Story led a comprehensive human-centred design process, engaging people with lived experience through interviews, co-design workshops and prototype testing. Anglicare WA played a key role in community engagement and sector training, while Anthologie led the front-end design and build of the mobile-first interface. 

Since launching, the platform has shown early signs of strong uptake and community engagement. From 31 March to 31 May 2025, Find My Way received 6,254 unique visits and recorded 9,200 total searches. Notably, nine in ten searches were for a “place to sleep”, indicating that the platform is reaching its intended audience.

Early feedback from the sector has highlighted reduced duplication in assessments and faster access to crisis accommodation, supported by real-time vacancy data and electronic referrals. The platform also helps improve collaboration across the service system by enabling consistent referral pathways and better data sharing.

For Infoxchange, the project has strengthened and extended its core platforms and reinforced its capability to deliver complex, community-led digital transformation initiatives in partnership with government and the sector.

While Find My Way is not a solution to the broader housing crisis, it represents a significant step toward a more connected and compassionate homelessness support system. It demonstrates the potential of digital infrastructure to enable systemic reform and reflects what can be achieved through values-aligned social procurement.

Find My Way is a model that could be adapted and expanded across jurisdictions, providing a more coordinated and respectful experience for people in urgent need of support.