News

Wesley Mission’s Supported Accommodation

The reason for homelessness is complex. There is no simple reason why people become homeless, and no simple solution to homelessness.

The cliché of homelessness is the single adult male appearing to be somewhere in their 50’s, toothless, and with a large dirty beard. Or the 50’s something rambling bag-lady who carries all her possessions in a shopping chart.

But homelessness is broader than the cliché. The 2006 census showed nearly 1 in every 200 Australians is homeless, without safe, secure or affordable housing; one in four were under 18 and every day over half the people requesting accommodation are turned away.

Homelessness affects everyone - from very poor circumstances to very well off - single adults, families, young people, and children. People become homeless via a combination of five common pathways and require a unique response to the complexity of their situation. These pathways are: Domestic Violence, Housing Crisis, Mental Health, Addictions and Youth.

Wesley Mission assists homeless people with a range of Supported Accommodation services on the continuum of care which can be accessed in recovery from homelessness.

Supported Accommodation has two streams of programs:

1. Accommodation Services

- Individuals
• Edward Eagar Lodge - crisis accommodation for adults;
• Newcastle Accommodation and Wesley Community Housing - transition accommodation (after the crisis).

- Families
• Short Term Units - crisis accommodation and a supported playgroup for children of the homeless families;
• Noreen Towers Community - transitional accommodation and a supported playgroup for the children of the homeless families.

- Young people
• Ashfield Independent Living Program (ILP) & Central Coast ILP - transitional accommodation program for young people aged 16-22 wanting support to live independently.

- Elderly
• Greenacre (supported housing program) - long term accommodation for homeless individuals over 60 years, still living independently.

2. Accommodation Support Services

• Inner West Case Management Team - support team that works with Edward Eagar Lodge clients and other homeless (or at risk of homelessness) clients aiming to transition them into sustainable living

• Assistance with Care & Housing for the Aged (ACHA) - support and referrals, working with homeless (or at risk of homelessness) people over 60, linking them into supports and accommodation

• Handy Person's Program - a maintenance program that has Housing NSW (HNSW) contacts and supporting basic maintenance needs of accommodation programs

• A Newcastle based brokerage program, providing Emergency Food and Cash Relief to individuals and families at risk of homelessness

• Homeless Drop-in Services Newcastle - including information and referral, showers, clothes washing and socialising.

- David Allen, Operations Manager, Supported Accommodation