Celine’s Story: Finding Peace and Serenity

Last year, Celine’s life was stable and secure. In her early 50s, Celine had been living with her good friend and housemate for the longest time. Life was good, and she was planning her next annual winter vacation for 2025. Sadly, Celine’s world quickly turned upside down when their landlord gave them notice, sharing they would be selling the place she had called home for well over a decade.

Scrambling to find a new home after their lease ended, the friends couldn’t move in the same direction, and Celine found herself couch-surfing with family. Within a couple of weeks, she was experiencing family violence and, before long, was sleeping rough and alone.

Sleeping rough

“It all changed in such a short period of time, I never thought I would be homeless,” shares Celine, who lives with a chronic health condition and a disability.

Sometimes in a friend’s car and sometimes in a tent, Celine had been sleeping rough for ten long days when she first made contact with the inCommunity Connect Assertive Outreach Team after being referred by another local service.

“They gave me a call and soon showed up to meet me. I was feeling hopeless, afraid and scared. I had lost trust in people, so I wasn’t forthcoming at first. But they put me at ease and recognised straight away I was hungry. I still remember they got me a salad roll that day. They then called the nurses who came and gave me a check-up,” Celine shares.

Understanding the urgency of addressing Celine’s health needs, the outreach team called on inCommunity Connect’s partnership with OneBridge, a specialist health and social care service funded by Beddown, to support people like Celine in the local Ipswich community.

“The nurses got the medication I needed and got me back on track with my health. They would often call to check up on me after that first meeting,” she adds.

The Pathway to Housing

In the current housing crisis, a pathway to stable and secure housing is likely to follow several twists and turns, and Celine’s story is no different. But from this first meeting with the inCommunity Connect team, slowly things started to shift for Celine in the right direction.

Firstly, the Outreach Team connected Celine to a few nights of respite accommodation for her while also ensuring she could access FareShare frozen meals via the Dignity Food Relief Program delivered by inCommunity Connect in partnership with the charity Dignity.

While in respite accommodation, with some hot meals and a roof over her head, a vacancy opened up for Celine in inCommunity Connect’s IHR (Immediate Housing Response) Program. Funded by the Queensland Government the program includes short-term refuge accommodation and access to a dedicated inCommunity Connect Case Manager. With support of this nature in high demand across the state, Celine recognised it was rare to be offered a place in the program so quickly, and she readily accepted the offer. 

Early in the program, Celine noticed a shift in herself, “I was starting to get my confidence back, and I didn’t feel alone. In fact I knew I wasn’t alone. I wasn’t afraid to pick up the phone as there was always someone there, and a smiling, helpful voice. They didn’t give up on me even when I had almost given up on myself.”

Working together with her dedicated Case Manager, Celine started to set goals while also being linked to other specialist support services. Naturally, her biggest goal was securing housing, and she set about ensuring her Department of Housing application was up to date while learning new budgeting and meal planning skills.

As Celine settled into new routines, there was still no timeline of when she would secure longer-term accommodation, so she had to make more hard decisions. “My priority was getting a new home, so I started to let go of some of the belongings I had stored, as I couldn’t afford the storage costs. And for the first time, I also cancelled my annual holiday.”

So when the phone call came from the Department of Housing offering Celine long-term accommodation in an environment with on-site case management support, Celine was thrilled.

A New Home and a New Chapter

In relaying her story, Celine says she was almost in disbelief when that phone call came through for long-term accommodation, but she now recognises her strength in what she achieved to get to that point.

“I feel like a strong woman. I’ve learned that if a problem doesn’t work out at first, there will always be a solution. While in the IHR Program, I always kept my space tidy and paid my contribution to the rent on time. I had good references that helped me secure my new home.

I also realise I’m not the same person I was all that time ago. I feel a bit more humbled, and I have humility. Homelessness can happen to anyone; it’s not the stereotype that people think it is.

I’m living in a fantastic place now, and I feel very supported, which I’m very grateful for. I just love my life and am really excited for the future!”

With a renewed vibrancy and excitement for life, it’s clear that in moving beyond crisis, Celine is forging a path full of new adventures. She has welcomed in a new housemate, a gorgeous cat and companion, and is making new connections with community groups. She has also started saving for next year’s annual holiday!

As our catch up with Celine comes to an end, she shares in closing,

“When I met the inCommunity Connect team, I was relieved that someone cared enough to help. I hope that by sharing my story, I will inspire others who may be experiencing homelessness to reach out for help, just as others’ stories did for me.

Knowing that my house is now secure and safe, it’s a blessing. My home gives me peace and serenity.