inCommunity Connect’s Women’s Club has been open for several years now, with some women attending since its very early days. Rose is one of them.
Originally recommended to attend by a local craft group, Rose found something special the first time she arrived at The Club.
She says, “There were different ladies and over the many years I’ve been attending, I’ve made some special friendships. One friend I can think of has always been there for me, through the good times and the hard times. And there are other lovely ladies I also meet up with every fortnight, away from The Club, for a coffee. I’ve loved every minute of being a part of it!”
Connection
Social connection is one of the drivers of the Women’s Club, and Rose’s experience is common. But as a specialist housing and homelessness service, Women’s Club also offers a safe space to connect with our experienced case management team for support if experiencing housing insecurity or homelessness.
So when Rose found herself at risk of homelessness, she was in exactly the right spot. Having lived in a private rental, renting directly from the landlord, Rose’s home had become dilapidated. Exposed asbestos, mould throughout and with the rent increased to beyond Rose’s affordability, she was under extraordinary stress.
Rose shares, “I just wasn’t safe, and my house had become what felt like a dump. I didn’t want to ask for help and wanted to fix the situation myself. But I couldn’t see a way forward.”
As a regular at Women’s Club, it was towards the end of last year that the inCommunity Connect case managers, who host the club, started to see a decline in Rose’s disposition.
As inCommunity Connect Team Leader Mark shares, “As our case managers knew Rose and started to understand what was really going on with her housing, they recognised that this was something that we could support her with. So they checked in with her.”
With a strong sense of independence, Rose was reluctant to accept the help at the end of last year and politely declined, but with her strong connection to the Women’s Club, she kept attending, week in, week out, as she struggled through.
Rose says, “When the case managers offered help last year, I said no. I wanted to see if I could work through it myself. But earlier this year, it became too much, and I just couldn’t do it anymore. It was a huge effort for me to accept help.”
Case Management
At this time, the inCommunity Connect team reaffirmed their offer to support Rose. They could support her in successfully exiting her tenancy while keeping her rental history intact, and work with her to find an alternative and suitable housing option.
Belinda, her case manager, shares, “Rose had a report that recommended the rental property be condemned, so we knew she had grounds to leave the tenancy. We supported Rose in seeking advice from IRASI (Independent Regional Advocacy Service Inc.), which helped her overcome her fear of breaking the lease, as she was well within her rights to do so. With no affordable, alternative housing available to her and at risk of homelessness, we could offer her a spot in our IHR program whilst advocating for a longer-term housing solution for her.”
When Rose knew she would be able to move on from the rental property, she started packing quickly and efficiently. And upon arriving at the temporary motel accommodation, her mental health had an almost immediate uplift.
She shares, “I started to realise that my old rental property was no longer my problem. I also started to allow myself the chance to dream of finding a forever home. In the meantime, I kept the motel room clean and tidy, and it was wonderful to have a place where I could show how much pride I take in where I live.”
With nearly one in ten clients of specialist homelessness services across Australia being female aged 55+**, the inCommunity Connect team knew how vulnerable Rose was to long-term housing insecurity. So they set to work advocating for a social housing outcome for her, with Rose integral in pushing forward towards achieving this goal.
Mark shares, “What’s really important is that we work alongside clients so they can find a pathway, and Rose was so proactive. She was always asking, ‘What do you need me to do next?’ She wanted to improve her own situation, but didn’t have the resources to do it. We were able to provide the support that unlocked things for her.”
So when a unit in a new social housing complex specifically designed for women became available, Rose jumped at the opportunity to apply. Knowing that this was a very fortunate circumstance to find herself in, she was determined to make the best application possible. And when she was advised that her application was successful, her relief was palpable.
“I walked in and thought this is my forever home with a balcony that I can have a garden where I can plant flowers and maybe some veggies eventually. It’s a new place, no repairs. I’ve never looked back.”
With a safe touchpoint to call home now, Rose also reflects on how she is approaching renting in the new home.
“I’ve always budgeted, and after chatting with my case manager about this, I’ve been even more motivated to do this well. I manage my electricity bill with a fortnightly payment, and I pay my water bill immediately when it comes in. I’m also saving now, putting money aside each week, and I’m aiming for a short holiday at the end of the year.”
After accessing a range of new furniture items with support from the inCommunity Connect team and settling into her new home, Rose’s case management sessions have now come to a close.
Community
Throughout such a massive upheaval in Rose’s housing circumstances, the Women’s Club continued to provide a constant point of connection and friendship.
“I kept going to Women’s Club and even asked one of the ladies to attend some of my case management sessions for emotional support, just so that I didn’t miss anything when I was finding it so tough. That friend is so special to me. Now that I’m in my new home, it’s these same ladies who tell me they’ve seen a positive change in me.” Rose shares proudly.
In reflecting on Rose’s success as well as the role that the Women’s Club has played in it, Mark shares,
“inCommunity’s framework of building positive and purposeful relationships is key to the Women’s Club. The relationships our case managers have built with Rose over many years enabled her to trust them enough to share what was going on for her.
And like so many people we support, Rose’s pathway to stable housing has not been linear. So our support has increased and decreased as needed along her journey. Because we focus on strengths, Rose was able to see the good in herself and what she could do to change her situation.
And now hearing how she is planning a holiday, something that might have seemed impossible is now possible for her. That’s what it’s all about. She believes that she can. This was all made possible because she was part of the community at the Women’s Club.”
A reflection that resonates with Rose, as she shares what it’s meant having the inCommunity Team there supporting her as needed.
“If it wasn’t for inCommunity’s help, I don’t know where I would be. It’s hard to explain. I’ve never been able to open up about anything. But since I got out of that place and into my forever home, I’ve just been able to open up about things. And I’m just so happy now.”
So much like the flowers she is planning for her balcony, Rose is opening up and blooming, and the inCommunity Connect team and the Women’s Club, couldn’t be happier for her.
Mark shares, “Rose is a changed person, and it’s unlocked a new lease of life for her. It’s just so great for us to see.”
With her case manager, Belinda, adding, “To see her happy. That’s reward enough for us.”
*Name de-identified.
**AHM 2024 via Homelessness Australia
