Novas Annual Report 2022

Annual Report 2022
Resettlement Officer, Dee Kirwin
I start by linking in with the women in an informal way to introduce myself,
and invite them to come and meet with me to see what I can do to help with
their particular situation.
Most women are eager to discuss their housing issues, and they work to
overcome any barriers they face. I am kept busy trying to untangle some
of the problems that arise when people are in addiction or have language
barriers, have a history of rough sleeping, were hidden homeless or moving
through different homeless services. Important documents can get lost,
absences from the system can force people down waitlists, and people can fall
deeper through the cracks.
While there are barriers due to personal circumstances, there's also systemic
barriers that make it hard to get housed. Obviously, the lack of supply is a
visible issue, but on top of this I have found that there are bureaucratic issues
that are hard to navigate.
For example, when applying for long-term accommodation, the person must
complete an application providing evidence for the level of additional support
required. This includes information about intellectual disabilities, acquired
brain injury, physical health, needs like mobility issues or chronic disease,
mental health diagnoses and alcohol and drug addictions. The applicant must
meet the level of staff support and independence needed to gain the points for
placement.
The person must also be registered for housing, have been homeless for
an extended period of time and have a history of rough sleeping. It’s a real
Goldilocks situation whereby the applicant and their needs must be “just
right” and unfortunately when these places arise, all too often the perfect
candidate is not ready and won't be considered.
I work to keep the women happy while they live in our services but have
everything ready for when an opportunity to move on arises. It is imperative
to take the opportunities when they arise.
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