Evolve Housing Annual Report 2020–2021

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ARNCLIFFE COMMUNITY HUB CREATES A VIBRANT COMMUNITY Evolve Housing’s Arncliffe Community Hub is an

family support service Better Connect Family Services,

innovative community engagement project designed to

and the local police.

support a newly established social housing community. The Resident Engagement Team holds monthly The Arncliffe social housing block is home to more

Community Roadshow events, which involve staff

than 140 social housing residents who were given

holding an informal catch-up with free morning tea,

housing to keep them safe and off the streets during

giving neighbours the chance to chat. We have also

the pandemic. These tenants have complex needs and

held many fun events including a beach outing. These

many of them were previously homeless or at risk of

occasions provide a safe opportunity for residents to

homelessness. Residents come from a diverse range of

participate in social life and feel that they belong

backgrounds and family situations.

to a community, while also building trust with our staff.

The unique circumstances of these residents required

In December 2020, we brightened up the estate by

extra resources on top of our existing Support team.

adding a community garden with the help of residents,

We successfully applied for a two-year grant from the

Vegepod, and Community Greening. A resident

Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation to help fund the

also painted a colourful mural behind the garden.

hub. The grant also helped us create the role of the

A workshop was held at the garden in February 2021,

Arncliffe Community Connections Coordinator, who

and residents set up a worm farm.

works alongside a dedicated Housing Manager on-site to support tenants. The Housing Manager is available

A Street Library has also been established for residents

to provide intensive support to tenants and proactively

to borrow and share books, and the library itself has

deal with any concerns raised.

been hand painted by a resident. Former resident Warren, who lived at Arncliffe social housing estate for

The Coordinator role works with the community to

9 months and is still engaged with the community, said

identify their priorities and then creates wraparound

that the garden and group activities helped him settle

support services. Services available include a weekly

in and make friends. “All the community things were

Homework Hub for students with access to the internet

good so you’re not socially isolating yourself, you’re not

and a printer, an Internet Access Hub, and a newsletter.

in your unit by yourself … we’ve got the community garden out there, we put seats around it so people can

Evolve Housing also partnered with South Eastern

sit around and have a chat to each other.

Sydney Local Health District to provide drop-in

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sessions twice a week where residents can speak with

“There’s a certain amount of people who go to the

qualified health professionals, learn more about health

Community Roadshows so you get to see them all the

and wellbeing, and be referred on to other services if

time, you do build up a friendship and get a bit of trust.

necessary. Other organisations who have offered drop

You build up a friendship with the staff too because

in sessions include employment agency Max Solutions,

they’re not working against you, they’re working for you.”


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