Evolve Housing News, September 2021

Scavenger Hunt Competition Find as many of the items in our list as possible within your home and WIN! See page Entries close on 31st October.

t. 1800 myevolve (1800 693 865) · w. evolvehousing.com.au @evolvehousing evolvehousing

7

IN THIS ISSUE COVID-19 update Monitoring the regulations.

Page 3

Support during lockdown Support for Devitt Street residents. How our residents were kept safe.

Page 4

Getting in touch with our Support team We can offer a range of support for our residents Page 4–5

Gardening Spring is here.

Page 5

Fun FREE activities Free activities to entertain your kids Page 8

Join the Scavenger Hunt competition

& WIN a prize! PAGE 7

LOCKDOWN HotNews!

SUPPORT Page 4–6

EVOLVE HOUSING NEWS THRIVING COMMUN ITIES FOR ALL PEOPLE

NASA Kids Club

Evolve Housing Care and Response Team Devitt Street Lockdown In early August, Evolve Housing worked with NSW Health and NSW Police Force to support our

The NASA website is packed

residents living in a Blacktown apartment complex that was under a Public Health Order lockdown

with information about space

due to COVID-19. We are relieved to report that our residents were kept as safe as possible during

and fun games. Page 7

that time, and the building lockdown was lifted after 14 days. Read more about how our residents, staff and community supported each other on page 4.

Christmas Party and Annual Residents Meeting Evolve Housing regrets to inform you that our resident Christmas Party will not be going ahead this year, due to difficulty planning ahead around the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak and regulations.

Our Annual Residents Meeting, which is usually held in late November, is also unfortunately cancelled for 2021. This meeting is usually held in-person and gives residents the opportunity to learn about our initiatives over the past financial year and meet Board and staff members. We will be holding an online alternative for those residents who are interested, and will inform residents of the details before the event.

RAG Chat

Goodbye to Joy Evolve Housing will be saying goodbye to a very special staff member in October — our Executive Manager

Estimated energy bills: You might receive an estimated energy bill if your actual meter can’t be accessed easily. The estimate will be based on past use.

of Social Housing, Joy Sneesby, who is retiring after

• If you can access your own meter, take a photo of the

properties and residents that Evolve Housing manages.

12 years with us.

Joy has been working with us since 2009, and in that time, has helped oversee an amazing growth in the number of

reading and send to your retailer before the due date, so

Joy came to us with extensive experience working

they can adjust the bill. This isn’t an option if you have a

in social housing in the NSW Government, and this

time-of-use or smart meter.

knowledge, along with her enthusiastic and caring

• If you think your estimated read is too high, you can ask your retail for a special meter read but there may be a cost.

• If you are worried about your bills, or receiving multiple estimated bills, contact your provider ASAP.

nature, has been invaluable to our organisation over the past 12 years. During her time with us, Joy has helped countless residents and assisted us to improve our processes and service.

If you are unhappy with your provider’s response about

Joy is excited to embrace retirement, and looks forward

estimated bills, you can contact the team at the Energy and

to new adventures, quality time focusing on her health,

Water Ombudsman NSW, who can investigate, talk to your

family, friends and travel.

provider, negotiate a payment plan, or refer you to additional

Joy will be greatly missed by staff and residents alike,

support.

and we thank her for all she has done for Evolve Housing

To contact EWON, call 1800 246 545 Monday to Friday,

during her time with us.

9am–5pm. Or visit www.ewon.com.au 2 | EVOLVE HOUSING NEWS

COVID-19 update

Evolve Housing continues to be impacted by and monitor the regulations relating to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Below is some information about rules that affect our

If you, or a member of your household, test positive for

residents, current as of the time of writing. Please be sure

COVID-19, you are required to follow the NSW Health

to visit our website for the most up-to-date information. at:

Guidelines. We encourage you to please inform Evolve

www.evolvehousing.com.au

Housing immediately by calling 1800 693 865 should you need any assistance or additional support during this time.

CHANGES effective 17th September: • Over the last several months and in line with the

BE·SAFE FACE MA SK

Don’t forget to check our website www.evolvehousing.

restrictions in place, only Urgent and Emergency

com.au for more regular updates to our service and how

Maintenance requests were actionable.

it is affected as regulations change.

• As of 17 September, Evolve Housing will be reinstating lawn services and outdoor maintenance across our

Face masks now mandatory in apartment common areas

portfolios, provided we follow rules and capacity limits that differ depending on LGA.

Please note that if you live in an apartment building in Greater Sydney, wearing a face mask is mandatory in

To read the most recent update relating to maintenance

any shared areas of the building. This includes lobbies,

and prescribed work visit: https://www.nsw.gov.au/

lifts, stairwells, corridors and common areas. You do not

covid-19/rules/authorised-workers/renovations-repairs-

need to wear a mask inside your own apartment, but as

maintenance-and-cleaning

soon as you exit your front door, a mask must be worn.

EVOLVE HOUSING NEWS | 3

Support available during lockdown

Devitt Street lockdown

In early August, Evolve Housing worked with NSW Health and NSW Police Force to support our residents living in a Blacktown apartment complex that was under a Public Health Order lockdown due to COVID-19.

We are relieved to report that our residents were kept as safe as possible during that time, and the building lockdown was lifted after 14 days.

Our residents in the tower building were incredibly resilient, and

Ingham

were very open to engaging with our team and participating in

OzHarvest,

daily chats, group zoom chats, kid’s activities and our Friday

Glenwood, Mamalove Connect, MacKillop Family Services,

night contactless takeaway delivery. Thankfully, our residents

Goodstart Early Learning, Pizza Alfresco, Sri Gavatri Group,

are now safe and we thank them for their cooperation during

Waratah Group Services and all the local businesses who

the stressful and trying building lockdown.

helped us. These amazing supporters donated household

Enterprises,

Foodbank

McDonalds

Australia

Blacktown,

Glendenning,

Gurdwara

Sahib

items, prepared delicious food, provided children’s activity We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all the frontline

sets and so much more.

workers who worked on-site day and night to care for our residents and keep them safe during incredibly challenging

All leftover

circumstances.

homelessness services and other Evolve Housing residents

donated food

was distributed to

local

who are facing challenging times due to COVID-19.

Thanks also to the staff who made up our Evolve Care and Response Team, who worked non-stop to support residents over the phone and on-site (at a distance of course!).

Watch the Video We made a video about how our staff and residents came

We would also like to express our deep appreciation to

together during the lockdown:

Woolworths Group, Hilton Foods Australia, Beak & Johnston,

Facebook.com/evolvehousing/videos/1467483056965841/

4 | EVOLVE HOUSING NEWS

Get in touch If you need any help, or just want a friendly person to chat to, please contact us by calling 1800 693 865 or emailing: community@evolvehousing.com.au

With lockdown restrictions in place, the past few months have been difficult for almost everyone in our community.

While our Support Team is working from home at the

at the present time, and we can also potentially help

moment, they are still available via email or phone to offer

you find financial assistance if you are struggling to pay

you support if you need it.

the bills. We can also refer you to a range of external

We may be able to assist if you have essential goods or

support providers, or even create a support plan tailored

services that you need but are unable to find or afford

to your needs.

Get Gardening Spring is here, it’s getting warmer and it’s the perfect time to get outside and enjoy nature!

Why not take up gardening — whether you’ve got a yard

https://www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/Learn/Living-Learning/

or a balcony, it’s easy to brighten up your home with

Gardening-at-Home

plants and flowers, and get some fresh air and sunshine in the process. You could also consider growing your

The ABC website also has fabulous articles on gardening,

own herbs or vegetables at home! Royal Botanic Gardens

including tips on building a garden, caring for indoor

Sydney have some great gardening tips on their website:

plants, and more: https://www.abc.net.au/gardening EVOLVE HOUSING NEWS | 5

Covid safe house cleaning tips

soiled. Curtains should be changed regularly and cleaned when soiled.

What cleaning products should I use?

Detergents help to remove germs, dirt, and impurities from surfaces but they do not kill germs. Disinfectants kill viruses and bacteria but don’t remove them from a surface. Using a detergent then a disinfectant helps lower the risk of spreading infection.

If you have been outside When you return home from being out: • Wash your hands as soon as you enter and put groceries or other items away. Wash your hands before you eat.

• If you would feel better to do so, remove your shoes and clothing if you have been on public transport or in spaces where you weren’t able to keep 1.5 metres from others.

You may have seen on the news that shopping centres and apartment buildings that have COVID-19 exposures are deep cleaned before re-opening. While these are performed by professional cleaners, NSW Health has some tips for how you can clean surfaces in your home to stop the spread of COVID-19.

• Wipe down your phone.

• Keep your keys in one place.

For more information, visit:

www.health.nsw.gov.au/covid-19

COVID-19 can survive on surfaces for a few hours or up to several days. This may vary based on the temperature, humidity and type of surface.

How to clean frequently touched surfaces: Frequently touched surfaces in your home include doorknobs, handles, light switches, phones, tablets, touch screens, tables, hard-backed chairs, remote controls, keyboards, desks, toilets, sinks/basins, and car steering wheels.

Freshen things up with Eucalyptus leaves

followed by disinfectant, or use detergent/disinfectant wipes

Try these natural and safe alternatives to keeping your home smelling fresh.

and scrub hard.

Essential oils are both natural and non-toxic, and

For these surfaces, regularly clean with a household detergent

smell great. Try cutting up fresh Eucalyptus leaves

How to clean less touched surfaces:

and popping them into a jar, and then carefully pour

Less touched surfaces include walls, floors, ceilings, window

hot water over them. It will freshen up any room.

blinds and curtains.

Spray bottle —Try popping the mix into a spray bottle

These surfaces should be cleaned using a household

and add some extra eucalyptus or peppermint or tea

detergent or detergent wipes. Use a damp mop on hard

tree essential oils.

floors. Clean walls and window blinds when visibly dusty or

TIP — Shake first and use the spray on your bed linen.

6 | EVOLVE HOUSING NEWS

Scavenger Hunt

competition & WIN a prize!

We’re all spending a lot more time at home lately, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t have fun! The team at Evolve Housing have put together a fun Scavenger Hunt competition for you to do indoors.

To play along, just find as many of the items

Fu n FREE activities online There’s plenty of free activities online that will spark your curiosity, entertain you and educate you over the school holidays and on weekends. Check out the links below and get busy.

NASA Kids Club The official NASA website is packed with information about space and fun games for kids including downloadable colouring books and posters. https://www.nasa.gov/kidsclub/

Science experiments at home Become a scientist in the comfort of your own home – no lab equipment required! The ABC has put together a list of six science experiments that kids can do at home with minimal fuss and a lot of fun. https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2021-07-05/science-

below as possible within your home! If you want to enter the competition for the chance to win an awesome prize. SEND YOUR PHOTOS of the items to community@evolvehousing.com.au with your name and phone number. Entries close on 31st October.

FIND SOMETHING ... here’s your list: • Soft • Red • Round • To cuddle with • To read • To draw with • Shiny • To eat • Bumpy • With wheels • To watch • To build with

• Warm • Glass • To sit on • To throw away • Hard • To hide under • To listen to • With lights • For feet • Squishy • With a smell • Heavy

experiments-to-do-with-kids-during-lockdown/100256450/ EVOLVE HOUSING NEWS | 7

n Fu FREE activities online

Creative Kids vouchers Did you know that the NSW Government offers $100 vouchers each calendar year for all young people in the state aged between four and a half and 18 years old who are enrolled in school? The vouchers can then be used with a registered activity provider for registration, participation and tuition costs for creative arts, speech, drama, dance, digital design, coding, and music lessons and activities.

SEA Life Wild at Home

We’ve featured below a few options that you can use the

Animal lovers will enjoy exploring wildlife park SEA LIFE

vouchers on during lockdown, or you can save them for in-

Sydney’s website, which is full of fun content about Aussie

person activities (just make sure that you keep an eye on the

animals and sea creatures. The website has a range of

voucher’s expiry date!).

home entertainment activities, colouring in exercises, videos,

You can order your voucher online at the Service NSW

educational fact sheets and more.

website: https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/transaction/apply-

https://www.visitsealife.com/sydney/whats-inside/wild-at-

creative-kids-voucher

home-hub/

Fizzics Education science kits Activities for LEGO lovers!

Fizzics Education are offering discounted at home science

If your little one is mad about LEGO, or just enjoys pulling

kits that can be purchased using Creative Kids vouchers.

things apart and putting them back together again, the

They have a range of themes including robotics, science

Educating Young Engineers website is perfect for you. The

and art, dinosaur build and dig, and woodcraft robotics.

website’s Lego Club section includes various engineering

Free shipping means that you can get the kits delivered to

design challenges that young people can build solutions to

your door for the school holidays. Click here for more info:

using LEGO bricks. http://www.educatingyoungengineers.

https://www.fizzicseducation.com.au/product-category/

com/lego-club-activity-ideas

creative-kids-voucher-kits/

Your kids will also love the LEGO Land Discovery Centre

Art supplies

website, which features multiple LEGO activities for kids to

You can buy your kids high-quality art supplies to help

enjoy while they’re in lockdown.

them begin painting, drawing and exploring their artistic

https://www.legolanddiscoverycentre.com/melbourne/

side by using your Creative Kids voucher online at art

whats-inside/legoland-fun-hub/5-fun-lego-lockdown-

store A Little Spirit. To look at what they have to offer, visit:

activities-for-kids/

https://alittlespirit.com.au/collections/creative-kids.

Acknowledgement of Country evolvehousing.com.au/whats-on or by calling 1800 myevolve (1800 693 865) @evolvehousing evolvehousing

Evolve Housing acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land where we deliver our housing and services. We acknowledge and pay our respects to all Elders past, present and future. We welcome all First Nations People to our services, as we walk together towards reconciliation.