Evolve Housing News, December 2021

Join the Resident Advisory Group!

Are you interested in making a difference in your local community?

See page 2

IN THIS ISSUE

t. 1800 myevolve (1800 693 865) · w. evolvehousing.com.au @evolvehousing evolvehousing SUMMER ISSUE • DECEMBER 2021

Keep Your Cool Check out our top tips for Summer on page 4.

Sports award Meet sports legend Todd.

Page 3

Keeping your cool Stay heat resilient this summer with these cool tips.

Page 4

Survey results Tenant Satisfaction Survey results are in.

Page 5

Meet Stephanie Find out what it’s like to work in our Opportunity Pathways team.

Page 6

Kids & Oldies Hamper Our Christmas elves have been busy collecting something for our young and older residents.

Page 7

Christmas support Christmas can be difficult but there is support..

Page 8

Something special for the kids

SEASON’S HotNews!

GREETINGS See page 7

EVOLVE HOUSING NEWS THRIVING COMMUN ITIES FOR ALL PEOPLE

Fun FREE

Holiday Activities A big list of free activities that aren’t just online. Page 7

WOW! Evolve Housing resident wins sports award!

Evolve Housing resident Todd was named Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sports Person of the Year, as part of the 2021 NAIDOC Awards ceremony hosted by Blacktown City Council. He also became an ambassador for Heroes with Ability. See story on page 3.

RAG Chat Dear fellow Evolve Housing tenants, As this challenging year draws to a close, we would like to wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year. We hope that you all have a safe, joyful holiday period.

Resident Advisory Group

Summer has just started, which generally means more air-conditioning and higher electricity bills. We recommend all tenants check out the feature on page 4, which includes some great tips on how to stay cool without using air con.

The RAG has had an incredible year working together to represent tenants and their needs, and we continued to meet over Zoom during lockdown. We have offered Evolve Housing feedback on tenant issues and met with different departments of the organisation to learn how they operate. We also volunteered in initiatives to help tenants. Most recently, we spent a day in the head office in Parramatta helping to pack gift hampers to go out to households with kids or seniors.

We are looking forward to being back on board in 2022, and we are also on the lookout for some new members to join us on the RAG! For more information about what this involves, and how to apply, check out the call out on this page.

Office Hours

Holiday closure

Please be aware that Evolve Housing will be closed from Friday 24th December 2021 and will reopen on Monday 10th January 2022.

During this time, the office will be closed and online forms and emails will not be monitored. For any urgent maintenance issues only please call 1800myevolve (1800 693 865). We will endeavour to respond to all non-urgent matters within the first week of the office re-opening.

Join the Resident Advisory Group!

Are you interested in making a difference in your local community, representing your fellow Evolve Housing residents and providing input to our policies and services?

We are looking for new members of our Resident Advisory Group. Any resident over the age of 18 is welcome to apply to become a member. You can choose how you would like to be involved — it may be by attending a monthly meeting in our

Evolve Housing wishes you a very Happy Christmas

Parramatta office, being on an email group to give feedback

and a safe holiday period. We look forward to seeing

as needed or providing input on policy issues.

you all in the New Year.

For more information or to apply, contact Rob by emailing community@evolvehousing.com.au.

2 | EVOLVE HOUSING NEWS

IN THE NEWS

ANNOUNCEMENT Todd has become an Ambassador for Heroes With Ability.

Todd Dorward is an inspiration to every participant and every supporter of Heroes With Ability.

Watch Todd’s video click here. https://www.heroeswithability.com/meet-todd

Evolve Housing resident wins sports award!

Congratulations to Evolve Housing resident Todd Dorwood, who was recently named as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sports Person of the Year. Todd received the honour as part of the 2021 NAIDOC Awards ceremony, hosted by Blacktown City Council.

against New Zealand in 2018. He is also a talented rugby player, having played on the Newtown club in the NSW Physical Disability Rugby League competition since 2015, and also served as captain of the Indigenous Combined Nations team last year.

As well as being such a skilled sportsperson, Todd is also an

Todd received the award for his achievements in disability

incredible artist. In 2019, Todd decorated Evolve Housing’s

sports. Todd, a Kullilli man, is legally blind and hearing

street library for his unit block, using traditional Aboriginal

impaired, and is an accomplished sportsperson in a variety

techniques such as dot painting.

of different sports.

Evolve Housing would like to extend our warmest He has represented NSW in disability swimming and

congratulations to Todd for his award and thank him for

competed in the NSW Blind Cricket National Championship,

being such a valued member of our Evolve community, and

along with captaining the Australian indoor soccer team

the wider western Sydney community.

EVOLVE HOUSING NEWS | 3

Keeping your cool this Summer

Stay heat resilient this summer with these cool tips.

While it’s been a fairly mild Spring so far, any Australian will know that our summers really heat up, especially in western Sydney. Anyone who lives in Penrith would find it hard to forget the 48.9 degree day on 4 January 2020, when Penrith was the hottest place on earth!

Evolve Housing is proud to have collaborated with other CHPs and the NSW Government to participate in the Heat Resilience Project, which is designed to give community housing residents ideas on how to battle extreme heat in the summer without using too much costly energy.

Keep your body cool You can reduce the need to turn on the air con for quite as long if you work to keep your body cool in other ways. See our checklist below.

Keep your home cool While cooling down your home can be a bit trickier, there are some tips you can use to lower the overall temperature and either avoid or reduce reliance on air conditioning, which can be quite expensive in summer.

• Close the blinds and curtains to help keep the heat out • Use fans as they are a lot cheaper than running an air conditioner • Close off any rooms that aren’t used often, eg spare bedrooms or bathroom • Screen the outside of windows to keep the heat out • Seal doors with a ‘door sausage’ • Turn off unused electrical appliances

Cool Checklist • Have cool packs in the freezer & rotate them • Wear loose and cool clothing • Eat cool foods & salads that don’t create heat in the kitchen • Drink water & cool drinks to stay hydrated • Place a large towel in the freezer and place it on top of your sheet at bedtime • Take a cool shower to lower body temperature • Moisten the skin with a damp cloth or washer • Go to a cool places, like a library or art gallery.

4 | EVOLVE HOUSING NEWS

If the weather isn’t too hot, you could try visiting a lake or pool. If you can afford to, try going shopping or the movies, which are cooled down spaces. Another option might be popping over to see a friend or family member who has air conditioning or a pool.

• During periods of really high heat, plan your day around the hottest times. For example, exercise or do your weekly shopping early in the morning or in the evening.

Tenant Satisfaction Survey results Each year, we perform a Tenant Satisfaction Survey to see how our residents rate our services, and get feedback on areas that we can improve in.

Thank you to everyone who submitted responses to the

our staff, service processes, and residents themselves.

survey earlier this year. We had a response rate of 31% this

We truly appreciate all the feedback that we received

year, which is higher than usual. We are happy to report that

and will use it to improve our services over the next year. All

respondents gave an overall satisfaction rate of 83%, and

participants who filled out the survey were automatically

that we received a rating of 75% or over in all categories.

entered into a draw to win one of 50 Westfield Gift

We are happy that our residents are overall satisfied

Vouchers, and we are pleased to say that 50 winners were

with our services, despite the challenges of operating

selected at random and have now received their prizes in

during the COVID-19 pandemic and all of its impacts on

the mail. Congratulations to all the winners!

2016–2017

2017–2018

2018–2019

2019–2020

2020–2021*

NRSCH benchmark

CHIA benchmark

Overall satisfaction

83%

80%

85%

86%

75%

84%

Property condition

80%

74%

81%

83%

75%

84%

Repairs & maintenance

74%

70%

75%

76%

75%

77%

Information provision

81%

82%

86%

85%

NA

84%

Communication

79%

78%

83%

84%

NA

82%

Tenant involvement

72%

65%

79%

77%

83% 79% 76% 84% 79% 76%

NA

75%

BENCHMARK CATEGORY

Repairs and maintenance update With the easing of restrictions, we are now able to commence non-urgent repair requests that were previously halted.

patience as we action these outstanding items. For

While we are excited to get back to normal operational

priority, responsive and planned maintenance repairs:

work, we are experiencing a backlog of repair requests

urgent repairs please call us on 1800 693 865.

Visit our website to learn more about urgent, https://evolvehousing.com.au/all-about-repairs

post-lockdown and we thank you for your continued

How to make a complaint or appeal At Evolve Housing, we acknowledge that complaints provide valuable feedback to help us improve our services.

Are you unhappy about a decision made about your tenancy? Here’s how to lodge an appeal.

An appeal is a formal review process that checks if our

We are committed to handling complaints effectively

decision was right or wrong. You have three months from

and efficiently. We have a dedicated Complaints Officer to

the date of the original decision to lodge an appeal. To

investigate complaints in an impartial manner.

lodge an appeal, please fill out the Appeals form, which

You can make a complaint by emailing

you can access online at:

ihear@evolvehousing. com.au, by calling us on

http://bit.ly/Appeal-Evolve-Housing or by contacting our

1800 myevolve (1800 693 865), or by sending us a letter

office on 1800 myevolve (1800 693 865)

to: 9–13 Argyle Street, Parramatta 2150 NSW. EVOLVE HOUSING NEWS | 5

What kind of tasks does your job involve — what is a typical day like for you?

My typical day consists of the following tasks: • Second stage assessment/case plans for new clients • Resume/Cover Letter building • Assisting with enrolling clients in courses, training or

Meet Evolve Housing team member

Stephanie

Case Coordinator Stephanie works in our Opportunity Pathways team and is responsible for helping participants in the program to find new training, education or employment that suits their skills and interest.

education options • Assisting with brokerage (using funding to get clients items or services they need to pursue training or employment). For example — a laptop if a client is studying; work clothes if a client gets a job • Assisting clients to get ID cards as they are often needed to apply for jobs or courses • Creating Working Development Orders for the clients who have fines • Job Marketing for clients • Linking to support services if needed, for example, counselling and food

Q&A

• Writing case notes and doing admin tasks like paperwor

How many clients do you work with?

How long have you been working in your role?

At the moment, I have 50 on my caseload however I have a

I have been working in the Opportunity Pathways Team since

lot that are in employment, studying and working towards

April 2020. I started as a Pathways Coordinator doing the

their goals. Also, I have 4 awaiting to conduct second stage

intake assessments for potential new clients for the program.

assessment to move into the program.

Now I am a Case Coordinator for Nepean Blue Mountains. I have

What are the most common types of assistance that you give to clients to help them pursue employment or education goals?

my own caseload and working directly with the clients coming into the program with education, training and employment.

Financial support is a big one! Opportunity Pathways assists

What were you doing before you came to Evolve Housing?

in helping clients to remove the financial gap and assist them

Before I came to Evolve Housing, I was working casually at

Pathways, my clients would not be able to sustain education,

Kmart Penrith in the replenishment team and at Barnardos as

training and employment (as these all have costs such as entry

a Disability Support Worker.

fees, license fees, textbooks, use of laptops, work clothes).

What made you want to work here?

I’m currently studying a Bachler of Criminal and Community

What kind of impact do you think your work has on clients?

Justice/Social Work and I was interested in the community

Definitely a positive impact as clients are moving away

services industry. I have always been willing and interested

becoming qualified, educated and employed. Clients are

to work in this field of practice to help broader my knowledge

learning about how they can be assisted in the community.

and understanding of promoting the benefits of individuals

Therefore, they are becoming more confident to move

and groups that need the support the most.

forward in their lives.

6 | EVOLVE HOUSING NEWS

with moving forward with their lives. Without Opportunity

Fun FREE

Holiday Activities After a long year, including months of home schooling, many kids will be jumping at the chance to get out and about again.

Having fun doesn’t have to be expensive, so put your wallet away and check out some cool free holiday activities available in Sydney at: https://schoolholidayactivities.com.au/free-schoolholiday-activities-sydney/.

Here are our top picks from the list:

Fairfield Adventure Playground: Star

attractions designed specifically for teens, this is a unique playground that provides a much-needed recreational space for older kids.

Spreading joy this

Christmas

In late November and early December, our little Evolve elves were busy spreading joy to our youngest and oldest residents.

A number of staff volunteered in packing and sending 620 Christmas hampers and 250 toys to kids and seniors living in Evolve Housing properties. The hampers included food and toys donated by some of our partners, including charity Good360, to brighten up the festive season. Thanks to all our staff and partners who participated.

Museum of Contemporary Art:

Contemporary art exhibitions to stimulate and excite young minds.

Storytime at your local library: From

sessions for babies and toddlers, to storytimes for preschoolers, school holiday programs.

National Maritime Museum: Workshops & themed crafts, & new Antarctica VR Experience.

Children’s WILD PLAY Garden: A dramatic

landscape in which children are encouraged to run, jump, play, learn and discover the wild side of life.

Cockatoo Island: Step back in time guided tour through the UNESCO world-heritage site.

Sydney Sights Free Tour: 2½-3 hour, easywalking tour you will uncover the history and explore the sites of Australia’s most popular city.

Powerhouse Museum: With free entry for

kids 16 years and under, is the perfect family destination for exploring the interactive side of arts and science. Over 250 exhibitions!

EVOLVE HOUSING NEWS | 7

Christmas support

Christmas can be a difficult time for many people, both financially and emotionally, but there are support services available if you need to access them. Check these ones out if you need help:

Mental health line — 1800 011 511 This line is run by NSW Health and is staffed by mental health professionals 24/7 who can chat with you to determine if you, or someone you know, needs ongoing mental health care and how urgent the need is. They can

General assistance:

also link you to mental health services.

Ask Izzy — a website that provides information on a variety of services that are available locally including accommodation, food,

Suicide call back service — 1300 659 467 or visit

domestic violence, support and counselling, drugs and alcohol,

https://www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au

employment, legal support and more.

This service is a 24 hour, nationwide service that provides

Visit www.askizzy.org.au.

free telephone, video and onine counselling. They use

Food hamper or gift assistance:

professional trained counsellors who have specialised skills in working with suicide-related issues. It is open to

Salvation Army — 1300 371 288 or visit https://www.

anyone who is affected by suicide (whether feeling suicidal

salvationarmy.org.au/christmas/need-help-this-christmas/

themselves having lost someone to suicide, or having a loved

Food and financial assistance:

one feeling suicidal).

Salvation Army — 1300 371 288 or visit

Beyond Blue — 1300 224 636 or visit

https://www.salvationarmy.org.au/need-help/financial-assistance/

beyondblue.org.au for more information or a live chat.

Anglicare — 02 8624 8600 (available Monday to Friday, 9am-4pm)

Free Christmas lunches:

or visit https://www.anglicare.org.au/what-we-offer/food-and-

There are also many free lunches held on Christmas Day

financial-assistance/

around NSW, which give you a chance to eat a lovely meal at no cost and mingle with other people in the community. For

St Vincent De Paul — 13 18 12 or visit

a list of a few Christmas lunches in Sydney, please visit our

https://www.vinnies.org.au/findhelp

website at www.evolvehousing.com.au/christmas

Mental health: Lifeline — 13 11 14 or visit https://www.lifeline.org.au/ for more information or to chat with someone for support online 24/7. You can also text 0477 131 114 for support 24/7.

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.