Evolving News: November 2017 Edition

www.evolvehousing.com.au

November 2017

evolving news for evolve residents

YOU’RE INVITED TO THE

RESIDENT CHRISTMAS PARTY The Residents Council will be hosting a Christmas party

a reptile show, and even a surprise visit from Santa!

for all residents on Sunday 3rd December 10am-3pm at

There will be free on site parking and a shuttle bus from

Carysfield Park, Bass Hill.

Chester Hill Station from 9.30am.

The event is completely FREE for all Evolve Housing

To register visit:

residents and families, and activities will include face

www.evolvehousing.eventbrite.com.au or call 1800 MY EVOLVE (1800 693 865).

painting, a giant slide, rock climbing wall, jumping castle,

PARRAMATTA OFFICE CLOSURE DATES Our Parramatta office will be closed on Thursday 23rd November 2017 all day due to a staff training day. Over the Christmas break the Parramatta office will be closed from 12pm Friday 22 December until 9am Monday 8 January. For emergency repairs, phone lines will be diverted to our after hours hotline.

INSIDE • • • • • • •

Education grants Avoid Christmas arrears Handy Andy Annual Resident Meeting Join the Residents Council Make paying your bills easier Evolve residents in the news

UPCOMING EVENTS For more go to: www.evolvehousing.com.au/events

HANDY ANDY Summer is here and with it can come high electricity bills as we try to keep our home cool.

ANNUAL RESIDENTS MEETING All residents are invited to attend the 2017 Annual Residents Meeting on Tuesday 21 November at the Novotel Parramatta where Andrea Galloway will present a year in review of Evolve’s progress in 2017 as well as

Did you know that up to 60% of your total home energy use is on your hot water, heating and cooling?

As part of this edition’s Handy Andy we’ve collected a few tips on how you can save power in your home: 1

Wear the right clothes, dress for the weather.

2

Shut doors and close curtains, this will keep out the heat.

3

Turn heaters and coolers off when you don’t need them or leave the room.

4

Wash your clothes using cold water (this can save up to $115 per year).

JOIN THE RESIDENTS COUNCIL

5

Stop standby power waste e.g. when your phone is not being charged, turn it off.

For the first time elections will also be taking place to

6

Use energy efficient light globes.

how the organisation is tracking for 2018. There will also be a special guest presentation from the Office of Environment and Heritage about energy efficiency in your home. A hot buffet lunch will be provided and you will have the opportunity to speak with Evolve Housing staff while enjoying a meal together. All residents will receive an invite in the mail and information is also available via our website: www.evolvehousing.com.au/ ARM17

join the Residents Council. Anyone who is a resident of Evolve Housing is welcome to join. We want a diverse mix of people to represent the interests of all of our residents. You don’t need any special skills, your English doesn’t need to be perfect, you don’t need to know how to use a computer or have access to the Internet. We are looking for everyday people that live in our properties who have opinions about how we can do things better.

Find out more at our website www.evolvehousing.com.au/residentscouncil

In 2018 due to popular interest we will be hosting FREE workshops to help you understand your energy bills and give you practical ideas to save energy around your home. Stay tuned for dates and locations.

Got any questions for Handy Andy?

Send through your home maintenance and care related questions for Andy to answer in 2018. Email us at myevolve@evolvehousing.com.au

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE IN YOUR NEWSLETTER? This will be our last edition of evolving news for 2017. If you have any thoughts or suggestions about what you want to see in your resident newsletters in 2018, email us at connect@evolvehousing.com.au

1800 MY EVOLVE (1800 693 865)

WANT IMPROVE OR SHARE YOUR DIGITAL SKILLS? Evolve has partnered up with LEEP to offer FREE digital mentoring opportunities for residents. There are two ways to get involved:

1

Need help? Become a mentee. If you or someone you know could benefit from improving your digital skills then sign up for the free tech help sessions where one-on-one mentoring and specialised tech-help is

WE’RE MAKING PAYING YOUR BILLS EASIER

provided. These classes are up to 1 hour long and cover what you need including sending emails, searching for news online, using Microsoft programs etc.

2

To improve our communication to you and make it easier for you to pay your bills from 1 February

Want to help? Become a digital mentor and you can pair up with someone to provide one on one support to help them learn basic technology. You don’t

2018 we will be sending all of your water bills via

need to be technical genius to be a mentor, if you

email if you have provided an email address to

know how to use basic computer programs, emails,

us in the past.

and search online you can get involved. Training is provided to upskill you at flexible times to suit your

If we don’t have your email address please

needs.

contact myevolve@evolvehousing.com.au to update your details and ensure you can receive your water and repair bills via an easy online service. If you want to opt out of receiving water bills please contact myevolve at 1800 MY EVOLVE (1800 693 865).

This program is all about residents helping residents to increase their confidence in accessing digital content and find information online. For more info contact the Resident Engagement Officer on 1800 MY EVOLVE or head to our website www.evolvehousing.com.au/LEEP

EVOLVE RESIDENTS IN THE NEWS Our Hebersham Local Resident Group featured recently in the St Marys Star and Blacktown Sun with their beautiful community garden. Starting your own community garden, with the help of Evolve is a great way to grow your own fresh food, be active outdoors, and get to know your neighbours better. If you would like to build your own garden, you can find all of the information on our website at www.evolvehousing.com.au/communitygardens

www.evolvehousing.com.au/myevolve

KEEP YOUR RENT ON TRACK OVER CHRISTMAS Christmas time can be expensive for many people, with family gathering, extra celebrations and presents being shared. It is important to remember to keep your rent on track so you don’t fall into arrears over Christmas.

Statistically it will take a tenant 6-8 weeks to get back on track once they go 14 days into arrears.

APPLY NOW FOR 2018 GRANTS

The Evolve Housing office will be closed from Friday 22nd December at 2pm until Monday 8th January at 9am. During this time staff won’t be in the office but rent will still be collected.

SPORTING GRANTS

If you currently pay your rent via Centrepay (CPAY) it

Our sporting and cultural activity grants are now open!

cancel Centrepay yourself you will have to sign a new

Your household might be eligible for up to $700 over 2

consent form and Centrelink deduction form and return

years for children under 18 who are involved in sports,

it to Evolve Housing. To avoid this process and save

dance classes, swimming lessons, cultural or traditional

yourself the time, make sure you keep your rent up to

dance, scouts or other physical activities.

date. If you are struggling to make your rent and other

is now more difficult to cancel and re-set it up. If you

payments please contact your housing manager on

EDUCATION GRANTS FOR HIGH SCHOOL AND TERTIARY STUDENTS You can apply for financial assistance to help with your child’s education for up to three years. For high school

1800 MY EVOLVE.

3 EASY SAVINGS TIPS 1

Collect any gold coin you get in a jar. With a few coins a week you could end up with over $250

you can get up to $2500 in tutoring costs, and tertiary

by the end of the year, enough for Christmas

can be eligible for up to $1500 to assist in study costs.

presents.

If you think your family could benefit from an education grant the 2018 Grants program opens Monday 20th

2

Set up a separate bank account where you don’t have card access. This way you are less tempted

November 2017 and closes Wednesday 20th December

to take money out of the account and can achieve

2017.

longer term savings.

3

Terms and conditions apply to all grants so make

Do your grocery shop using a shopping list. This will reduce your urge to impulse buy products that you don’t need and spend unnecessary money.

sure you read the fact sheets on our website www.evolvehousing.com.au/grants

What’s your savings tip? Email us at connect@evolvehousing.com.au

www.evolvehousing.com.au/myevolve 1800 MY EVOLVE (1800 693 865)