WORKING ALONGSIDE LOCAL SUPPORT SERVICES
As well as helping our own clients, Evolve Housing’s
group haven’t been able to jointly find a solution for
Support Team also works to help other support
a client. Members come from diverse backgrounds
services in the Western Sydney community to achieve
including housing, youth health, mental health, alcohol
better outcomes for people in need.
and drug support, legal services, welfare, parenting support and more.
Supported Housing Manager Debra Ireson has played an active role in creating an inclusive, supportive
Debra said that she enjoys collaborating with
community for her peers working in the homelessness
colleagues in other not-for-profits as it achieves
support sector.
a better result for the clients — for example, Evolve Housing regularly receives food donations from
She is currently the Chairperson for the Parramatta
charities such as OzHarvest and Rapid Relief, which
Regional Homelessness Interagency, a bi-monthly
are then able to be passed on to our residents in need.
gathering for people working in the homelessness sector in Western Sydney. Meetings allow members
“If everyone gives and takes, that’s how the sector works
to disseminate relevant information, listen to keynote
well. The sector doesn’t have a lot of money so by
speakers talk about topical issues, and network.
doing a bit of time each and helping each other out, we get a lot more done for our clients, which is why we
Debra is also on the working group of the Collaborative
come to work every day,” Debra said.
Youth Services Partnership, a Cumberland-based group that provides a roundtable of service providers who
“I expect a lot from our working community so I feel
can pool their resources and knowledge together to
that I should work and give back too, I don’t mind
assist clients with complex needs. Any member can
putting my hand up to do things, or doing something
bring a de-identified case to the group to discuss, and
to fill a gap if I see one. I like being able to give back
Debra says that she can’t remember a time when the
to people who have done a lot for us as well.”
52 | Evolve Housing Annual Report 2019–2020
