Healing Place for Women
Domestic violence or extreme stressful circumstances such as prolonged Family Court proceedings all too often causes people to become homeless. Add to this problem, the increasing numbers of functional people who find themselves homeless becoming mentally ill. An opportunity exists to secure a building that might have been specifically designed for 4-5 residents who could be self-sustaining and self-funding.
The Investment Opportunity-Proposed Women’s Accommodation is a spacious high-quality relatively new home has all the structural features necessary to provide maximum privacy for women dealing with their trauma. There are no common walls between the huge 5m x 4m bedrooms which have ample room for a desk, entertainment equipment, chairs and have spacious WIRs. The area is very safe and peaceful. Most rooms in the house have security screened glass doors directly out into the magnificent 5 acre natural bush property in Perth Hills which borders a huge National Park.
This Investment Opportunity-Proposed Women’s Accommodation aims to consolidate stronger working partnerships between Government, Charities and the private sector empowering residents with resources, including ongoing support groups to maximize participants’ recovery to restore good functioning and stable housing.
Why Invest in this Healing Place
The Investment Opportunity-Proposed Women’s Accommodation project concept has secured broad in principle support from so many people including; Two Charities involved in assisting mental health recovery; The Local NGO providing multiple community support and limited accommodation services; Women’s Council; Dept. for Community Development staff; university psychology staff; private psychologists; psychiatrists; lawyers; social workers and other counsellors. The need for such support services has been widely acknowledged and it is hoped the Healing Place will become a pilot for future holistic models supporting women suffering from trauma, and often homelessness. Appropriate accommodation is a basic necessity for recovery.
We are seeking investment by people and organisations committed to social empowerment and alleviating the increasing need for safe short-medium-term accommodation, with a view to providing funding for a Board Managed organisation’s full ownership.
Individuals may be able to negative gear salary or invest privately managed superannuation into the organisation which may be a cooperatively managed community-based venture. The closest visible neighbours have given in principal approval for a Healing Place. The Board responsible for the management will determine the scope of a trauma program and best utilisation of this most appropriately designed piece of paradise.
Aims are based on Experience & Research Results
The development of this program aims to prevent escalating and ongoing psycho-somatic illness which places significant load on the General Health and Welfare systems, and alleviate the load on homelessness crisis services and the overloaded State Mental Health System (MHS). The experience of a therapeutic environment and community, with people who can provide understanding and validation has been well-evidenced in research (Day, 2009).
Research has shown that people cannot address their traumatic material until they feel safe, stable and appropriately supported. Presenting motivated clients with such a high quality residence in itself conveys a message of how they are a valued person, who is being almost spoilt and certainly cared for appropriately. This provides a safe, secure balance to contain the person as they work through traumatic experiences. Thus the person experiences how life can be really calm and healing. Careful systematic clinical and holistic psycho-social assessment will guide practical assistance to the women in the healing space allowing them to recover and resolve their challenges and seek solutions for future stability in their lives. The area is very conducive to healing due to the perfect tranquillity. Residents are welcome to join in wildflower care and vegetable gardening, other projects on the property or in the surrounding community; maximizing normal life [present-reality ‘grounding’] activities whilst working with others to recover from trauma and build their resilience.
This contrasts with the growing reality where single, older women cannot access SAAP funded crisis accommodation despite research findings by Ludo McFerran and St Vincents de Paul in NSW showing that there has been a steady increase in the number of women over the age of 45 seeking crisis accommodation at government-funded homelessness shelters and outnumbered older men in requests for services in 2007/8 and 2008/9 for the first time on record. The report also found that the number of women aged over 65 seeking crisis accommodation in Sydney had more than doubled from 2007/8 to 2008/9. Dr Andrea Sharam’s (2008) report cited ABS population forecasts significant increases in number and proportion of single female households from 2001 to 2026.
Increasing numbers of women were employed prior to becoming ‘homelessness’. The lack of affordable housing leads to a large majority of employed single women being unable to afford to buy a home. The current rental market is also cost prohibitive. McFerran’s recommendations pages 39-44 included: financial support for social housing and secondary dwellings and an accompanying lift of Local Government restrictions on such buildings. This project aims to include a coordination and support service which empowers women to access a variety of such alternative lower cost housing options.
Potential Financial Models
Whilst a sole sponsor’s own model may be superior, the following alternative is outlined here for your consideration. It is a model which would enable the sponsor to be reimbursed their initial capital, in due course. The funder [e.g., Private/Super; government or bank] could then set up another community project, thus further increasing their community profile. The Logan Women’s Health and Well Being Centre (LWHWBC) in QLD is managed by the Community Investment Fund set up by the Foresters Community Development Finance Institution in QLD. This community asset building enables investors to pool their funds and earn a greater return than if each investor had acted individually. Foresters uses the Unit Trust deed policies and guidelines which were set up in partnership with LWHWBC and the Funding Institution (www.foresters.com.au) to enable community organisations to build their asset base for the long-term, without the financial burden of a full mortgage.As one of the unit holders, LWHWBC has gained security of tenure, and will gradually increase the number of units it owns over time, thereby increasing its ownership share of the building. LWHWBC will eventually be financially independent of Government and philanthropic funding. The strategy secures the use of the premises, protects it from the variables of the commercial rental market which is a problem for many community organisations. Until it gains full ownership, LWHWBC pays rent to the Fund. Independent wealth will enhance its capacity to continue responding flexibly and innovatively to the needs of its clients.
We look forward to your expression of interest for this WA Investment Opportunity-Proposed Women’s Accommodation and hope that our community can work together to ensure that this opportunity is not missed.