To read the report, Nowhere to go: the benefits of providing long term social housing to women that have experienced domestic and family violence, click on this link; https://everybodyshome.com.au/report-social-housing.../
Policies shaping assertive outreach with those experiencing homelessness have long lacked gendered and cultural inclusivity in approach or application. This has resulted in responses that are inherently focused on the visible, and hence male, experience of crisis and related housing impact(s). It has also resulted in a fundamental gap in female focused understandings of the practices that can (and should) underpin effective assertive outreach for women experiencing homelessness.
In an innovative response, Nova for Women and Children, in collaboration with the University of Newcastle, sought the wisdom of women and their workers in designing a specialist assertive outreach program for women experiencing homelessness in the Hunter Region of NSW.
Lessons learned highlight assertive outreach with women experiencing homelessness should intentionally focus on targeted engagement to build relational rapport, trust, and safety.
Acknowledging the acute and often complex experiences of trauma for women with chronic or cyclic experiences of homelessness, women and their workers argue assertive outreach needs to be flexible in providing the type of support women want, where and when they are ready, especially in the context of often inflexible policy parameters.
Women and workers noted policy and programme responses can be re-traumatising for women seeking to exit homelessness, often through their lack of responsiveness and sensitivity to experiences and circumstances that contextualise homelessness, especially for women. Stories of women experiencing homelessness and the workers who support them add to and enhance evidence for practice by emphasising voices that have been notably missing from the existing evidence base.
We are proud to present this report; The wisdom of women and workers: practice considerations for designing assertive outreach services for women experiencing homelessness.
In keeping with Nova for Women Children’s strong commitment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, the organisation has announced its support of the Voice.
Nova for Women and Children have been long time supporters of the Uluru Statement and the desire within this heartfelt statement for reconciliation and recognition.
Our service as a frontline service witnesses the disadvantage and harm of colonisation on the original occupiers of this land, each and every day.
The organisation is aware of multiple views of the Voice referendum and welcome debate and discussion.
We provide this link to any questions on the referendum as a tool:
Everything you need to know about the Voice https://www.abc.net.au/news/voice-to-parliament-referendum\
Each quarter Nova produces a fresh community newsletter to show you what we've doing within our organisation or within the community during the past 3 months. There's also information about, or photo's from our special events, talks about topical news and lots more. Links to the current and past Newsletters are below.
| Summer 2022 | Winter 2021 | Autumn 2021 | Summer 2021 |
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The best way for our organisation to learn, grow and improve our service, is to have raw and honest feedback from those we have supported or worked with.
Are you a woman with a lived/living experience of homelessness and/or domestic violence?
Do you have a passion for influencing change and contributing to homelessness/domestic violence policies?
Are you connected to the homelessness system and wish to advocate on behalf of the group you represent?
If so, we would love to hear from you!
