Your continued support is vital
It related to the then Government’s policies restricting access to medical care, work rights and other supports. While some of these policies have changed, the situation remains very difficult. In many cases, it is perilous, with many community based asylum seekers facing homelessness and destitution.
Some formal restrictions remain, depending on one’s visa status or the stage of one’s application or appeal. For example, those on appeal to the Courts or to the Minister get no income support. Processing times have become slower, leaving people longer in desperate situations and there are always several informal barriers in the community such as language, education, stress and depression, discrimination and temporary visa status, make finding work very difficult. There is also limited access to NSW housing services.Our ‘Safe Place’ Housing Program has grown from 8–9 houses to 15 houses; The HoW provided safe shelter and casework support to over 90 people during 2010, including 16 families. Visitors to our drop-in centre rose from 6–7 per day to 12 per day and our financial assistance program rose from an average of 10 clients to 22 clients. We have been providing an average of $6,000 per month in financial and rental assistance to families who have no income support.
Recently, we placed a young family (mum, dad and baby) into one of our homes. They were less than two weeks in Sydney. They had spent one week on the floor of a stranger from their community who helped them, and the previous two nights sleeping in Auburn Park. They have no English, no money, no family, no friends and no home until now.
All this has meant that our program costs require more funding to meet the current needs of our clients.
In the last 15 months we welcomed 150 new clients or client families (about 400 people) – 70% of whom were in housing stress and 30% of whom were homeless. These figures were on top of an existing caseload of around 100 clients or client families.
Our staffing costs, program costs, operational and office costs have all increased to meet these demands.
Our aim is to welcome and assist each client and family equally. To do this, we need to be properly resourced and we need funding, donations and volunteer support. Whatever support you can provide is most vital and most welcomed. Every amount helps to make a difference.
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