People escaping domestic and family violence in the Southern Highlands and Illawarra have a new program helping them secure a long-term home.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Keeping victims of domestic violence in rental markets is central to a new partnership between the NSW Government and St Vincent De Paul Society.
Vinnies staff and NSW politicians were on hand in Bowral on Thursday to announce an extension to the Rent Choice Start Safely rental subsidy program for the Southern Highlands, Illawarra, Goulburn, Shoalhaven and Campbelltown areas.
Minister for Families and Communities and Disability Services Natasha Maclaren-Jones told the crowd the program was designed to work with the hundreds of people already being supported across those regions.
"At the moment across NSW over the past 12 months 5000 households have been supported. Here locally, including Illawarra and Shoalhaven, there are currently 250 individuals being supported," Ms Maclaren-Jones said..
"The great thing about this program and working with specialist services like Vinnies is they understand the needs of the individual and tailoring what is needed for them and their families.
"That could be a home or an apartment."
St Vincent de Paul Society NSW CEO Jack de Groot said he hoped women fleeing domestic violence would be able to bounce back almost immediately under the scheme but added that there was still more for the government to do.
"The women we are often talking about are highly motivated to start their life again and start their economic independence so we will help them sustain their employment, sustain education and at the same time deal with the trauma in the background," Mr de Groot explained.
"This is more than just accommodation, it's a holistic wrap-around support.
"What we face in Australia today is a housing wait list that in NSW is over 50,000. We need to fix that. We need more social and affordable housing.
"The announcements that the government has made over the past few years are steps along the way but we need far more."
Local voices were present as well with Wollondilly MP Nathaniel Smith and Goulburn MP Wendy Tuckerman lending their support.
"This is something very close to my heart, my grandmother Noreen Smith worked for Vinnies for many years," Mr Smith said.
"Domestic violence is an absolute scourge on society and I'm proud to be part of a NSW government that's helping support women," Mrs Tuckerman added.
The support includes a rental subsidy of up to 36 months in the private market for people escaping domestic and family violence and other support services to build independence; and assistance to help people set up a tenancy through Rentstart Bond Loan and Rent Advance.
- We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on the Illawarra Mercury website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. Sign up for a subscription here.
