Resident Stories
Walter (Wally) Gibson, a 56-year-old proud Wiradjuri man, has overcome immense hardships to secure a new role as a Youth Mentor. His inspiring journey is proof of the great impact of Evolve Housing’s Opportunity Pathways (OP) program.
This NSW Government-funded voluntary program supports social and public housing clients to access employment, training and work opportunities.
When Wally joined the OP program, he courageously shared the many hardships he had endured, including battling depression and anxiety, and grappling with injuries sustained during his successful 10-year career as a professional rugby league player. He also faced a broken-down relationship due to domestic violence, the tragic death of his nephew to suicide, his suicidal thoughts and homelessness.
Things took a turn for the better for Wally, when he learned about the Department of Communities and Justice’s Start Safety program. Wally found housing in a private rental in the heart of Liverpool and was soon connected to Evolve Housing’s OP program to assist him with his employment goals.
Paired up with his dedicated Evolve Housing case coordinator Trudie, the pair worked closely on preemployment activities such as creating a resume, conducting employment searches and interview preparation and training.
Eventually, Wally was sent off to two interviews, one of which was with Aurora Foundation, an Indigenous organisation that supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to reach their full education and employment potential. He could not believe what happened next.
“Aurora called me 30 minutes after the interview saying I got the job! I can’t believe it, even to this day. They told me that they’re prepared to put in the effort with me for the next 10 years. And that to me meant the world. Telling people I know that I’m an Indigenous mentor means a lot.”
Wally started his new role on the 25th of May, embarking on a journey to change the lives of young people through his leadership and life experiences. This incredible opportunity for Wally aligns perfectly with his passion and purpose. He is enjoying making a difference in the lives of youth and is eager to share his knowledge, compassion and guidance.
Wally said without Trudie, his case coordinator’s support and belief in him, he wouldn’t have found himself with a home or employment. “Without Trudie I wouldn’t have been able to be where I am today. Trudie is always there for me. Anytime I need her, she’s just a phone call away.”
Some words of advice from Wally are: “Never give up. It’s easier to say that and at one point I was close to taking a different turn. But now I can reflect and have a little smile and say it didn’t get me. I didn’t give up.”
When James found himself in hospital for three months, in a life-or-death situation due to an aneurysm and stroke, he didn’t expect for his life to completely change.
The 36-year-old was living at The Haymarket Foundation, a local crisis accommodation centre for people experiencing homelessness and other disadvantages in Sydney, while working at Advanced Metal Door Frames when he landed in hospital.
James’ recovery was a long road but soon enough he found himself back at Haymarket before being transferred to their other crisis accommodation service in Ashfield. James was left with nothing, until his social worker connected him to Shahn from Evolve Housing under the Together Home program.
The Together Home program provides much-needed support and housing for struggling Australians. For James, the program was a life-changer, connecting him to Evolve Housing and his case coordinator Shahn, who set out short-term goals to help James to get to where he needed to be.
“Shahn encouraged me to look after my health before I started TAFE to study a Certificate 4 in Mental Health. I was settled in a new home and Shahn sorted out grants for me to purchase a new desk, chair and laptop for my future studies. I couldn’t believe that this was now my life. Unfortunately, I couldn’t keep going [with my studies] because of my health but Shahn said that my health was a priority.”
James turned his focus to recovering and his six-year-old daughter Emily-Grace, knowing that he wanted to be around for her as she grew up. He said with Shahn’s guidance, he was able to understand what was going on in his life.
“It means a lot to me to be around my daughter. If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t be working so hard to get better.”
James is hoping to get back to TAFE at the end of the year but said without the support and assistance of the Together Home program, he wouldn’t be where he is today.
“Together Home is an important program, a pillar of my lifeline. They have been there for me in every situation…if I didn’t have a home I don’t know where I’d be. But now I have a home to go to. I get to clean my place, make my food, watch TV because of Together Home. I know my health is improving because I’m in this program.”
Offering words of encouragement, James said: “I would like people to not give up, be courageous, believe in yourself, you can do anything you focus on.”
You just never know where life will take you, but Emma Freeland said she does not regret the journey which eventually saw her as an Evolve Housing resident.
Emma, 36, her husband, 50, and their two children, Gabriel and Tisa, found themselves living with different family members over the years. First with her uncle in Campbelltown, and then in Auburn with her aunty before deciding it was time to find a place for themselves that was affordable and accommodating to their family size.
“My husband was delivering newspapers and advertisements to mailboxes about three to four times a week and was bringing back only $200 a month. We eventually moved to my aunt’s home and my husband got a job through her as a forklift driver. Things were great and I’m grateful to my aunty, but it was time to find our own home,” Emma said.
Emma stumbled upon Evolve Housing’s phone number and spoke to a member of the team who explained the affordable housing process through our real estate entity EchoRealty.
Emma was looking for a house with three bedrooms so her children, a son and daughter, could live and grow up comfortably. The property manager informed her that there was one three-bedroom house available, an affordable housing dwelling owned by Evolve Housing. Emma put in an application and the house was hers.
“We were the first people to move into the place, and we stayed there for almost eight years. When we got the house, we were so thankful because Evolve Housing saved us from anything else,” she said.
Something that stuck out about their new home was a sign at the disability organisation across the street that read, “Little by little”, which reminded Emma to take one step at a time.
Unexpectedly, tragedy struck when Emma’s husband required a massive operation and was recovering at home for a year. Emma was not working because she was looking after the kids but knew she had to do something to help her family. “I decided to look at doing a course.
On the Evolve Housing website, there was a free course in Individual Support in Ageing. It was a Certificate 3, and I love challenging myself, so I signed up.”
Emma also encouraged her husband to do the same course. While she studied, Emma found a job at a meat factory and was helping her family any way she could, before the pair went on to complete their Certificate 4.
When her husband finished his course, he needed to do work placement so Emma encouraged him to go ask the disability organisation across the road to see if he could complete his placement there.
After a week of placement, Emma’s husband was offered full-time work. Emma knew this was the beginning of something great. She got her husband to ask on her behalf if they could interview her. Eventually, the pair were working together full-time in different departments, and things were going well.
Emma never imagined her family would move from the Evolve Housing property, but then one day, a colleague offered her home to Emma to rent.
“We moved out of the Evolve Housing property last year. I knew it was the right decision because my kids are growing up and it was time to move on. Our new home has four bedrooms with a massive double lounge, dining area, three showers and toilets, a spacious laundry area, backyard and garage. I’m very happy and the bills are manageable,” she said.
Emma said that without Evolve Housing’s support her family wouldn’t have found themselves in this position.
She can’t thank Evolve Housing enough for everything they did to support her and her family.
“My husband is so happy because sometimes we talk about what we’ve achieved. We appreciate how far we’ve come with the help of Evolve Housing.
“Being tenants at Evolve Housing gave us the opportunity to save and look at us now. We’re both working full time and have given someone else in need, the opportunity to be supported by Evolve Housing.”
Savan’s story is a reminder that not giving up will take you to places you never expected to be. A migrant woman from Kurdistan, Savan has a degree in engineering but is unable to work in her field due to her visa.
When she was 33 years old, Savan was married and stuck in a toxic relationship. During the COVID-19 lockdown in June 2020, Savan made the courageous decision to leave her husband. That’s when her new life, powered with resilience, began.
Savan had a friend who offered up her couch some nights which was a saving grace, however, it soon became unsafe for her to stay there. Not wanting to endanger her friend, Savan went to Link2Home, a government statewide referral service assisting homeless people and those at risk of homelessness.
Savan declared she was homeless and was put in touch with DV West, a crisis accommodation, transitional housing service that supports women and children who are victims of abuse and domestic violence to find a home.
This was frightening for Savan who was in unfamiliar territory and wanted to create the new life she deserved. She began looking for properties and found three that best suited her situation. One was an affordable housing property advertised by EchoRealty.
DV West supported Savan with her application and she was over the moon when she was approved.
In July 2020 Savan moved into her new home. “I will never forget the moment I was told my application was approved. I was over the moon. I loved the place. It had a beautiful view of the park and was everything I needed. It was the first time in my life I called a place my home. I was safe, there was no one nagging me, no one to control me or tell me what to do, where I should go. It was a beautiful feeling,” she said.
With a safe, affordable and secure roof over her head thanks to EchoRealty, Savan knew she had to take every opportunity and make the most of it. With the support of COVID-19 Centrelink payments, Savan enrolled to study English for academic purposes. Next, she went on to complete a course in community services and two months later found a job.
“I got a job, bought my first car, and became more independent. Then a lot of change happened, and I finally got divorced and could focus on my life.”
That’s exactly what Savan did. She lived her life and focused on her job, and in between everything, met her new husband. In April 2023, Savan moved out of EchoRealty’s affordable housing property because her and her husband were financially comfortable to manage a mortgage and buy their own home.
“It’s beautiful to have something that is yours. Of course, a mortgage comes with more responsibility, but I wouldn’t have been here without the support of EchoRealty. That was an incredible life-changing experience, and I am so grateful that there are services out there to help others in similar situations.”
Savan offered some words of hope, encouraging others who may find themselves in similar situations to never give up.
“There is always hope for change. I had lots of obstacles but don’t be afraid to reach out and get the right support because there is always hope.”
Arncliffe resident George, who was homeless prior to moving into the estate, has embraced his new community and even began his own cooking tutorials for fellow tenants.
George was living in his car for months after having been released from jail and struggling with depression and anxiety. He was initially housed in a 1-bedroom apartment in Arncliffe, supported by not-for-profit organisation Neami National. After he got joint custody of his children, we helped him move into a 3-bedroom apartment in the block, so that he could have his family visit.
Living in the property, with the support of Evolve Housing’s Arncliffe Community Hub, has given George a new lease on life. He has participated in many social activities with his fellow residents, including beach visits, and also got involved with the on-site community garden. “[Living in Arncliffe has had a] big impact, huge impact … socially, I’m talking to a couple of people now instead of locking myself away. People are there and genuine and helping. Carrie-Ann and Paea are the best people ever; they’re genuine,” George said.
As well as making new friends with his neighbours, George has been holding cooking classes at the property, sharing his skills and passion for food with other tenants. 7 people attended his first class, in which George showed how to cook chicken schnitzel, mashed potatoes, butter and honey carrots, mushroom gravy, caramel slice and cherry ripe.
“I did cooking for three years back when I was a young fella, but I’ve got a passion for cooking. I lost it for a couple of years, and now it’s back. This is just my way out of the depression and anxiety; cooking and feeling happy. It seems to make other people happy too.”
When Gertrude found herself without a home in her late teens, she was forced to couch surf for years until a visit to the Evolve Housing for Youth office changed her life.
Gertrude, aged 27, now lives happily with her fiancée Martin and their two children Zephaniah (5 months old) and Elijah (3 years old) in an affordable housing property in Penrith. She works part-time as an in-home aged carer and has ambitions of buying her own home one day soon.
But Gertrude’s life wasn’t always this serene. She became homeless during her first year of university, after a dispute with her sister led to her being forced out of the Canberra home they were living in together.
With both parents living overseas, Gertrude wasn’t sure of what to do, but eventually began couch surfing and living with other people for short stints. She applied for public housing in both Canberra, where there were no vacancies, and in Sydney, where she was told there was a 12-year waitlist.
In the meantime, not having a fixed address meant that Gertrude struggled to establish herself in life like other people of her age were doing. “People sometimes judge people that are homeless for not working but it’s hard when you don’t know where you’re going to sleep because if you’re being moved to another state or something, you obviously have to quit that job, or you can’t make it there on time because you don’t have the money to go for your interviews,” she said.
Gertrude’s fortunes changed in 2015 when a friend suggested that she get in contact with Evolve Housing for Youth. “A friend of mine had been there before and she just said, ‘why don’t you try these people? ’… I’d been to all these different people and it’s either, oh you’re not pregnant or you’re not this or you’re not old enough or you’re not this enough [to qualify for social housing],” she said.
Despite her scepticism, Gertrude made an appointment with Evolve Housing, and was shocked when she was offered a studio apartment in Auburn, which was ready to move into just two weeks later — a huge difference from the years-long waitlists she had previously encountered.
She accepted, and became a client of Evolve Housing, which gave her access to a caseworker who assisted her with her education and employment goals. With the stability that long-term, secure housing provided, she was able to complete a Diploma in Business Management and then later a Certificate 4 in Community Service.
After six months in her Auburn studio, Gertrude moved to a larger one-bedroom apartment in Merrylands. When she got pregnant with her first child, we offered her a two-bedroom apartment in Parramatta. Finally, in 2018, she moved on from Evolve Housing for Youth when she saw an advertisement on realestate.com.au for an affordable housing apartment in a new development in Penrith.
It wasn’t until she spoke with the property manager that she realised the real estate agency, EchoRealty, was a division of Evolve Housing, meaning that her journey with the organisation has lasted 5 years.
Since moving to their new home, Gertrude and Martin have appreciated the beautiful views the apartment offers and the proximity to public transport, shops, and local parks.
Gertrude’s experience with Evolve Housing for Youth was so positive that she has referred her friends to the organisation, and would encourage any young person who is homeless or at risk of homelessness to get in touch.
“Contact Evolve. Just go there, no matter who you’ve been with, how many nos you’ve gotten or scary situations or people you’ve seen, just contact them because they have a place for literally everyone, that’s the good thing about them,” she said.
“Even if they don’t have a place they make sure they sit down with you and help you find a place. I’ve referred so many friends to them and it’s been the same situation for all of them, they’ve all gotten a place within 2 weeks … so it’s just based on your circumstance, just talk to them even if it’s just counselling or you just need someone to talk to. You get everything.”
After living in an Evolve Housing property for almost two decades, Miajan decided to join the Resident Advisory Group to share his ideas and help to shape a better tenant experience for his peers.
Miajan joined the Resident Advisory Group (RAG) in February 2020, as one of 15 new members that were engaged as part of the group’s restructure that occurred in late 2019.
The restructure was designed to ensure that the RAG represents a broader, more diverse range of Evolve Housing tenants who can share their viewpoints. It also involved changes to the way the RAG operates to create more effective procedures and enhance dialogue between the group and Evolve Housing staff.
Members meet once a month for a few hours to discuss important issues that may be affecting tenants. They sometimes meet with representatives from different departments of Evolve Housing to better understand the organisation’s operations.
Miajan said that he has enjoyed the experience of being part of the RAG so far and was motivated to participate as a way to give back to his community. “One of the reasons was because we have been living in this property since 2002. We’ve gotten a lot of experience, I wanted to share those experiences with others,” he said.
The focus of the group and its discussions are always how to improve the lives of Evolve Housing tenants, and despite the different backgrounds and geographic locations of tenants, there are some core issues that seem to affect all residents.
“In our group, tenants are the centre, so all issues around the tenants are discussed there,” Miajan said.
“For example, the issue of rent assessment…the method of payment and how they can pay, the issue of maintenance comes up, the issue of security… those are the things that are coming up.
“Activities are proposed, which type of activities we can hold and when they can happen. The most important thing is communication and educating people about their rights, their responsibilities, and those sort of things. Also, the issue of skills and training comes up. These are the main issues so far that came up from the RAG meetings and of course for every issue there are sub-activities and other issues.”
The group has a primarily advisory purpose, providing suggestions from a tenant perspective to management for consideration, and a report is written up for each meeting including minutes and action items.
“The ideas that come through the RAG, that will help the Evolve management team while they are working on policy issues, they’ll develop strategies that will help them … we nicely pressure them,” Miajan said.
Miajan, his wife Huma, and their four sons have been living in their property at Lidcombe since 2002, and were originally tenants of Cumberland Housing, which was one of the predecessors of Evolve Housing.
He came to Australia in 1995, after spending his childhood and early adulthood in Afghanistan then living in Pakistan as a refugee for 11 years with his family.
Miajan has previously worked as a college teacher in Afghanistan before migrating to Pakistan, since 2002 he has worked for the government of Afghanistan, as an adviser, and has also worked with international non-government organisations.
While Miajan said that he loves his home country of Afghanistan, like any parent, he was worried about his children’s future and wanted to give them a safe life in Australia.
In addition to his volunteer role with Evolve Housing, Miajan also contributes to his local community by working as an interpreter in a variety of contexts such as health care settings and courts. Miajan said that he and his family appreciated having the stability of long-term rental housing located in a friendly community.
“First of all, they [Evolve Housing] give us a permanent address to live in, it gives you peace of mind, you have a roof on your top and a place to live in. This was the most important thing,” he said.
“Secondly, the area is pretty good. There are housing properties that have a lot of issues but here we don’t have any of those issues, it is good for kids and there’s a park…. We are very happy.”
Aspiring doctor Mymy has been able to rely on the support of an Evolve Housing Keep Educating Yourself (KEY) grant to help fund her undergraduate and postgraduate studies.
Twenty-three year-old Mymy first applied for a grant to assist her while she studied a Bachelor of Science degree at the University of New South Wales, focusing on neuroscience.
She then participated in the implementation of a clinical trials program that used online software to help older people change their thought processes and challenge their fears of leaving their homes.
After completing her first degree, Mymy decided to pursue her desire to become a doctor and enrolled in her first year of medicine at Western Sydney University, again accessing another KEY grant for financial support.
“The grant helped me pay for uni fees, textbooks, computers, things I needed to get me through the year,” Mymy said. “This year, medicine is very costly. There’s the stethoscope, the lab coats and the textbooks.”
Mymy has been in an Evolve Housing property in Merrylands for 10 years with her mum and sister, and said that living in community housing has been a positive experience for her family.
“Evolve Housing has helped out a lot, especially as a child of a single mum. It’s made life a lot easier. Our apartment was quite convenient for me and my sister when we went to high school. The location is great and Evolve Housing is always willing to help us out with anything we need,” she said.
After Mymy graduates, she is interested in becoming a respiratory specialist or a psychiatrist, and said that she thinks that her experience living in community housing in western Sydney will allow her to connect with patients.
“I feel like I’m going to become a better doctor because of where I’ve grown up in a way that I’ve seen people who come from varying different backgrounds financially; I’m not close-minded. The more you learn about people, the better you’re going to be when you become a practitioner. You need to be able to communicate with people by having experience with people.”
After moving to Australia with her mother, who had recently remarried, Nethangie experienced almost a decade of hardship, moving from house to house, until she settled in Harts Landing. Now with her living circumstances finally stable, Nethangie is free to pursue her passion for medical science without having to worry about the future.
Nethangie, who will turn 21 in December, moved to Sydney from Sri Lanka with her mother Ajanthie in 2009 when she was just 11 years old.
Despite the cultural barriers she faced, and the fact that she didn’t speak much English in Sri Lanka, Nethangie quickly mastered her new language and settled into school life with ease.
While Nethangie flourished in the classroom, her home life was marred by domestic violence, and in late 2011 her mother Ajanthie made the decision to leave an abusive relationship and move with her daughter into a women’s refuge in Doonside.
The next few years of Nethangie’s life were plagued with uncertainty and constant uprooting, as the family shuffled back and forth between the women’s refuge and the home Ajanthie jointly owned with her ex-partner.
After a stressful court case, the home was finally sold in 2013 and the pair moved into temporary affordable housing specifically for victims of domestic violence. While it was a relief to find a home, Nethangie said she struggled with the uncertainty of this period of her life.
“In terms of moving houses, my school was really helpful and mum had a really good caseworker, but it was just the uncertainty of things that made it difficult,” Nethangie said.
“I don’t cope with uncertainty well; I like things to be settled and to know what’s going to happen.”
After enduring so many moves in such a short amount of time, Nethangie and Ajanthie were again packing boxes in March 2014, shifting to a private rental property in Werrington using a government subsidy.
In the meantime, Nethangie was still attending her old school in Quakers Hill, doing well in her studies and desperate to not add another destabilising change to a life that was already so much in flux.
Nethangie finished her HSC a year later, and gained admission to Sydney University to study a Bachelor of Medical Science. However, the uncertainty of her family’s housing situation still troubled both her and her mother.
When they saw advertisements for Evolve’s new integrated housing development, Harts Landing, in early 2018 the timing was perfect: their landlord in Werrington had just attempted to raise their rent by a significant proportion per week.
Ajanthie’s rental application to Harts Landing was successful, and the family moved yet again, this time into a secure, affordable and newly built apartment building located in a lifestyle development right next to Penrith station…and they haven’t looked back. “It’s been good, especially having everything so close.”
New residents view interior units at Harts Landing.
“Having the Westfield shopping centre on the other side of train line is really good and being able to catch the Blue Mountains Line train to university also helps,” Nethangie said.
But while the accessibility, safety and location are all major factors that appealed to the family, Nethangie said her mum also enjoyed a more aesthetic aspect of their new home: being able to see the sunrise every day from their apartment tower.
Finally settled in affordable housing, Nethangie hopes to pursue medical research and medical activism, following in the footsteps of her grandfather, who moved upward from a poor childhood to being one of Sri Lanka’s top lecturers, and also worked in research.
“I grew up in a family where education was considered a vital thing for getting yourself out of hardship,” Nethangie said.
She recently gained admission to the Honours program at Westmead Kids Institute for 2019, and
will be conducting breakthrough research on maternal immune activation.
On top of her busy study schedule, Nethangie has also been an active contributor to the community, volunteering with the Australian Red Cross and other charitable organisations.
Although Nethangie’s success is entirely due to her hard work and perseverance, she also believes that having access to affordable housing has helped her and her mother stabilise their lives and focus on pursuing their personal goals.
“If there’s one less thing, like housing, that’s taken out of the equation then you don’t have to worry about that; you can put more effort into other things that can really change your life from what it used to be”.
Growing up, Andy never imagined he would move out of his parents’ home. As one of an estimated 80 Australians living with the rare physical disability Morquio, Andy uses a wheelchair for mobility and has a range of physical characteristics that can make daily tasks difficult to manage. Now, with the help of Evolve Housing, Andy is living independently for the first time in his life, in a state-of-the-art, $2.3 million accommodation complex in Parramatta.
Like an estimated 28,000 other Australians with disability, Andy was held back in his quest to be fully independent by one major barrier – a shortage of appropriate accommodation.
Because his family home was not wheelchair accessible, many of Andy’s friends were unable to visit, and he was prevented from doing basic tasks such as cooking on his own.
Thanks to a partnership between disability service provider Northcott and Evolve, Andy now has a new place he calls home. He has his own apartment in a modern, universally accessible North Parramatta complex, made possible by the Australian Government’s $60 million Supported Accommodation Innovation Fund.
“Living here has given me a new lease on life,” Andy said. “My life has improved in just being able to catch up with mates, and not having to always rely on my parents for help getting to places. I’m also closer to work [as an Information Technology officer] which makes things easier.”
Andy is now able to socialise with his friends more, cook for himself, hang out his own washing, and generally take care of himself, improving his confidence and giving him the independence he sought.
“Not having to rely on my parents was a big thing,” Andy said. “Where I lived [before] wasn’t wheelchair accessible so I was always having to rely on someone around to help me. The kitchen wasn’t accessible so I couldn’t cook for myself.”
Since moving into his new accommodation, which features a small courtyard, Andy has been able to have his friends over more. “There’s enough room to fit a barbecue. I love to entertain when I’ve got mates over – to cook a steak while they’re inside screaming at the TV because their team is either winning or not doing so well,” he said.
“It took me a while to learn how not to make things charcoal, but I got there after a couple of months and things became edible!”
Unsurprisingly, Andy’s relationship with his parents and sister has improved drastically in the two and a half years he has been living on his own. “I’m getting on a lot better with my parents since I moved out of home,” he said. “Mum’s there for me: I can call her if I need cooking advice, without her having to take over for me. Dad also works close by so if I ever need help he can come over after work. I’m getting on a lot better with my sister now that we don’t see each other on a daily basis.”
Despite the extra obstacles Andy faces, he has chosen not to let his disability stop him from living life like most other young men his age. Andy has tattoos, likes hanging out with his mates, is a diehard fan of the Western Sydney Wanderers FC, and even captains its Powerchair Team.
“The greatest achievement for me so far, aside from moving in here and gaining much more independence, would be wheelchair sports and playing Powerchair football for the Wanderers,” he said. “We just won our first championship, which has been huge for us and something I’m really proud of. We’ve got the World Cup coming up next year in Florida and hopefully on the back of what we’ve done this season we can push to get selected for the Australian team.”
For Andy, the future is bright. “I’m really looking forward to what the future holds,” he said. “This place has really broadened my horizons and shown me what I can do independently. I’d love to maybe get a bigger house later and really grow from there.”
Unemployed and suffering from anxiety, Anita was able to turn her life around through the help and support of Evolve Housing programs. Now in a stable position, with a job and a permanent roof over her head, Anita is able to start moving her life forward.
Anita had returned to Sydney after a relationship breakdown and wasn’t able to find a stable place to call home. She suffered from acute anxiety and struggled to even go outside.
For a long period of time she was couch-surfing and moving around each day to find a bed for the night. Thankfully, that all changed when she was linked with Evolve and allocated an apartment of her own.
“I got the call from Evolve and I was so glad to have my own little place. With the security of my own home, I couldn’t be happier,” Anita said.
After settling into her home in Western Sydney, Anita received her first Evolve Housing resident newsletter and read about the barista training course run in partnership by Evolve and Darcy St Project.
While she had a few initial hurdles battling her anxiety to make it to the start of the course, once she was there Anita was hooked. She completed the four-week Certificate 1 Barista training course, which included a mixture of theory and practical work experience in the Darcy St Project café.
Anita said: “I took advantage of all the work experience that was on offer, asked a lot of questions, and really enjoyed the learning experience. There is so much to learn and I keep learning every day, which I love.”
Anita passed through the Barista course with flying colours and developed a passion for her work. Due to her skills and dedication, Anita was offered a paid position as a barista by Darcy St Project and has been employed there since December 2016. After completing her training and becoming permanently employed, Anita’s life has definitely changed for the better.
John Cafferatta, owner of Darcy St Project, said that he is proud of the partnership with Evolve; the opportunity to connect with residents and teach them new skills and employment pathways. John said Anita is an asset to Darcy St Project. “She has fit into our culture and values brilliantly. Everyone brings their own type of swag and personality to the table which has been a great value-add for us at Darcy St Project,” he said.
Anita credits Evolve with providing her with the skills to do a job that makes her happy. “I love being here, I’ve really found what I love and what I want to do forever. I would like to teach eventually. I really enjoy that and I want to give back everything I got out of this course.”
At just 23, Betty has experienced more ups and downs than any young person should. Betty’s remarkable story highlights the importance of providing stable, secure and safe accommodation as a starting point for people to rebuild their lives. Secure housing through Evolve Housing for Youth (EHY), combined with wrap-around support and Betty’s incredible self-determination, has helped her break the cycle of homelessness.
At 16 Betty dropped out of high school. With no support network to fall back on she spent the next few years couch-surfing and living in and out of refuges; sometimes in dangerous places because she didn’t know where else to go.
When she was 18, Betty made the brave decision to go back and finish year 10. Back at school she was connected with EHY. She met with one of the caseworkers and moved into an EHY property. Having a permanent roof over her head was the stability Betty needed to help her finish school. With no parents or friends to encourage her to keep studying, EHY provided Betty with practical support by helping her enrol into senior school and, over a three-year period, supporting her as she achieved her HSC.
Inspired by her EHY caseworker, Betty went on to complete a Certificate, then Diploma, in Community Services at TAFE. EHY helped Betty source suitable work experience and work placements. After a great deal of hard work and dedication, Betty is now proud to be helping others as a youth worker.
“As a youth worker, I have a job that I love. I have a better understanding of what my clients are going through and I feel I can connect with them,” she said. “Every day is a different and new challenge that helps me grow and learn how to help others better. It is so rewarding helping my clients and meeting so many new people, I’m incredibly lucky to love my job like I do.”
Betty is now living on her own; happy and independent. She is still receiving case management support from EHY and is supported by another accommodation provider. She became an ambassador for Western Sydney Homelessness Connect, managed by Evolve, and says it was one of her proudest moments.
Although she was nervous in front of a crowd that included senior politicians, with the support of EHY staff Betty spoke about how the community housing sector can raise the profile of homelessness and housing issues. She used the event as an opportunity to advocate for young people with Geoff Lee MP, NSW Member for Parramatta. She explained that as a teenager, she was unaware of the services available to help her and ended up in an unsafe situation. “Young people can be so vulnerable but they are the future,” she said. “If we want a brighter and more rewarding future we need to tackle the issue of youth homelessness seriously.”
To other young people in her previous situation Betty says: “Don’t give up; keep fighting to be the best person you can be, and use the resources available to help you to do so. Organisations like Evolve are so important, and young people need to be aware that people like the amazing workers at EHY are there to help, and won’t give up on you.”
“Before EHY I had no confidence; I was always worried because I didn’t have somewhere to stay of my own, sometimes staying somewhere dangerous,” she said. “I don’t think I would be where I am today without EHY.”
At 22 years old, Masi has experienced hardships most of us could not imagine. After near death at sea, to incarceration and torture, he is now on track to live a successful and happy life, with the support of Evolve Housing and others.
At just 14, Masi and his uncle fled the constant fear of persecution and the atrocity of war in Afghanistan in search of a life of safety and peace. They escaped in the night, having to leave Masi’s parents behind, and made it to Indonesia before undertaking a treacherous life-threatening boat trip to Australia. They were so desperate to flee, that the prospect of death at sea did not deter them from seeking a life of freedom and hope.
Days into the trip to Australia, the boat was hit by an enormous wave, capsizing the boat. Twelve people died, including Masi’s uncle – the only family he had. Despite watching his uncle die before him, Masi used all his strength and resilience to cling to a floating log for 16 hours until Indonesian fisherman were able to pull him and three others to safety.
Masi was detained for two years in an Indonesian detention facility where he experienced torture, isolation and constant pain. He was alone, without family or friends, trying to make sense of loss, grief, and his dire situation.
A life in Indonesia for Masi was fraught with danger, and with no options left he bravely made another boat journey to Australia. Again, he risked his life for a chance at the promise of a better future. After numerous attempts, he was picked up by Australian authorities and held once again in detention, this time on Christmas Island and then in Darwin for more than 18 months. After 3 ½ long years, Masi’s battle to live in Australia was over, and he was finally granted permanent residency at the age of 17.
After years of uncertainty, Masi is finally finding some stability in his life. Through the support of a number of organisations, including Evolve Housing for Youth (EHY) and Parramatta Mission, he has been able to work towards his goals. With more resilience than most young people could imagine, Masi has overcome all odds to succeed in Australia. He gained employment as a semi professional soccer player; completed a Diploma in Sports and Development; and is qualified to become a certified life coach. He now works as a coach and represents his sport through various youth speaking events.
Despite his family remaining in detention in Pakistan, Masi maintains a deeply positive attitude and dreams of being reunited with his family in a safe place they can all call home.
From homelessness and despair, teenager Roma has now achieved independent living, studying and working part-time, with the support of Evolve Housing for Youth (EHY).
Arriving in Australia in 2012 as a 16-year-old, Roma was excited by the prospects of her new life. Before long however, with no family support or anyone to turn to, and following a series of unfortunate events, Roma’s life was in a downward spiral. She found herself homeless, and eventually contacted EHY for help and a safe place to live.
By the time Roma made the brave decision to reach out for help, she had been homeless for seven months. Roma was offered shared accommodation with three other women; an opportunity she welcomed with open arms. Sadly, Roma was bullied by the three other tenants, and despite participating in conflict resolution workshops, the situation did not improve. Working closely with the EHY caseworkers, Roma was offered alternative accommodation where she could live on her own.
This situation was perfect for Roma as she was studying for her HSC exams. During this time, she managed to secure a part time job she loved, working with young children in an after school care program.
After a great deal of hard work, and with the support of her caseworker, Roma achieved excellent HSC results and enrolled into a Certificate III TAFE course. As Roma’s confidence grew, so did her independence and she became less reliant on her caseworker. Roma independently found shared accommodation with a friend in the private rental market, where she lives today.
Through the support of EHY and her caseworker, Roma was able to find a safe and secure place to call home. Providing Roma with the right opportunities and supporting her to build skills and confidence has meant she can continue her TAFE studies while working part-time. She hopes to one day go to university. By providing holistic support and listening to the individual needs of young people, EHY is helping people to build better lives.
Following the tragic loss of her husband in 2002, Roxana was left to raise her two young sons, one with autism, on her own. Roxana and her boys were originally from Argentina, and the only family they had was each other. Despite many challenges, after becoming a tenant of Evolve Housing, Roxana and her family have been able to rebuild their lives.
Roxana has been an Evolve Housing tenant for about 15 years. Six months after her husband passed away, her youngest son Brandon, aged 2 at the time, was diagnosed with autism with Moderate Intellectual Delay. With her family all living overseas, Roxana found it increasingly difficult to cope. She didn’t feel she had any support or people to turn to and became depressed.
What she did have was a safe and affordable house from Evolve, and financial assistance from Centrelink. Her prior education gave her the strength to carry on and seek help for herself and her family. With housing and financial support, she was able to access early intervention, counselling, doctors, psychologists, therapists, education, friends and a support network.
Thirteen years on, her eldest son Christopher, now in his mid-20s, graduated from high school and went to university. He has followed his dreams and passion for soccer and moved to Argentina. He works for the Lionel Messi Foundation, which was created with the wish that all children should have opportunities to make their dreams come true. Roxana remarried in 2013. Her youngest son Brandon is now 16 and attends the support unit at Baulkham Hills High School (a selective school). He is also an entrepreneur, and with his mother, opened a social club for autistic and mainstream children. ‘Brandon’s Club’ opened in June 2014, with funding from My Choice Matters. In 2018, Brandon received extra funding from Fundability to continue his project, and also secured his first part-time job. Brandon is now an accomplished drummer in a local band and his dream is to become a rock star drummer. Roxana and Brandon are working towards ‘Brandon’s School of Rock’, a space for teens living with a disability to jam with musicians.
Roxana’s story shows that with a little help, support and kindness we can triumph over adversity. “I just want to say thank you Evolve for your support in times of need. We will never forget you!” she said. “Thank you for the affordable and safe housing for my family.”
Arncliffe resident George, who was homeless prior to moving into the estate, has embraced his new community and even began his own cooking tutorials for fellow tenants.
George was living in his car for months after having been released from jail and struggling with depression and anxiety. He was initially housed in a 1-bedroom apartment in Arncliffe, supported by not-for-profit organisation Neami National. After he got joint custody of his children, we helped him move into a 3-bedroom apartment in the block, so that he could have his family visit.
Living in the property, with the support of Evolve Housing’s Arncliffe Community Hub, has given George a new lease on life. He has participated in many social activities with his fellow residents, including beach visits, and also got involved with the on-site community garden. “[Living in Arncliffe has had a] big impact, huge impact … socially, I’m talking to a couple of people now instead of locking myself away. People are there and genuine and helping. Carrie-Ann and Paea are the best people ever; they’re genuine,” George said.
As well as making new friends with his neighbours, George has been holding cooking classes at the property, sharing his skills and passion for food with other tenants. 7 people attended his first class, in which George showed how to cook chicken schnitzel, mashed potatoes, butter and honey carrots, mushroom gravy, caramel slice and cherry ripe.
“I did cooking for three years back when I was a young fella, but I’ve got a passion for cooking. I lost it for a couple of years, and now it’s back. This is just my way out of the depression and anxiety; cooking and feeling happy. It seems to make other people happy too.”
When Gertrude found herself without a home in her late teens, she was forced to couch surf for years until a visit to the Evolve Housing for Youth office changed her life.
Gertrude, aged 27, now lives happily with her fiancée Martin and their two children Zephaniah (5 months old) and Elijah (3 years old) in an affordable housing property in Penrith. She works part-time as an in-home aged carer and has ambitions of buying her own home one day soon.
But Gertrude’s life wasn’t always this serene. She became homeless during her first year of university, after a dispute with her sister led to her being forced out of the Canberra home they were living in together.
With both parents living overseas, Gertrude wasn’t sure of what to do, but eventually began couch surfing and living with other people for short stints. She applied for public housing in both Canberra, where there were no vacancies, and in Sydney, where she was told there was a 12-year waitlist.
In the meantime, not having a fixed address meant that Gertrude struggled to establish herself in life like other people of her age were doing. “People sometimes judge people that are homeless for not working but it’s hard when you don’t know where you’re going to sleep because if you’re being moved to another state or something, you obviously have to quit that job, or you can’t make it there on time because you don’t have the money to go for your interviews,” she said.
Gertrude’s fortunes changed in 2015 when a friend suggested that she get in contact with Evolve Housing for Youth. “A friend of mine had been there before and she just said, ‘why don’t you try these people? ’… I’d been to all these different people and it’s either, oh you’re not pregnant or you’re not this or you’re not old enough or you’re not this enough [to qualify for social housing],” she said.
Despite her scepticism, Gertrude made an appointment with Evolve Housing, and was shocked when she was offered a studio apartment in Auburn, which was ready to move into just two weeks later — a huge difference from the years-long waitlists she had previously encountered.
She accepted, and became a client of Evolve Housing, which gave her access to a caseworker who assisted her with her education and employment goals. With the stability that long-term, secure housing provided, she was able to complete a Diploma in Business Management and then later a Certificate 4 in Community Service.
After six months in her Auburn studio, Gertrude moved to a larger one-bedroom apartment in Merrylands. When she got pregnant with her first child, we offered her a two-bedroom apartment in Parramatta. Finally, in 2018, she moved on from Evolve Housing for Youth when she saw an advertisement on realestate.com.au for an affordable housing apartment in a new development in Penrith.
It wasn’t until she spoke with the property manager that she realised the real estate agency, EchoRealty, was a division of Evolve Housing, meaning that her journey with the organisation has lasted 5 years.
Since moving to their new home, Gertrude and Martin have appreciated the beautiful views the apartment offers and the proximity to public transport, shops, and local parks.
Gertrude’s experience with Evolve Housing for Youth was so positive that she has referred her friends to the organisation, and would encourage any young person who is homeless or at risk of homelessness to get in touch.
“Contact Evolve. Just go there, no matter who you’ve been with, how many nos you’ve gotten or scary situations or people you’ve seen, just contact them because they have a place for literally everyone, that’s the good thing about them,” she said.
“Even if they don’t have a place they make sure they sit down with you and help you find a place. I’ve referred so many friends to them and it’s been the same situation for all of them, they’ve all gotten a place within 2 weeks … so it’s just based on your circumstance, just talk to them even if it’s just counselling or you just need someone to talk to. You get everything.”
After living in an Evolve Housing property for almost two decades, Miajan decided to join the Resident Advisory Group to share his ideas and help to shape a better tenant experience for his peers.
Miajan joined the Resident Advisory Group (RAG) in February 2020, as one of 15 new members that were engaged as part of the group’s restructure that occurred in late 2019.
The restructure was designed to ensure that the RAG represents a broader, more diverse range of Evolve Housing tenants who can share their viewpoints. It also involved changes to the way the RAG operates to create more effective procedures and enhance dialogue between the group and Evolve Housing staff.
Members meet once a month for a few hours to discuss important issues that may be affecting tenants. They sometimes meet with representatives from different departments of Evolve Housing to better understand the organisation’s operations.
Miajan said that he has enjoyed the experience of being part of the RAG so far and was motivated to participate as a way to give back to his community. “One of the reasons was because we have been living in this property since 2002. We’ve gotten a lot of experience, I wanted to share those experiences with others,” he said.
The focus of the group and its discussions are always how to improve the lives of Evolve Housing tenants, and despite the different backgrounds and geographic locations of tenants, there are some core issues that seem to affect all residents.
“In our group, tenants are the centre, so all issues around the tenants are discussed there,” Miajan said.
“For example, the issue of rent assessment…the method of payment and how they can pay, the issue of maintenance comes up, the issue of security… those are the things that are coming up.
“Activities are proposed, which type of activities we can hold and when they can happen. The most important thing is communication and educating people about their rights, their responsibilities, and those sort of things. Also, the issue of skills and training comes up. These are the main issues so far that came up from the RAG meetings and of course for every issue there are sub-activities and other issues.”
The group has a primarily advisory purpose, providing suggestions from a tenant perspective to management for consideration, and a report is written up for each meeting including minutes and action items.
“The ideas that come through the RAG, that will help the Evolve management team while they are working on policy issues, they’ll develop strategies that will help them … we nicely pressure them,” Miajan said.
Miajan, his wife Huma, and their four sons have been living in their property at Lidcombe since 2002, and were originally tenants of Cumberland Housing, which was one of the predecessors of Evolve Housing.
He came to Australia in 1995, after spending his childhood and early adulthood in Afghanistan then living in Pakistan as a refugee for 11 years with his family.
Miajan has previously worked as a college teacher in Afghanistan before migrating to Pakistan, since 2002 he has worked for the government of Afghanistan, as an adviser, and has also worked with international non-government organisations.
While Miajan said that he loves his home country of Afghanistan, like any parent, he was worried about his children’s future and wanted to give them a safe life in Australia.
In addition to his volunteer role with Evolve Housing, Miajan also contributes to his local community by working as an interpreter in a variety of contexts such as health care settings and courts. Miajan said that he and his family appreciated having the stability of long-term rental housing located in a friendly community.
“First of all, they [Evolve Housing] give us a permanent address to live in, it gives you peace of mind, you have a roof on your top and a place to live in. This was the most important thing,” he said.
“Secondly, the area is pretty good. There are housing properties that have a lot of issues but here we don’t have any of those issues, it is good for kids and there’s a park…. We are very happy.”
Aspiring doctor Mymy has been able to rely on the support of an Evolve Housing Keep Educating Yourself (KEY) grant to help fund her undergraduate and postgraduate studies.
Twenty-three year-old Mymy first applied for a grant to assist her while she studied a Bachelor of Science degree at the University of New South Wales, focusing on neuroscience.
She then participated in the implementation of a clinical trials program that used online software to help older people change their thought processes and challenge their fears of leaving their homes.
After completing her first degree, Mymy decided to pursue her desire to become a doctor and enrolled in her first year of medicine at Western Sydney University, again accessing another KEY grant for financial support.
“The grant helped me pay for uni fees, textbooks, computers, things I needed to get me through the year,” Mymy said. “This year, medicine is very costly. There’s the stethoscope, the lab coats and the textbooks.”
Mymy has been in an Evolve Housing property in Merrylands for 10 years with her mum and sister, and said that living in community housing has been a positive experience for her family.
“Evolve Housing has helped out a lot, especially as a child of a single mum. It’s made life a lot easier. Our apartment was quite convenient for me and my sister when we went to high school. The location is great and Evolve Housing is always willing to help us out with anything we need,” she said.
After Mymy graduates, she is interested in becoming a respiratory specialist or a psychiatrist, and said that she thinks that her experience living in community housing in western Sydney will allow her to connect with patients.
“I feel like I’m going to become a better doctor because of where I’ve grown up in a way that I’ve seen people who come from varying different backgrounds financially; I’m not close-minded. The more you learn about people, the better you’re going to be when you become a practitioner. You need to be able to communicate with people by having experience with people.”
After moving to Australia with her mother, who had recently remarried, Nethangie experienced almost a decade of hardship, moving from house to house, until she settled in Harts Landing. Now with her living circumstances finally stable, Nethangie is free to pursue her passion for medical science without having to worry about the future.
Nethangie, who will turn 21 in December, moved to Sydney from Sri Lanka with her mother Ajanthie in 2009 when she was just 11 years old.
Despite the cultural barriers she faced, and the fact that she didn’t speak much English in Sri Lanka, Nethangie quickly mastered her new language and settled into school life with ease.
While Nethangie flourished in the classroom, her home life was marred by domestic violence, and in late 2011 her mother Ajanthie made the decision to leave an abusive relationship and move with her daughter into a women’s refuge in Doonside.
The next few years of Nethangie’s life were plagued with uncertainty and constant uprooting, as the family shuffled back and forth between the women’s refuge and the home Ajanthie jointly owned with her ex-partner.
After a stressful court case, the home was finally sold in 2013 and the pair moved into temporary affordable housing specifically for victims of domestic violence. While it was a relief to find a home, Nethangie said she struggled with the uncertainty of this period of her life.
“In terms of moving houses, my school was really helpful and mum had a really good caseworker, but it was just the uncertainty of things that made it difficult,” Nethangie said.
“I don’t cope with uncertainty well; I like things to be settled and to know what’s going to happen.”
After enduring so many moves in such a short amount of time, Nethangie and Ajanthie were again packing boxes in March 2014, shifting to a private rental property in Werrington using a government subsidy.
In the meantime, Nethangie was still attending her old school in Quakers Hill, doing well in her studies and desperate to not add another destabilising change to a life that was already so much in flux.
Nethangie finished her HSC a year later, and gained admission to Sydney University to study a Bachelor of Medical Science. However, the uncertainty of her family’s housing situation still troubled both her and her mother.
When they saw advertisements for Evolve’s new integrated housing development, Harts Landing, in early 2018 the timing was perfect: their landlord in Werrington had just attempted to raise their rent by a significant proportion per week.
Ajanthie’s rental application to Harts Landing was successful, and the family moved yet again, this time into a secure, affordable and newly built apartment building located in a lifestyle development right next to Penrith station…and they haven’t looked back. “It’s been good, especially having everything so close.”
New residents view interior units at Harts Landing.
“Having the Westfield shopping centre on the other side of train line is really good and being able to catch the Blue Mountains Line train to university also helps,” Nethangie said.
But while the accessibility, safety and location are all major factors that appealed to the family, Nethangie said her mum also enjoyed a more aesthetic aspect of their new home: being able to see the sunrise every day from their apartment tower.
Finally settled in affordable housing, Nethangie hopes to pursue medical research and medical activism, following in the footsteps of her grandfather, who moved upward from a poor childhood to being one of Sri Lanka’s top lecturers, and also worked in research.
“I grew up in a family where education was considered a vital thing for getting yourself out of hardship,” Nethangie said.
She recently gained admission to the Honours program at Westmead Kids Institute for 2019, and
will be conducting breakthrough research on maternal immune activation.
On top of her busy study schedule, Nethangie has also been an active contributor to the community, volunteering with the Australian Red Cross and other charitable organisations.
Although Nethangie’s success is entirely due to her hard work and perseverance, she also believes that having access to affordable housing has helped her and her mother stabilise their lives and focus on pursuing their personal goals.
“If there’s one less thing, like housing, that’s taken out of the equation then you don’t have to worry about that; you can put more effort into other things that can really change your life from what it used to be”.
Growing up, Andy never imagined he would move out of his parents’ home. As one of an estimated 80 Australians living with the rare physical disability Morquio, Andy uses a wheelchair for mobility and has a range of physical characteristics that can make daily tasks difficult to manage. Now, with the help of Evolve Housing, Andy is living independently for the first time in his life, in a state-of-the-art, $2.3 million accommodation complex in Parramatta.
Like an estimated 28,000 other Australians with disability, Andy was held back in his quest to be fully independent by one major barrier – a shortage of appropriate accommodation.
Because his family home was not wheelchair accessible, many of Andy’s friends were unable to visit, and he was prevented from doing basic tasks such as cooking on his own.
Thanks to a partnership between disability service provider Northcott and Evolve, Andy now has a new place he calls home. He has his own apartment in a modern, universally accessible North Parramatta complex, made possible by the Australian Government’s $60 million Supported Accommodation Innovation Fund.
“Living here has given me a new lease on life,” Andy said. “My life has improved in just being able to catch up with mates, and not having to always rely on my parents for help getting to places. I’m also closer to work [as an Information Technology officer] which makes things easier.”
Andy is now able to socialise with his friends more, cook for himself, hang out his own washing, and generally take care of himself, improving his confidence and giving him the independence he sought.
“Not having to rely on my parents was a big thing,” Andy said. “Where I lived [before] wasn’t wheelchair accessible so I was always having to rely on someone around to help me. The kitchen wasn’t accessible so I couldn’t cook for myself.”
Since moving into his new accommodation, which features a small courtyard, Andy has been able to have his friends over more. “There’s enough room to fit a barbecue. I love to entertain when I’ve got mates over – to cook a steak while they’re inside screaming at the TV because their team is either winning or not doing so well,” he said.
“It took me a while to learn how not to make things charcoal, but I got there after a couple of months and things became edible!”
Unsurprisingly, Andy’s relationship with his parents and sister has improved drastically in the two and a half years he has been living on his own. “I’m getting on a lot better with my parents since I moved out of home,” he said. “Mum’s there for me: I can call her if I need cooking advice, without her having to take over for me. Dad also works close by so if I ever need help he can come over after work. I’m getting on a lot better with my sister now that we don’t see each other on a daily basis.”
Despite the extra obstacles Andy faces, he has chosen not to let his disability stop him from living life like most other young men his age. Andy has tattoos, likes hanging out with his mates, is a diehard fan of the Western Sydney Wanderers FC, and even captains its Powerchair Team.
“The greatest achievement for me so far, aside from moving in here and gaining much more independence, would be wheelchair sports and playing Powerchair football for the Wanderers,” he said. “We just won our first championship, which has been huge for us and something I’m really proud of. We’ve got the World Cup coming up next year in Florida and hopefully on the back of what we’ve done this season we can push to get selected for the Australian team.”
For Andy, the future is bright. “I’m really looking forward to what the future holds,” he said. “This place has really broadened my horizons and shown me what I can do independently. I’d love to maybe get a bigger house later and really grow from there.”
Unemployed and suffering from anxiety, Anita was able to turn her life around through the help and support of Evolve Housing programs. Now in a stable position, with a job and a permanent roof over her head, Anita is able to start moving her life forward.
Anita had returned to Sydney after a relationship breakdown and wasn’t able to find a stable place to call home. She suffered from acute anxiety and struggled to even go outside.
For a long period of time she was couch-surfing and moving around each day to find a bed for the night. Thankfully, that all changed when she was linked with Evolve and allocated an apartment of her own.
“I got the call from Evolve and I was so glad to have my own little place. With the security of my own home, I couldn’t be happier,” Anita said.
After settling into her home in Western Sydney, Anita received her first Evolve Housing resident newsletter and read about the barista training course run in partnership by Evolve and Darcy St Project.
While she had a few initial hurdles battling her anxiety to make it to the start of the course, once she was there Anita was hooked. She completed the four-week Certificate 1 Barista training course, which included a mixture of theory and practical work experience in the Darcy St Project café.
Anita said: “I took advantage of all the work experience that was on offer, asked a lot of questions, and really enjoyed the learning experience. There is so much to learn and I keep learning every day, which I love.”
Anita passed through the Barista course with flying colours and developed a passion for her work. Due to her skills and dedication, Anita was offered a paid position as a barista by Darcy St Project and has been employed there since December 2016. After completing her training and becoming permanently employed, Anita’s life has definitely changed for the better.
John Cafferatta, owner of Darcy St Project, said that he is proud of the partnership with Evolve; the opportunity to connect with residents and teach them new skills and employment pathways. John said Anita is an asset to Darcy St Project. “She has fit into our culture and values brilliantly. Everyone brings their own type of swag and personality to the table which has been a great value-add for us at Darcy St Project,” he said.
Anita credits Evolve with providing her with the skills to do a job that makes her happy. “I love being here, I’ve really found what I love and what I want to do forever. I would like to teach eventually. I really enjoy that and I want to give back everything I got out of this course.”
At just 23, Betty has experienced more ups and downs than any young person should. Betty’s remarkable story highlights the importance of providing stable, secure and safe accommodation as a starting point for people to rebuild their lives. Secure housing through Evolve Housing for Youth (EHY), combined with wrap-around support and Betty’s incredible self-determination, has helped her break the cycle of homelessness.
At 16 Betty dropped out of high school. With no support network to fall back on she spent the next few years couch-surfing and living in and out of refuges; sometimes in dangerous places because she didn’t know where else to go.
When she was 18, Betty made the brave decision to go back and finish year 10. Back at school she was connected with EHY. She met with one of the caseworkers and moved into an EHY property. Having a permanent roof over her head was the stability Betty needed to help her finish school. With no parents or friends to encourage her to keep studying, EHY provided Betty with practical support by helping her enrol into senior school and, over a three-year period, supporting her as she achieved her HSC.
Inspired by her EHY caseworker, Betty went on to complete a Certificate, then Diploma, in Community Services at TAFE. EHY helped Betty source suitable work experience and work placements. After a great deal of hard work and dedication, Betty is now proud to be helping others as a youth worker.
“As a youth worker, I have a job that I love. I have a better understanding of what my clients are going through and I feel I can connect with them,” she said. “Every day is a different and new challenge that helps me grow and learn how to help others better. It is so rewarding helping my clients and meeting so many new people, I’m incredibly lucky to love my job like I do.”
Betty is now living on her own; happy and independent. She is still receiving case management support from EHY and is supported by another accommodation provider. She became an ambassador for Western Sydney Homelessness Connect, managed by Evolve, and says it was one of her proudest moments.
Although she was nervous in front of a crowd that included senior politicians, with the support of EHY staff Betty spoke about how the community housing sector can raise the profile of homelessness and housing issues. She used the event as an opportunity to advocate for young people with Geoff Lee MP, NSW Member for Parramatta. She explained that as a teenager, she was unaware of the services available to help her and ended up in an unsafe situation. “Young people can be so vulnerable but they are the future,” she said. “If we want a brighter and more rewarding future we need to tackle the issue of youth homelessness seriously.”
To other young people in her previous situation Betty says: “Don’t give up; keep fighting to be the best person you can be, and use the resources available to help you to do so. Organisations like Evolve are so important, and young people need to be aware that people like the amazing workers at EHY are there to help, and won’t give up on you.”
“Before EHY I had no confidence; I was always worried because I didn’t have somewhere to stay of my own, sometimes staying somewhere dangerous,” she said. “I don’t think I would be where I am today without EHY.”
At 22 years old, Masi has experienced hardships most of us could not imagine. After near death at sea, to incarceration and torture, he is now on track to live a successful and happy life, with the support of Evolve Housing and others.
At just 14, Masi and his uncle fled the constant fear of persecution and the atrocity of war in Afghanistan in search of a life of safety and peace. They escaped in the night, having to leave Masi’s parents behind, and made it to Indonesia before undertaking a treacherous life-threatening boat trip to Australia. They were so desperate to flee, that the prospect of death at sea did not deter them from seeking a life of freedom and hope.
Days into the trip to Australia, the boat was hit by an enormous wave, capsizing the boat. Twelve people died, including Masi’s uncle – the only family he had. Despite watching his uncle die before him, Masi used all his strength and resilience to cling to a floating log for 16 hours until Indonesian fisherman were able to pull him and three others to safety.
Masi was detained for two years in an Indonesian detention facility where he experienced torture, isolation and constant pain. He was alone, without family or friends, trying to make sense of loss, grief, and his dire situation.
A life in Indonesia for Masi was fraught with danger, and with no options left he bravely made another boat journey to Australia. Again, he risked his life for a chance at the promise of a better future. After numerous attempts, he was picked up by Australian authorities and held once again in detention, this time on Christmas Island and then in Darwin for more than 18 months. After 3 ½ long years, Masi’s battle to live in Australia was over, and he was finally granted permanent residency at the age of 17.
After years of uncertainty, Masi is finally finding some stability in his life. Through the support of a number of organisations, including Evolve Housing for Youth (EHY) and Parramatta Mission, he has been able to work towards his goals. With more resilience than most young people could imagine, Masi has overcome all odds to succeed in Australia. He gained employment as a semi professional soccer player; completed a Diploma in Sports and Development; and is qualified to become a certified life coach. He now works as a coach and represents his sport through various youth speaking events.
Despite his family remaining in detention in Pakistan, Masi maintains a deeply positive attitude and dreams of being reunited with his family in a safe place they can all call home.
From homelessness and despair, teenager Roma has now achieved independent living, studying and working part-time, with the support of Evolve Housing for Youth (EHY).
Arriving in Australia in 2012 as a 16-year-old, Roma was excited by the prospects of her new life. Before long however, with no family support or anyone to turn to, and following a series of unfortunate events, Roma’s life was in a downward spiral. She found herself homeless, and eventually contacted EHY for help and a safe place to live.
By the time Roma made the brave decision to reach out for help, she had been homeless for seven months. Roma was offered shared accommodation with three other women; an opportunity she welcomed with open arms. Sadly, Roma was bullied by the three other tenants, and despite participating in conflict resolution workshops, the situation did not improve. Working closely with the EHY caseworkers, Roma was offered alternative accommodation where she could live on her own.
This situation was perfect for Roma as she was studying for her HSC exams. During this time, she managed to secure a part time job she loved, working with young children in an after school care program.
After a great deal of hard work, and with the support of her caseworker, Roma achieved excellent HSC results and enrolled into a Certificate III TAFE course. As Roma’s confidence grew, so did her independence and she became less reliant on her caseworker. Roma independently found shared accommodation with a friend in the private rental market, where she lives today.
Through the support of EHY and her caseworker, Roma was able to find a safe and secure place to call home. Providing Roma with the right opportunities and supporting her to build skills and confidence has meant she can continue her TAFE studies while working part-time. She hopes to one day go to university. By providing holistic support and listening to the individual needs of young people, EHY is helping people to build better lives.
Following the tragic loss of her husband in 2002, Roxana was left to raise her two young sons, one with autism, on her own. Roxana and her boys were originally from Argentina, and the only family they had was each other. Despite many challenges, after becoming a tenant of Evolve Housing, Roxana and her family have been able to rebuild their lives.
Roxana has been an Evolve Housing tenant for about 15 years. Six months after her husband passed away, her youngest son Brandon, aged 2 at the time, was diagnosed with autism with Moderate Intellectual Delay. With her family all living overseas, Roxana found it increasingly difficult to cope. She didn’t feel she had any support or people to turn to and became depressed.
What she did have was a safe and affordable house from Evolve, and financial assistance from Centrelink. Her prior education gave her the strength to carry on and seek help for herself and her family. With housing and financial support, she was able to access early intervention, counselling, doctors, psychologists, therapists, education, friends and a support network.
Thirteen years on, her eldest son Christopher, now in his mid-20s, graduated from high school and went to university. He has followed his dreams and passion for soccer and moved to Argentina. He works for the Lionel Messi Foundation, which was created with the wish that all children should have opportunities to make their dreams come true. Roxana remarried in 2013. Her youngest son Brandon is now 16 and attends the support unit at Baulkham Hills High School (a selective school). He is also an entrepreneur, and with his mother, opened a social club for autistic and mainstream children. ‘Brandon’s Club’ opened in June 2014, with funding from My Choice Matters. In 2018, Brandon received extra funding from Fundability to continue his project, and also secured his first part-time job. Brandon is now an accomplished drummer in a local band and his dream is to become a rock star drummer. Roxana and Brandon are working towards ‘Brandon’s School of Rock’, a space for teens living with a disability to jam with musicians.
Roxana’s story shows that with a little help, support and kindness we can triumph over adversity. “I just want to say thank you Evolve for your support in times of need. We will never forget you!” she said. “Thank you for the affordable and safe housing for my family.”