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Safe and Secure Housing Program

The Safe & Secure Housing Program provides support for women and their children who are in crisis accommodation due to domestic and family violence to transition to secure housing.

What is the Safe and Secure Housing Program?

We support women to make informed choices for themselves and their families. As part of that commitment, we want to disclose that Neami does not have access to dedicated housing stock for this program.

Our aim is to support you to find safe and secure housing. We do this through traditional rental and property markets and, where appropriate, community housing. We will assist you to make sense of your options, navigate a complex and competitive system and be your advocate. We are partnering with a range of service providers who are all committed to providing you with the support you and your children need to feel safe and secure.

Our approach

Our service is underpinned by the Collaborative Relational Practice (CRP), a person-centred, strengths-based recovery approach that supports collaboration and autonomy.

This approach sees staff and clients working in close collaboration to identify hopes and strengths, and develop the capability to achieve goals across physical and mental health, housing, employment, education, and financial security needs.

We acknowledge the broader cultural context of disrespect towards women as a precursor to gender-based violence and the pervasive impacts of violence across various elements of wellbeing, including self-esteem, sense of identity and emotional avoidance.

What to expect in the first month

The first month will focus on creating connection, coming to know what matters to you and your family and deciding what we will work on together. Our first meeting will be facilitated by your caseworker and open to any other family members you would like to be present.

In general, our meetings will be an hour-long, but the first meeting may take a little longer. Your journey with us will be unique, it will be guided by your priorities and what matters to you and your family. Below is a guide to what the first three meetings might look like.

First Meeting: Creating connections

What happens in this meeting?

A meeting with – your case manager, your Neami worker and you can bring other people with you.

We will get to know each other and discuss if this service is right for you, your family and your vision for the future?

What will Neami do?

  • Ask questions and listen.
  • Understand your priorities.
  • Provide clarity about our role and how we can support you.
  • Provide housing options information.

What will I need to do?

  • Tell us your priorities.
  • Tell us what matters to you.
  • Ask us questions.
  • Review housing options.

Together we will

  • Identify your housing and other needs.
  • Book in a second meeting.

Second Meeting: Coming to know what matters

What happens in this meeting?

We focus on housing and needs identified in our first meeting and get started on paperwork and making a plan.

What will Neami do?

  • Start a support plan.
  • Collect information and documentation for forms.
  • Discuss brokerage.
  • Complete a risk assessment.

What will I need to do?

  • Decide on housing preferences.
  • Discuss level of support you are looking for.
  • Identify your capabilities and areas you’d like our support.

Together we will

  • Know what housing options matter to you.
  • Identify your housing and other needs.
  • Book in a third meeting.

Third Meeting: Deciding what to do

What happens in this meeting?

Catching up, checking in on progress and next steps.

What will Neami do?

  • Complete a support plan.
  • Discuss housing vacancies.
  • Follow up on actions.
  • Identify opportunities to build capabilities, engage in advocacy and connect with other supports.

What will I need to do?

  • Tell us how you’re feeling.
  • Take on some tasks from your plan, depending on how you are feeling, or delegate them.
  • Prepare to attend inspections.

Together we will

  • Start planning a path forward.

Locations using this program