Spotlight on: Haven Home Safe
After becoming homeless and living in unsafe conditions, Julie and her mother Veronica sought access to safe and secure accommodation. Their life changed significantly when Haven Home Safe (HHS) offered them a long-term social housing and a place to call home.
'We call this place our home because it truly has become our home.'
The home provided by HHS offers ideal and pleasant living conditions and has become the longer place Julie and Veronica have lived in many years.
'We were told that it is ours for life, so therefore we were able to invest in it with the little things, to make it a home.'
Julie says one reasons she and her mother love their apartment is the location, which she describes as 'fantastic.' Being on a main road means Julie and Veronica have easy access to public transport, including buses and trains. Julie describes the park located behind the development, which the local community has access to, as a 'hidden treasure'.
'[My] favourite thing is the privacy. In here you’ve got safety and security,' said Julie.
Since moving into the apartment with her mother, Julie believes she has her life back.
The service and support provided by HHS has allowed Julie to settle down and live a life that is debt-free. The economic freedom has given Julie the time she's needed to finish a four-year diploma and nearly finish her master's degree in textiles. Julie describes that before having stable living conditions, none of this was possible, as the worries that came with poor living conditions meant she did not have the mental capacity to focus on her studies.
For Julie, a home 'is not a luxury, it is a universal right. We are human beings that deserve to be looked after.'
