The latest news from WPI
Tenant Newsletter December 2020
Season's Greetings
On behalf of the team at WPI I would like to wish you a happy and safe holiday season. We hope that you are able to spend it with loved ones and friends. After the year we have had, we all deserve it. The pandemic forced us to change many of our processes and services. Thank-you for your patience and ongoing support of WPI and we look forward to a less stressful year in 2021 where things will look far more normal.
Contact Us
You probably know that our office is temporarily closed as a result of COVID-19 restrictions, but we are still open for business, with all our staff working remotely! This is how you get in touch with us at the moment:
- For property and tenancy issues (including maintenance) call Karina on 0407 082 261 or email enquiries@wpi.org.au
- For urgent after hours maintenance only call Valley Maintenance on 1800 088 106.
- For anything else you can email enquiries@wpi.org.
- We are still receiving mail and monitoring our emails.
New Mailing Address
PO BOX 2094
Roxburgh Park, VIC, 3064
Office Closure and Urgent Maintenance
Our office will be closed from 24 December 2020 until 4 January 2021.
For urgent maintenance please contact Valley Maintenance on 1800 088 106. It will only be possible to attend to urgent repairs during this period. The following list outlines the types of repairs that are considered urgent:
- a blocked or broken toilet
- a dangerous electrical fault or gas leak
- a serious roof leak, flooding or serious flood damage
- a failure or breakdown of any essential service such as hot water, water, cooking or heating
- a failure or breakdown of the gas, electricity or water supply to your home
- a broken window or any fault or damage that makes your home unsafe or insecure
- serious fault in a lift
For all other matters please email enquiries@wpi.org.au or phone 03 9664 7800. We will respond to your enquiry as soon as possible.
Please tell us if you are diagnosed with COVID-19
It’s really important that you let us know if you are diagnosed with COVID-19, or if anyone in your household has had contact with someone who has. Please tell us as soon as you can!
Rents
Please don't forget to pay your rent over the festive season. If you are experiencing financial difficulties, please contact Karina on 0407 082 261.
Timeframes for Repairs
Urgent repairs are repairs that need to be fixed straight away. WPI aims to complete any urgent repairs within 48 hours of it being reported.
- To report an urgent repair during business hours: please call Karina on 0407 082 261 or email enquiries@wpi.org.au
- To report an urgent repair outside of business hours contact Valley Maintenance on 1800 088 106 .
The following list outlines the types of repairs that are considered urgent:
- a blocked or broken toilet
- a dangerous electrical fault or gas leak
- a serious roof leak, flooding or serious flood damage
- a failure or breakdown of any essential service such as hot water, water, cooking or heating
- a failure or breakdown of the gas, electricity or water supply to your home
- a broken window or any fault or damage that makes your home unsafe or insecure
- serious fault in a lift
Non-urgent repairs are considered to be more minor, like a damaged cupboard. We will complete these within 14 days provided that you are available in that timeframe for a tradesperson to attend your property.
Maintenance Trouble Shooting
Brighter Future Small Grants Program
WPI currently houses over 200 women and their children (87 school-aged children aged 5-18) in our 193 properties across the greater Melbourne area.
WPI has established a small grants program with funding from some generous supporters to assist our tenants and their children to acquire skills, education and training. This means that you will be able to apply for small grants (from $50 - $200) for educational purposes (both children and adults). These grants are open to all WPI tenants and can cover training courses, educational support materials, school uniforms and shoes, textbooks, backpacks, electronic devices, home Wi-Fi, extra curricula activities, school excursions and camps (post Covid-19 restrictions), and home tutoring via electronic devices.
Get more information and the application form here. You can email the application form back to us at enquiries@wpi.org.au or mail it to us at PO BOX 2094. Roxburgh Park, VIC, 3064
Improve your computer skills
These days, computer skills are essential in almost every job. Fitted For Work have partnered with Microsoft to give women the opportunity to learn basic computer skills, build on their existing digital skills and develop core soft skills that will be valuable in any workplace!
This flexible program is delivered 100% online, through a combination of video and written content, so women can learn at their own pace and at a time that suits them. All women need to participate is access to a computer and the internet.
The weekly live webinars give participants access to a community of other women in the program who are learning, supporting and creating opportunities together!
Start your digital skills journey today! Contact the She Works team at sheworks@fittedforwork.org to find out more.
Support services
There’s lots of different support services out there to help you get through this difficult time. Here’s some of the most useful:
Safe Steps
If you or anyone you know is dealing with domestic violence you can call, text or webchat with Safe Steps. They can provide information, undertake risk assessments, safety planning and provide emergency accommodation to keep women, children and young people safe from family violence. Their services are anonymous and available to anyone experiencing or afraid of family violence regardless of age, gender, sexuality or gender identity. Call: 1800 015 188
Centrelink Crisis Payment
If you have COVID-19 or are caring for someone who has it but you’re not working you can get an extra week’s Centrelink. Call your main payment line at Centrelink to see if you are eligible.
WIRE
The Women’s Information and Referral Exchange (WIRE) team are proof that you can be physically distant but remain socially connected. They have support workers who are here to support you with whatever you are facing right now. They offer social inclusion and well being calls two days a week. They’re available via email support@wire.org.au, web chat at wire.org.au and phone 1300 134 130 on Monday to Friday from 9am – 5pm.
Groceries
If you are a senior or someone with a disability you can get your groceries delivered by Woolworths. You have to fill in a form on their website: https://www.woolworths.com.au/shop/discover/priorityassistance?icmpid=sm-hp-ribbon2:priority-assistance
Bills
There are lots of discounts and rebates available on your electricity, gas and water bills, if you have a health care card. You can call the Concessions Information Line on 1800 658 521 to find out what you’re eligible for, or just call your electricity, gas and water companies and give them your health care card number.