All the latest news from Women's Property Initiatives
Update July 2024
Welcome to the Winter edition of the WPI Update, my first as CEO, after joining the team at WPI in April this year. I’m looking forward to building on the achievements of Jeanette Large and the team, working with the Board and staff of this fantastic organisation to change the lives of women and children who need access to secure and affordable housing.
As you will have seen in countless news stories, the housing crisis is impacting women the most. Women and their children are accessing specialist homelessness services more often and we are contacted every day by a vulnerable woman in desperate need of a safe and stable home. WPI is committed to continuing to provide high quality homes and support for our renters and to growing the organisation to assist many more women who are living in housing crisis.
On 6 June, WPI held its second ever Giving Day, where more than $520,000 was raised in an amazing show of community support. My sincere thanks to everyone who contributed to making this such a success. We can't do what we do without your help. You can read more later in the update.
We have also included updates on important milestones on a range of projects that are in progress or where construction is about to commence. We are very fortunate to have such solid support from generous philanthropists, donors and Homes Victoria to drive these projects forward.
WPI has been working on a Social Return on Investment evaluation for the first time since 2016. When we hear from our renters about the difference a secure home has made to their lives, it makes us determined to do more. We look forward to sharing this evaluation and the outcomes from our work in the coming months.
Please reach out to me, or the team, if you have any questions on how to get involved in our work. Thank you for your support of WPI and the women that we serve.
Warm Regards
Roberta Buchanan
Giving Day 2024
We were blown away with the support from our community on our Opening More Doors Giving Day, far exceeding our original goal and raising an amazing $522,000. Prior to our Giving Day we had funded 23 of the 25 new homes by 2025 goal that we set on our 25th Anniversary. You can read about many of these in our project update section of this newsletter. This result will help us deliver the remaining two homes and reach our goal.
Thank you to every person and organisation that donated, shared and supported our Giving Day. Big thanks to our matching partners, Hupert Family Foundation, The Campbell Foundation, Arden Homes, ISPT, Piccolo and Charter Hall for making this day such an outstanding success. Thanks also to our wonderful Media Partner, Equality Media and Marketing, for everything that you have done to support our Giving Day.
Social Return on Investment Evaluation
WPI has been working with social impact specialists, Think Impact, on a Social Return on Investment evaluation. An evaluation was last conducted in 2016, and since then, our housing portfolio has grown considerably
An SROI evaluation uses established methodologies to value the shape, quantity and value of the change experienced by our stakeholders. Importantly it also provides our renters with a voice about the lived experience of secure and affordable housing. It also helps us engage with our partners and supporters around the social and economic value created by the homes that we provide.
In this process Think Impact engaged with our renters, and other stakeholders to measure the change experienced. We are deeply grateful to the amazing women who participated in this process. We look forward to sharing this evaluation and the value of the change experienced in the coming months.
Projects
We wanted to share the exciting progress made on a number of development projects in the first half of 2024.
Nightingale Coburg
Work is progressing really quickly on the Nightingale Umarkoo Wayi development in Coburg. This is our second partnership with Nightingale Housing and we will acquire three 1 bedroom apartments in this beautiful development. We have received generous support from Matrix Guild for this project. In ground works are well advanced, with footings going in and the crane in action. This will be completed in 2025.
The Nest
The Nest in North Eastern Victoria is progressing rapidly with pre-fabrication on these modular homes near complete. We are working in partnership with the Property Industry Foundation, The Bridge Youth Services and builder partner, Modular Spaces to provide three 2 bedroom homes for young mothers and their children with wraparound support to help them as they adjust to parenthood. The modules will be moved to site in August.
Revitalisation in Melbourne’s West
Demolition will commence this month on one of our oldest homes in Melbourne’s west with the site being revitalized and redeveloped for the construction of two new homes to accommodate up to 8 people. Our builder partner, Brilley Co, will start construction on these long term, energy efficient, family homes in August. We are very grateful for the contributions made to this project by Catalyst Design Services and Hansen Partnership.
Daylesford
Extensive civil works are underway at the site of The Village in Daylesford. WPI will acquire four one-bedroom homes in this unique eco-townhouse project designed by sustainable architect Breathe. Our town homes in The Village project are partially funded by Homes Victoria as part of the $5.3 billion Big Housing Build and some extremely generous WPI donors. They are being delivered in partnership with Hygge Property and will be completed in 2025.
How will you be remembered?
A gift to WPI in your Will will help us to provide a home for a woman and her family. A stable home that allows a woman to escape housing insecurity, trauma and, all too often, violence. Making or changing your Will to include a gift could be as simple as contacting your legal advisor and they will do all the important work for you.
We’ve also partnered with Gathered Here, a free and easy step-by-step online Will writing service. It can take less than 10 minutes to create your bespoke Will online today. By combining detailed legal knowledge with technology, this is a modern approach to Will-writing which allows you to start, complete, and update your bespoke Will anytime, anywhere. Even just a small portion of your estate could change the lives of women and children facing homelessness. To learn more about gifts in Wills please call us on 03 96647800, visit our website or write your free will online here.
Local: Kensington
We are gearing up to open the doors to apartments in Kensington, with women moving into these brand new homes from August. WPI is thrilled to be partnering with Local, a Melbourne-born Build-to-Rent developer who are committed to secure and affordable housing for vulnerable women.
There are 22 apartments allocated to women on a moderate income experiencing insecure housing and 11 to women over 55, one of the fastest-growing groups of Australians experiencing homelessness.
Local’s ethos is closely aligned with ours. Everyone deserves a safe, secure and affordable place to live and single women, particularly older women, are among the most disadvantaged cohorts when it comes to accessing a secure home.
Edward Wilson Estate House
In May we were handed the keys to the beautiful Edward Wilson Estate House, the latest project of the Victorian Homeless Fund. Built by Hermitage Homes on Homes Victoria land, WPI has now been able to make this home for a mother and her four children who have been experiencing homelessness due to family violence. Read more
Annisa's Story
Annisa and her 11-year-old daughter quietly left their home one day, with only what they could pack in a couple of suitcases. Her husband, Olivia’s father, had been verbally abusive and controlling for over a decade. He was very charming in front of others and their friends did not realise what Annisa was going through. The constant insults and putdowns had destroyed her confidence even though she had played a big part in running his business.
Annisa shared a bedroom with Olivia for years, with no means of supporting herself. He told her she could never move on or get another job because English was not her first language, she didn’t drive and wasn’t an Australian citizen. Annisa knew that she couldn’t endure the emotional abuse anymore and had to set herself up to leave. So, she furthered her studies and gained her Australian citizenship to give herself and her daughter a chance for a better future. She summoned the courage to move out and soon after, they made their way to Melbourne. Read more
