Joel’s gone from homeless to home with a little help
- Published:
- 1 April 2021 11:27AM
Social housing tenant, Joel, says that his new home in a 4-storey unit complex in Ipswich gives him an amazing feeling.
“Before COVID-19 I was homeless and sleeping in a park, so to have a place that’s mine and that’s safe and secure, means so much to me, words can’t explain how much I appreciate it.”
“Having a bed, a kitchen to cook in and my own shower makes it great because I hadn’t had those things in such a long time,” he said.
Joel says the well-designed building is impressive and provides plenty of space for him with a compact 1-bedroom unit.
“I was surprised how spacious it feels, I don’t know how they fit all of that into a unit,” he said.
Onsite support is provided by Leanne and Brett from St Vincent de Paul Society on the ground floor of the building and the space allows tenants to drop in to seek support and provides a space for them to come together and share morning tea or hold group sessions.
Having access to this onsite support has helped Joel transition from homelessness to having a new place to call home.
“Leanne and Brett have been amazing since I’ve moved in. They’ve helped me get a fridge, provided a hamper and they’ve helped me get work doing maintenance around the complex to help me pay off debt,” Joel said.
“They are nice people and I appreciate everything they do for me.”
The convenient location of the 20-unit building is also another great feature.
“You don’t have to go far for anything. I’m participating in a men’s group program and it’s 3 minutes down the road,” Joel said.
“It’s really good to get around, the bus is right there, and the train station is just down the road and easy to get to.”
The neighbours in the complex are also another positive for Joel. For him, a good neighbour is friendly, approachable and someone you can call on for help.
“I’ve met some other tenants; some have helped me to move furniture and I’ve had some good conversations with them. They seem like nice people,” he said.