Running through the ‘gateway’ from homelessness to secure housing
After fleeing family and domestic violence, a whole new world opened up to Zahra*as she embraced every opportunity offered through The Salvation Army’s Gateways Program, from counselling to training. This Homelessness Week (5-11 August 2024), The Salvation Army is urging all Australians to work to ‘End homelessness – for good’, working together to eliminate homelessness and recognising the ‘good’ things, such as stable education, employment and better health outcomes that flow on from secure housing.
Zahra* had faced many challenges in her life before coming to Australia with her husband, but life here did not get easier. She found herself living with increasing violence and fear and finally made the courageous decision to leave.
“It was getting dangerous at home,” Zahra says. “If I called the police and he was in trouble [my community] would think I am a bad person, so I just moved out very quietly.”
Her first day and night alone with her baby in a motel were tough.
“I’ll never forget that day because I had nothing – no money, no food, my child crying and crying,” Zahra says. “I didn’t have any clean clothes and the baby had vomited. I only worried about the baby, so I took everything for the baby and I forgot about myself.”
According to the Council to Homeless Persons**, “Across Australia, the biggest driver of women experiencing homelessness is family and domestic violence.” Women from migrant and refugee backgrounds like Zahra are one of the more vulnerable groups.
The organisation also reports, “Women are more likely to use homelessness services because they have lower incomes than men on average, and so are more vulnerable to being unable to afford a home, and because more women and girls experience family and domestic violence.”
If your housing situation feels insecure or unsafe, The Salvation Army may be able to help you. Our homelessness support services are inclusive, welcoming and flexible. .
In contact with a family and domestic violence hotline, Zahra was given refuge in a women’s shelter and was soon referred to The Salvation Army Homelessness East Gateways Program in Victoria. The program offers a residential facility providing six-weeks of crisis accommodation with intensive case management support, as well as 21 off-site transitional properties.
Zahra stayed housed and connected with the service for two years and took every opportunity offered to build a new and successful life. She now has secure long-term housing and a career.
The Gateways Program works to support people by identifying issues surrounding their homelessness and making relevant referrals to other professional services to help break the cycle of homelessness. This may include support in such areas as education, recreation, counselling, health issues, alcohol and other drug counselling and support, mental health, family violence and family supports, financial counselling and more.
Case worker Fiona journeyed with Zahra for two years.
“Zahra is absolutely amazing,” Fiona says. “I remember the first time listening to her story and her saying, ‘I want to be successful here, because I want to give back to this country because of what it has given me already!’ This is someone still sitting in a refuge who has experienced family violence. All these tough things have happened already, but she was saying, ‘This is the most beautiful place to be. I want to care for people.’ She has done significant training and does now work in a caring role.”
Secure housing the foundation to a good life
Fiona explains that accommodation straight out of homelessness is an essential foundation, but that adding support and access to other services is the key to securing and maintaining long-term, stable housing.
In Zahra’s case, this included a support package to help with such things as family violence counselling, link to a new doctor, tutoring in written English (as Zahra had no formal schooling), help with a resume, support with applying for education and training, connection to a playgroup and other services at the local Salvos corps (church), application for citizenship and much more.
“Gateways is the best place to work,” Fiona says. “I’ve been there for 17 years and it’s amazing because we have the opportunity to work with people in their living space and you get to really build rapport. It gives you the opportunity to offer wraparound support. It is an amazing program.
“It is also a privilege to work with amazing people like Zahra.”
Onwards and upwards into the future
Six years on from leaving home, Zahra has excellent English, multiple qualifications and gained her citizenship. She is determined to continue to care for others to help repay the care she was given.
She says: “I’m working and also supporting someone else who needs my support because people supported me (in the past).
“I have a lot of confidence now. I always wanted to help people since I was a baby. I thought, ‘When I grow up, I want to help other people.’ And my grandmother said one time, ‘Zahra you will be in that position.’ My first thing was I wanted to go to school and be a doctor, but I didn’t achieve that, but now I am going another way, but still to help people [in aged care]. I’m really happy with that.”
Why doesn’t everyone have access to a safe, affordable home?
Zahra has a passionate message for others who may feel trapped and need to leave situations of violence and control. She says: “I want to say to people that whatever you face, don’t give up – keep trying until you get what you want. Because if you give up, nothing will happen.
“It is you who can achieve what you want in life. In the past years there have been many challenges, but I ignored them. I wanted to be a different person in the future. I don’t want to be in the same situation [ever again].”
*This is a true story with name changed for privacy and safety
**https://chp.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Homelessness-and-women.pdf