Our Story

 

  • The recent influx of city escapees after COVID, the massive increases in AirBnb short term holiday letting and the lack of social housing have combined to put enormous pressure on house prices (the average house price in the region is now $1.4 million) and has virtually eliminated affordable housing. As a result many women have been evicted and are now in a state of homelessness, meaning they are couch surfing, living in a car, or overstaying with friends and family. If they are forced to move from the region, it will tear friends and family apart, disrupt the social fabric of regional towns and leave Northern Rivers without essential workers. Affordable housing is not being adequately provided by either the public or the private sector and the region is facing a housing crisis. Real change will only happen if the community steps up to help solve the crisis for the benefit of all.

  • Women still experience significant barriers to buying their own house and are the largest group experiencing homelessness. They face added disadvantage when applying for rentals as a single parent or older woman. Women have less access to employment opportunities and often have limits on their ability to work because they are the primary caregivers. They earn less and retire with significantly less superannuation.

  • We help women who are in housing distress because they can’t either find or keep affordable housing.

    We do this by providing access to emergency housing and assisting with costs of storage and removals. To date we have:

    established a Facebook page which connects the many women seeking shelter with those that can offer a room, a cottage, a caravan or land.

    purchased 20 glamping tents which will be erected in camping sites around the region

    secured access to unused short term student accommodation on college campuses

    secured preferential rates for short term accommodation with regional accommodation providers who have spare capacity.

    We are also developing plans to provide sustainable and affordable housing models to secure short, medium, long term and permanent accommodation. We are engaging with property developers, councils, local and state housing bodies, and lending institutions,

    The goal of Women’s Village Collective is to make real and lasting changes that will benefit the whole community

 

The Women We Aim to Help

Homelessness can happen to women in all walks of life. It can happen to women with good jobs. They’re qualified, work hard and then one day their life changes. Often it takes only one event, loss of a partner, loss of a job, an illness, an unexpected bill………….

Sarah - 44 years old, 2 young children

Sarah is a single mother with two young children. She pays about $570 per week for rent and bills. That’s about 80 percent of her current income. At one time, Sarah managed a thriving business, but her abusive partner destroyed much of what she had, and she had to sell the rest to get by.

Sarah experienced homelessness for 5 months when she was pregnant with her second child. She slept at her workplace with her eldest child, having nowhere else to go and no one else to turn to. She currently pays cash to her landlord without the security of a lease. Sarah could easily afford mortgage repayments, but as a single parent with young children, she is unlikely to get a loan to buy a house.

Sarah dreams for the safety of her own home, and a valuable asset to pass on to her children some day.

Kerry - 47 years old, 2 young children

Kerry is a single parent who receives no child support and pays over $500 a week in rent and basic living expenses. That is over 70 % of Kerry’s income, and she is often left without enough money for food when it's time to insure her car or pay extra expenses. At one time Kerry was living out of her car with her children in between securing accommodation. Kerry’s rental property is due to sell in a month. She is afraid she will end up living in her car again.

She is university educated and has two degrees. Her children attend the local school here and she works full time. She pays enough for a mortgage and yet it is unlikely she will be able to buy in the area where her support network is.

One day Kerry hopes to purchase a property with another mother and build side by side.

Martina - 33 years old, child with disabilities

Martina is 33 years old, university educated and has a career in marketing and finance. Martina has an eight year old son who has severe disabilities. Her partner died when her son was only 2 years old. Martina has no remaining family and is the full time carer for her son. She is on a waiting list for affordable housing. She works on contract work, while caring full time for her child. She will always be a carer, even when her child is an adult.

Martina craves to be part of a village and would very much like to have more support, so that she and her son can thrive.

Hanna - 68 yrs old, no children

Hanna has been living in her car for over 1000 nights. Hanna has strong friendships and connections in the area but no children. She moved to Australia from Europe to be with her partner who has since passed. On a pension, there is nothing she can afford without living in financial stress.

Hanna has a very simple request. She just wants a small cabin on land, where she can paint, garden and enjoy her retirement.

Judith - 58 years old, 5 children

Judith’s children were all grown when she finally divorced. She has a small amount of part time work and takes casual jobs when she can find them. Centrelink payments are her main source of income. She is active as a volunteer in the community and committee member of several associations. She has applied for countless full time jobs, though feels her age is against her.

When she retired she had no superannuation due to working part time whilst raising children. Due to her low income, she is unable to find an affordable rental in this inflated rental climate. She currently lives with her son and his family but she feels like a burden to her family, sharing a room with one of her grandchildren, while the other shares a room with their parents.

Judith would like a small independent place to live, near her family.

Katja - 25 years old, 1 child

Katja is a single parent with a young child who had to leave her abusive relationship while she was still pregnant. While Katja left the house to flee, her partner remained at the property. With the birth of her child and the following busy months, Katja didn’t realise that the bills that were still in her name were being posted to her partner. Unfortunately, despite having the benefit of staying in the house he failed to pay any of the bills he received. This affected Katja’s credit rating, making it almost impossible for her to enter into simple contracts such as for mobile phones.

Katja has moved nearly 20 times since her child was born, being bound by Court Orders to remain within 50 kms of the father despite the fact that he pays no child support. She has been unable to maintain her business, due to frequent moving. She is desperate for some stability before her child starts school and would like to study and build a career.

Katja would love to settle into a true women’s community with other mothers and children, aunties and elders.