CATHERINE HOUSE CONNECTIONS NEWSLETTER
December 2023 celebrating 35 years of supporting women experiencing homelessness
Catherine House update
Despite what has been, at times, a heavy and uncertain year, Catherine House remains a place of hope for so many. Women who walk through our doors often recount the day they received the phone call informing them we have a place for them in our accommodation service. It is often a tear-filled, emotional, and uplifting moment they share with us. They finally have hope for their future. We thank you for assisting us in ensuring we can continue to provide this moment for women. We also continue to feel humbled by the levels of support we see from our community. From individuals, families, and ambassadors to schools, organisations, and government bodies, we are continually amazed by the impassioned advocacy and endorsement of our work from within our supporter community. A number of new and ongoing partnerships help us to continue our work in what has been a challenging and uncertain time for so many. Throughout this newsletter, you will read about our current work as well as some truly inspiring stories from the women we support. Our education and employment pathways continue to be such a unique and valuable part of our service, providing increased opportunities, a positive mindset and, importantly, a future of financial stability. I hope, as you read through this newsletter, that you feel the same sense of satisfaction that each of us at Catherine House does, knowing we are working to improve outcomes for women in our community. Your support makes our work possible, and on behalf of the team, I again express our gratitude. If you are interested in learning more about how you can get further involved, please do not hesitate to reach out. On behalf of everyone at Catherine House, I wish you and your loved ones a safe and happy Christmas, and I look forward to your continued support in 2024.
It's my pleasure to update you on the outcomes and achievements of Catherine House – in our 35th year of supporting women experiencing homelessness. It cannot be overstated that 35 years of Catherine House would not be possible without your ongoing support. Your generosity allows us to continue providing safe accommodation and support services for South Australian women who are experiencing what is often the most difficult time in their lives. In a very challenging year, Australians have endured 13 interest rate rises in the last 15 months, bringing interest rates to their highest level since 2011. In addition, there has been an unprecedented increase in the cost of living. With rental availability in South Australia at 0.3% - the lowest across the country - more and more women are losing their homes. South Australia is now the country's second least affordable state for housing. All this has contributed to a steep rise in demand for our services. In fact, the latest census revealed that women make up the majority of "newly homeless" across Australia, and women between the ages of 35-45 and girls under the age of 18 represent the fasting cohort of all people experiencing homelessness. Sadly, we know that another element sitting behind these worsening statistics is increasing incidences of family violence and abuse. It has been a particularly tough time for the team at Catherine House, with five South Australian women in a month (four in one week) losing their lives at the hands of men known to them. Five mothers, sisters, aunties, and friends - were taken from their families through acts of violence. At Catherine House, we will continue to advocate for women's rights and ask you to join us in calling for action to put an end to these abhorrent attacks.
JULIE DUNCAN General Manager, Catherine House
PAGE 02 | CATHERINE HOUSE CONNECTIONS NEWSLETTER | 35TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION
women's centre, education & employment outcomes
this year at a glance
408
activities, workshops and courses were delivered to 123 women .
Outcomes for Women We Support Since January 2023, with your incredible support, we were able to achieve the following outcomes for women experiencing homelessness: 54 women provided with safe and secure accommodation at any given time.
Women’s Centre. 2,318
attendances were recorded at the
54 77
women engaged with the Education & Employment Officer.
86% reported an improvement in their living skills. reported improved interpersonal skills and connections. reported improved management of mental health. reported improved management of physical health. reported improved sense of ability to achieve. outcomes of women exiting catherine house 84% 78% 86% 86% Education Grants were provided to 28 women and included items such as ukuleles, WIFI devices, driving lessons, software and more. individual goals have been set by women. (Goals include obtaining drivers licence, completing educational courses, managing finances and more). 595
498 381 33,577
enquiries were taken by our Intake Service Worker.
clients worked with across all our programs and services.
client case sessions entered into our database.
food services So far in 2023, we have served 31,149 meals to our clients across all our programs. We receive fresh, in-season produce year-round thanks to our partnership with Wills & Daniel, Adelaide Central Market. We’d also like to thank the following individuals and businesses who made a commitment to support our Kitchen Program: Air Diffusion Agencies Anne & Jegan Krishnan Eleanor Crawford ElectraNet Lord Mayor Jane Lomax-Smith Jeff & Toni Ellison Kathryn & Nick House Key Conveyancing Lucy Hood, Rhiannon Pearce & Nat Cook ORBE Paul & Michelle Stallan The Honourable Penny Wong Redarc Electronics Riedel SA Sandy Pitcher
Simon & Monica Tiddy Stanley & Co. Lawyers Sylvia & Anthony Toop William Buck
CATHERINE HOUSE CONNECTIONS NEWSLETTER | 35TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION | PAGE 03
The value of education and the importance of regaining a sense of personal power and autonomy
-Catherine House Client
The moment I walked through the doors of Catherine House, I felt welcomed, respected, safe and valued by both the wonderful staff and other women on their own journeys. It was such a safe space with a warm feeling all around. There was no interference from people outside. I was at ease. I no longer had to worry. I could finally relax. Catherine House is much more than a roof over your head, food in your belly and somewhere safe to sleep. They provide services ranging from counselling to referrals for GP, dental and eye care, onsite substance use support, educational courses, financial assistance, employment opportunities, legal support and much more. After nearly 18 months of battling my habits, thoughts and behaviours, I decided to seek help through a social worker who suggested I contact Catherine House. I didn’t know much about Catherine House at the time. My only thought was to get another place to call home, for my children’s future and for me. A few months ago, I received a phone call from Catherine House, letting me know there was a place for me. A room of my own, inclusive of food, toiletries and bills, and that was only the start! Upon arriving, I was supplied with a clothing pack in my size, pyjamas, slippers and a personal care package. I remember exactly where I was, the day I received this news. I was so happy to be given the opportunity to break free from the cycle I had been in. I could start focusing on myself. I cried with joy. Since I arrived, I have started to rebuild my life and already achieved many goals I thought would take years. I have completed most of my dental work. I’m seeing a financial counsellor for previous debts, attending the Matrix Recovery Program and being assisted with legal issues. I have also been linked with Yarrow Place, a women’s sexual assault counselling service, for the trauma I have carried with me for many years.
I grew up living in multiple houses, moving from family member to family member, and eventually being reunited with my mother in our home. It wasn’t the safest area to live, with many assaults, gangs and dealers around every corner. I found myself being mixed up in these crowds, which turned into a lifestyle over time. I had dropped out of school, my only safe place as a young teenager. I had limited my social network and education due to spending all my time with these people. I was couch surfing from the age of 12, with little to no rules on how I was living life, who I was involved with or what I would do with my days. This went on for years. Little did I realise then how it would impact me in years to come. I was 17 years old when I met a man that I became reliant on for financial support and a place to call home, mistaking my dependence for love. Within a few months, I was pregnant with my first child. I was so scared of being a mother. I had no support or positive connections, finances or stability behind me, so I stayed in this relationship. I knew my baby was a blessing and a reason to get my life in order, for the babies’ sake and mine. We would go on to have two more children over the next few years. Within the beauty of becoming a mother, much chaos came with it. I wasn’t in control of my emotions, had no personal boundaries, no knowledge of how to maintain a house or pay bills independently, and had no financial safety or strategy for a stable future. The relationship slowly turned toxic for my children and me. I knew I would have to leave, scared of what would come next. I lost the place we called ‘home’. I made the difficult decision to ask a family member to care for my children while I tried to stabilise myself. I had become a complete mess, with no confidence and low self-esteem. Feeling little to no hope for the future and getting back on track, I spiralled downward, making poor choices, isolating myself from the world, couch surfing, and falling back into the cycle of addiction. I was homeless once again; I had hit rock bottom! As much as I wanted a house, I didn’t have the ability to take on that responsibility.
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SEPTEMBER 12 1988 Rita’s story
On the 12th of September, 35 years ago, Catherine House opened its doors for residents to stay. Arch Bishop Gleeson conducted an opening mass at 7:30pm. Staff at this point included Catherine House’s first leader, Sister Anne Gregory, Sister Pak Poy, Sister Margaret Tully, Michelle Saybe, Sister Maureen, and the first volunteer, Faye Mather. On that first night, the Sisters waited in anticipation. Sandwiches, cups of tea and 12 warm beds were prepared. No one came. Sister Anne was determined, she drove to the Adelaide parklands and approached a woman, inviting her to stay. This woman was hesitant at first. “Why would I leave my tree and park to sleep in a room?” she asked. Sister Anne managed to coax her with the promise of a warm drink and a feed, so she came along, bringing her shopping trolley. She slept upstairs, in a bedroom now named after her, Rita Miller’s room.
I find being in a women’s-only support service calming and settling, and I am not faced with the anxiety of being assigned a male worker or forced to settle for one. Knowing I am in a feminist environment has helped me feel safe and comfortable to openly share experiences I have never spoken about before. It’s a place where I no longer must use my masculine energy or feel like I am in survival mode. I can be my feminine self. I have been engaging with the Education and Employment Officer, Sharon. Through our work together, I have received an education grant for my White Card course, which I have completed. I enrolled in the Adult Community Education training course ‘Live Your Best Life and Plan for Your Future’, which has helped me regain my confidence and self-esteem. The trauma-informed teaching practice Sharon uses is collaborative and has assisted me in regaining a sense of personal power and autonomy by being free to choose what I engage in and how I do this. We learn about the right to say ‘no’ in a safe setting so we can become comfortable applying this and other new empowering language in our daily lives. I am now excited about what the future holds. I look forward to living independently and being reunited with my children in a place I can call home. I have learned women are capable of doing many extraordinary things for ourselves within our lives. Being in a safe, comfortable and supported environment enhances that strength, giving room for doors to open and opportunities to emerge in which we feel confident to say yes.
When Sister Anne went to greet her in the morning, she was gone. After that night, word of mouth travelled, and before long, each bed was full. Several months after opening, Rita Miller returned to Catherine House. When Sister Anne asked why she had left so suddenly, Rita told her of the shame she felt in asking for help, feeling undeserving. For the past 35 years, Catherine House has supported thousands of women, many of whom, like Rita, have felt shame or hesitance in receiving help. Thank you for your role in helping women know they are deserving of support, deserving of safety, regardless of where they have been. That they should be heard, believed and respected. Thank you for helping end women’s homelessness.
CATHERINE HOUSE CONNECTIONS NEWSLETTER | 35TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION | PAGE 05
COMMUNITY FUNDRAISING
North Adelaide Football Club LADIES DAY Catherine House Client Services Manager, Deirdre Flynn, was thrilled to be invited to speak as part of the Ladies Day Fundraiser held by North Adelaide Football Club in August. Deirdre spoke to the club members about the challenges facing Catherine House and shed light on the crisis we are currently facing with homelessness, mental health and domestic violence. It was an honour to participate in a great day of celebrating women and their accomplishments on and off the field. In line with National Homelessness Week, the North Adelaide Football Club raised valuable funds for our Crisis Accommodation Service and also conducted a donation drive, collecting items from our high-needs list to support the women living with us. We are so grateful for the support of the Club, all the members who attended and the donors who helped make this incredible event possible.
women in Business Appreciation lunch We are so grateful to have been a part of the 'Women in Business Appreciation Lunch' held by Alexander Financial Group. The afternoon included several great speakers - including one who shared her experiences striving for success in her heavily male-dominated field, and another bravely told her account of experiencing domestic and family violence throughout her career. Thank you to everyone who attended and supported this empowering event, which managed to raise over $5,000 to support our Crisis Accommodation Service. Thank you, Alexander Financial Group!
Adelaide Strikers Women in sport lunch In late November, we were fortunate to be chosen as the official Charity Partner of the Adelaide Strikers Women in Sport Lunch at Adelaide Oval. It was a wonderful event with a fantastic panel and an inspiring keynote from Holly Ransom. Thank you to everyone who donated financially or bought items from our Christmas Wishlist. A huge thank you to Allison and the South Australian Cricket Association team for organising the event.
Kiwanis Club Molly, our Fundraising and Campaign Coordinator, was delighted to speak at the Kiwanis Club, sharing information about Catherine House with another great community organisation. Thank you for having us Kiwanis Club of Rostrevor Campbelltown!
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Dine at Dusk Our Fundraising and Campaign Coordinator, Molly, was honoured to attend and speak at the annual Ladies Who Dine at Dusk event, held in October at the beautiful Spear Creek Holiday Park. Courtney and Jenny's empowering women's event included a delicious meal catered by Leah Richardson. Guest speaker, Ros, who was previously a client at Catherine House, bravely shared her experiences of homelessness and recovery. Her resilience was inspiring to everyone in the room. A huge thank you to Courtney and Jenny for organising this event which raised an incredible $10,350 to support Catherine House.
Rotary Club of Mitcham Quiz Night The Rotary Club of Mitcham held a fun-filled quiz night for members, friends and family at Unley Bowling Club, raising funds for Catherine House. A special thank you to Peter, Chris, Sandy and Verlie for organising this event. Club President Alex had the winning table but requests for an enquiry fell on deaf ears! Thank you to all who supported the evening, including the Sturt Bowling Club volunteers who ensured the evening ran smoothly.
Collective: Inspiring Women in Business In October, Jaylee Cooper and Amy Simons attended the Collective Inspiring Women in Business event supporting Catherine House. Kara and the team at Mas National have been tremendous supporters of Catherine House over the past few years, raising more than $20,000 from the Collective event and sponsorship. We are truly grateful to be a part of a community of people who care so deeply about the work we do to support women experiencing homelessness, thank you.
CATHERINE HOUSE CONNECTIONS NEWSLETTER | 35TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION | PAGE 07
Catherine House:
1988
1992
1997
Founded by the Sisters of Mercy, Catherine House opened its doors on September 12th for the first time as emergency accommodation for up to 12 women.
The second purpose-built house was opened.
During the first 10 years, Catherine House supported over 3000 women.
2009
2007
2011
The Permanent Supported Accommodation Program (PSAP) opened.
The Kym Adey Scholarship was founded, enabling 6 clients to date to study at UniSA.
"Bright Spirit", the first Catherine House Rose was created.
Kym Adey
2014
2016
2013
Received the National Homelessness Services Award for Excellence in Supporting Pathways to Employment or Education.
Lan Le becomes Catherine House’s new Patron.
Catherine House receives a visit from Govenor General.
Patron, Lan Le, visits Catherine House, ‘14
PAGE 08 | CATHERINE HOUSE CONNECTIONS NEWSLETTER | 35TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION
Through the years
1998
2001
2002
Madge McGuire took on the inaugural role of Director, Sister Anne Gregory began plans to retire.
Dame Roma Mitchell was named official Patron.
The Catherine House Trust was established. This Trust went on to raise vital funds for more than 15 years.
2004
2004
2003
Using the proceeds from the Mt Everest fundraiser, Sagarmatha was opened (now called the Women's Centre ).
Madge McGuire climbed Mt Everest, raising $300,000 from her fundraising appeal.
The Recovery Program was established , offering specialised mental health services for women experiencing homelessness.
2018
2021
2023
Reallocation of homelessness funding. Catherine House merged with Housing Choices Australia .
Added four additional crisis beds.
Thank you for your support of Catherine House into our 35th year of supporting women experiencing homelessness.
Catherine House celebrates 35 years, ‘23
Protesters rally at Parliament House, ‘21
CATHERINE HOUSE CONNECTIONS NEWSLETTER | 35TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION | PAGE 09
COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS
Ambassador Update As 2023 wraps up, we would like to extend our sincere gratitude to our wonderful 64 Community Ambassadors. This group of dedicated supporters have spent the year volunteering, advocating and raising funds for Catherine House. Since they began fundraising in February, this group has (made up of 56 individuals, three groups and five families) have organised countless events big and small, all because of their strong held commitment to supporting women experiencing homelessness. We are amazed to announce that our 2023 Community Ambassadors have raised over $200,000 this year. We are beyond grateful for their incredible hard work. Here are just a few of their achievements:
Rebecca & Christine’s quiz night In August, sister Community Ambassadors, Rebecca and Christine, put together an outstanding quiz night supporting Catherine House. This event, held at The Highway Hotel, truly went above and beyond, featuring a raffle, a wine wall, an auction and more! We are incredibly grateful for all fundraising events, big or small, supporting South Australian women experiencing homelessness. Every dollar donated, every new conversation started, and toiletry pack donated is a step towards ending women's homelessness. It's safe to say we were blown away by Rebecca and Christine's efforts, which brought in over $50,000 from their incredible efforts.
Home: SAM & Maddie’s fundraising dinner at the salopian inn This winter, mother and daughter Community Ambassadors, Sam and Maddie Marchetti, joined forces with the beautiful Salopian Inn, to host an intimate fundraising dinner and art auction. The evening, which hosted over 100 guests, included produce and wine donated by local businesses, as well as gorgeous artworks donated by local artists, a silent auction, a raffle, a wine wall and a lucky door prize. Adelaide hospitality legends, Sharon Romeo and Mark Reginato, donated their time to host the entertaining evening, which raised over $15,500 to support the Catherine House Crisis Accommodation Service.
Cathy’s high tea Community Ambassador, Cathy, hosted a fabulous ‘High Tea on the Seas’ at Largs Bay Sailing Club on a beautiful Sunday afternoon in September. Guests were dressed in a sea of purple, showing their support for Catherine House! Everyone thoroughly enjoyed an afternoon of live music, decadent treats, table prizes and raffles. Cathy embraced her community, asking friends and family to donate their time to create the delicious food offerings, maximising her fundraising capacities. Thank you Cathy for organising this beautiful event.
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SCHOOL FUNDRAISING
Kate’s quiz night A huge thank you to our Community Ambassador, Kate, who organised a stunning quiz night in Mount Barker. The evening was an absolute blast, and she managed to raise over $5,000 to aid our work in supporting women experiencing homelessness. Thank you Kate!
St Thomas More School Elizabeth Park & St Mary Magdalene's Thank you to the incredible staff at St Thomas More School Elizabeth Park and St Mary Magdalene's School, who spent time creating packs of much-needed items for women at Catherine House. We are so grateful to receive ongoing support from our incredible community!
Bunnings BBQ Thank you to everyone who supported our most recent Bunnings BBQ at Mile End, held in September. A huge thank you to our volunteers, everyone who stopped past for a sausage, and to those generous people who donated bread, sauce and soft drinks. A special thank you to Troy, who donated 70 kilograms of sausages! This collective generosity from the community makes such a difference to our fundraising efforts. $2,400 was raised, funding over two weeks of accommodation for a woman in our Crisis Service.
St Francis de Sales College St Francis de Sales College ended the term by
celebrating College Day, an annual event which honours their generous heritage by holding a charity fundraiser. St Francis de Sales chose to raise money for Catherine House, with a successful (and delicious) bake sale.
Interested in fundraising for catherine house? We’d love to hear from you! Get in touch with our Fundraising and
are you interested in becoming a community ambassador in 2024?
Started in 2019, the Catherine House Community Ambassador Program is a way for our community to get involved, raise funds and awareness, and volunteer for us. Applications for 2024 are now open! Scan the QR code to learn more and apply.
Campaign Coordinator, Molly Dyer, by emailing MollyD@catherinehouse.org.au or phoning (08) 8232 2282 .
CATHERINE HOUSE CONNECTIONS NEWSLETTER | 35TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION | PAGE 11
Women’s Experiences of Homelessness Revealed Through Art Bus Workshops
Claire and Miranda, respected artists, qualified teachers, and owners of the Art Bus, have been running a weekly visual arts program at Catherine House for almost two years. They are known and trusted by those who use the Women’s Centre to access the many diverse activities and supports on offer. We recently asked them to devote a series of classes focusing on the women’s lived experience of homelessness. Here is what they had to say: In July this year, we were asked if we might focus part of our upcoming Adult Community Education program on gender and homelessness through art. We introduced the idea, asking the group of 10 women if they were interested in talking about this issue and if they would like to learn the process of mono printing. Three women were new to the group: one woman was recently released from prison, another had just returned to Australia, and the third was recovering from long-term addiction. We discussed what parity meant and how gender and homelessness intersected. Each person had something to say, and as we talked, key words and ideas were written up on a whiteboard. The women described a homelessness journey as often, but not always, going from cars to tents, to couch surfing, and finally to cement.
Claire Harris and Miranda Harris from The Art Bus.
Their experiences of homelessness were also connected to and shaped by the broader social determinants of health, including family violence, unstable employment, mental ill health, and women’s often low levels of superannuation. The current cost of living crisis and spiralling rents add to the increasing anxiety felt by many women. The conversation drew mixed emotions, including outrage, humour, and reflexivity. Following the discussion, each woman chose a single word to explore visually. We asked them to think about a pose that might best visually represent their word, which would be included in their work. We workshopped possibilities with each other about how to stand, different poses, and how to capture an idea through our bodies to create a self-portrait. Claire took photographs of each participant, which became the inspiration for the drawn mono print – a one-off that requires spontaneity and some courage. This project was the first time some of the women had participated in this type of art-making process, one that involved sharing stories and lived experiences. Furthermore, while mono-printing is a simple but multi- stage process, some women were initially hesitant and needed support through each stage.
Miranda demonstrated the process, creating the No Super image. As artists, we aim to also create work alongside the participants, thus creating a feeling of equality, safety and mutual respect working in an art space together.
Claire and Miranda discuss gendered homelessness with the class.
PAGE 12 | CATHERINE HOUSE CONNECTIONS NEWSLETTER | 35TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION
At the end of the first workshop, each woman had created a black ink print. The women were surprised and rewarded with the outcome of their efforts and commented on how happy they were with the results. We could see it was a real boost to their confidence levels, and there was a palpable sense of joy and pride in their work. The following week, colour and shape were introduced to extend the meaning of their everyday experiences through the visual artwork. The women’s reflections on their lives and on the way gender and homelessness come together are powerfully illustrated in this collection of work, which we hope to share with a broader audience in an exhibition later this year.
‘Psychosis’, Monoprint, 2023 I chose the word psychosis because I became homeless because of my psychosis because I didn’t think I was safe, but actually I didn’t feel safe anywhere, so I left home and roamed the streets, and then I felt even less safe. I was terrified. I was going to all these different services, and no one would help me. All the services – mental health, homelessness, DV, drug, and alcohol, each sent me to the other service, and none would take me on. But I had abject psychosis, and I was really vulnerable, and I was very unsafe. The image is a self-portrait – it’s saying I don’t know what’s going on. I don’t know what to do. Everything is wrong and I don’t know how to fix it.
‘Safety’, Monoprint, 2023 I now live in a house with other women, and I feel safe there. The green strip at the top represents people being around and the green circle is about having good thoughts about other people. The hand says, ‘Stop violence against women’.
‘Invisible’, Monoprint, 2023 Being homeless made me feel completely invisible.
‘Return home to no home’, Monoprint, 2023
‘Play it Safe’, Monoprint, 2023 S he’s praying for somewhere safe to live. It’s a self-portrait. I was in a housing trust flat, and I went into hospital for six months and a support worker came to see me and suggested I move to Catherine House as a transition to prevent my homelessness. Now I’m in an accommodation place with other women. The red square means me being alert to things that are unsafe. The red represents the safety of the box and also not always fitting into that box. I feel safe where I am and the flowers on my body make me feel peaceful.
‘Addiction’, Monoprint, 2023
‘No Where to Go’, Monoprint, 2023
CATHERINE HOUSE CONNECTIONS NEWSLETTER | 35TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION | PAGE 13
Supporter spotlight: KWY Aboriginal Corporation Who is KWY? KWY is a not-for-profit Aboriginal organisation focused on creating a place for change. We provide Aboriginal people, families, and community with cultural services and supports that build positive change. KWY also work with government, non-government organisations and industry to create change in their organisation and business through our cultural consultancy and training services. Over the last few years, KWY has rapidly grown to support over 1,500 people a year. KWY support Aboriginal people to stay safe, thrive and continue to be connected to culture. KWY have experienced great outcomes, such as keeping family together and improving their safety. KWY’s portfolio has increased to cover domestic and family violence, child protection, youth work, kinship care, disability, mentoring, Aboriginal education outcomes, perpetrator intervention, and cultural training and consultancy. Cultural ways of healing and engagement are embedded throughout our programs. These provide a unique way of improving outcomes and wellbeing, reducing risk and increasing safety. In turn, this will provide a safe space to encourage reconnection with our culture, our spirit, our community. Strong Families, Strong Communities (peer to peer program) KWY in partnership with The Australian Centre for Social Innovation (TACSI) have launched a new group program; Strong Families, Strong Communities. This program is designed and facilitated by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families. This peer-to-peer program is calling for community members who have deadly skills in a range of areas and can share these with your community. These skills can be anything from art, culture or cooking to time management, budgeting or navigating systems. KWY will walk alongside and provide some training to peer volunteers to help support community- led change through connectedness. These groups will be running in Northern and Western metropolitan Adelaide and Mount Gambier.
KWY Training & Consultancy KWY provides culturally specific training to increase cultural understanding for better engagement, improving the delivery of services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Some of their programs include: CUBE - Cultural Understanding Better Engagement This one-day training offers the opportunity for participants to: Increase participant's own cultural understanding Discuss strategies for the implementation of their new learnings Examine how these learnings may be embedded into service delivery Improved relationships between Aboriginal staff/volunteers and community Gain awareness and a greater understanding of organisational cultural competency. TICR - Trauma Informed Culturally Responsive This two-day training offers the opportunity for participants to: Gain an understanding of the guiding principles of culturally responsive practice and how this could be applied in your daily work Have a greater understanding of the guiding principles of trauma-informed/responsive practice and how this could be applied in culturally responsive ways in your roles Have direct opportunities to explore what it looks like in action and develop practical steps to utilise in your workplaces. Explore our brain and the impact of stress Discuss intergenerational trauma and what is needed to respond.
Maryke van Diermen, Craig Rigney, Deirdre Flynn & Jaylee Cooper We look forward to strengthening our already valued partnership with KWY to support Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander women who experience homelessness and domestic and family violence.
PAGE 14 | CATHERINE HOUSE CONNECTIONS NEWSLETTER | 35TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION
“I feel anxious about how Christmas will look for me this year, but my caseworker has told me that Catherine House tries to make the day as special as they can for us. I hope this time next year I’m back on my feet and in my own home.”
Can you help us give hope to women experiencing homelessness this christmas?
What does your Christmas look like this year?
On Christmas Day, we will support more than 70 women at Catherine House. This includes the 54 women staying with us, plus many more who will join us for Christmas lunch because they have nowhere else to go. We want to make Christmas special for women who are facing such a challenging time in their lives – in contrast to what is often the happiest time of the year for others.
Each woman staying at Catherine House will receive a special Christmas Gift Bag to remind her she is valued.
Christmas Day at Catherine House, 2022
We hope that you will consider making a donation to our Christmas Appeal, giving hope and support to women experiencing homelessness across South Australia. scan qr code to donate today
‘Notes of Hope’ written by members of the community will be served with Christmas Lunch.
CATHERINE HOUSE CONNECTIONS NEWSLETTER | 35TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION | PAGE 15
THANK YOU TO OUR SUPPORTERS GOVERNMENT PARTNERS
MAJOR EDUCATION PARTNERS
MAJOR PARTNERS
MAJOR IN-KIND PARTNERS
@catherinehouseadl @catherinehouseadl Catherine House Inc
Tel: (08) 8232 2282 Fax: (08) 8223 7548
reception@catherinehouse.org.au PO Box 6031 Halifax St, Adelaide SA 5000
ABN 32 944 754 177
Charity Licence CCP2586
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