Summer 2024
Housing Choices New Strategic Plan 2024-29 P3 'Home is Where the Art is' recognising our incredibly talented artists P4 Lea and Marusya make their house a home in Melbourne P8
HChoicesAU
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From the Executive Director Operations For many of us, Summertime across Australia is a chance to rest and recover - slow down, take a break and spend time with neighbours, friends and loved ones.
It’s also a great time to reach out to others who could be feeling isolated or alone. We should all take the time to check in on an old friend or neighbour, to just see how they’re doing. Reading Home Stories is always a fantastic reminder just how important – and how much fun – it is to feel and be connected to our communities. The warmer weather has meant that the Victorian Community Development and Engagement Team have been out and about more often. Thank you to all the residents that have attended our catch ups, garden days and resident artist events. The CDE Team look forward
Around the country many of our residents have enjoyed end of year celebration events, which are always a major highlight for Housing Choices staff as well. On behalf of everyone at Housing Choices I thank all our wonderful residents for their support and valuable feedback over the year, and we look forward to delivering more and better services to all our communities in 2025.
Hannah Harvey Executive Director, Operations
to yet another year of providing support and organising great events and activities.
Cover: Resident Advisory Committee member James Teeken attends the Victorian Resident End of Year Celebration in December.
Acknowledgement of Country In the spirit of reconciliation Housing Choices Australia acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Victoria and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
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It always pays to have a plan! Over the last year we’ve been working to update our Plan for Housing Choices’ future. We’ve had fantastic input from a whole range of experts, including residents, staff, partners and services providers. The result is our new Strategic Plan 2024-29 which was released in October. If you’re interested, you can find the Plan on our website at: https://www.housingchoices.org.au/ Housing Choices New Strategic Plan 2024-29 What does it mean for you?
about-us/our-five-year-strategic-plan/ But in a nutshell, what will it mean for you?
Our Plan focusses on 3 main aims
Build and offer more and better homes for people in need and
Become a vibrant and resilient, resident-focussed organisation.
Deliver more and better services to residents.
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create strong communities.
Everything we do will be with the diverse needs of our residents at top of mind. What works best for you, will ultimately work best for us. Nothing will happen or change in a big hurry. It’ll take some time for us to get our internal, staffing, and delivery systems in the right shape so we can become more efficient and responsive to your needs. But that’s the plan!
And at the centre of that plan is building a resident- focussed culture. We want to better maintain our existing homes, as well as build more homes, in more places, to help more people. But we will be making sure we stay utterly focussed on our current residents and their needs along the way. We will be shifting to a ‘national service model’ over time. That might
sound a bit ‘lofty’, but it’s really not. It’s about making it easier for you to get in touch with us, and easier for us to respond to your needs - faster and better. We’ll keep all residents informed as our new Strategic Plan progresses over the next five years. But our progress will be steady and, as with everything we do, it will be built to last.
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'Home is Where the Art is' recognising our incredibly talented artists
At Housing Choices Australia, we recognise that creating beautiful art has incredible healing properties. Art also brings people and the community together. This year, we were fortunate to have over 70 pieces of artworks entered our 'Home is Where the Art is ' competition. Some of you may have seen the incredible work of our artists via our virtual art exhibition. The Community Development and Engagement Team wished to celebrate the positive impact that artwork has on people’s lives and the hard work put into those artworks. With the help of resident Tristana, the team contacted Firestation Print Studio Director Liz McDowell to organise two Outreach sessions for artists to attend in Armadale. Resident Artist and Group
Member, Tristana Fitzgerald is a Printmaker, Committee Board Member and a Volunteer who’s passionate about Art and Mental Health. Alex and Liz organised two workshops, where residents could learn the craft of lino printing in a supportive, collaborative and creative studio. The participants printed their own designs onto calico bags, each taking a collection of bags home - ready-made personal festive gifts! It was an amazing and memorable experience for all who attended. We thank Liz McDowell, Director of the Firestation Print Studio, for this opportunity and The City of Stonnington Council, for providing the funding for this incredible event.
If you are interested in a new activity, head over to the Firestation Print Studio at 2 Willis Street, Armadale or contact the lovely team. The Lino Club is $15 for a three- hour supervised class. The Resident Artist Luncheon, held in North Melbourne, was an opportunity for artists to meet one another and share stories about their art and what it means to them - over a delicious meal of course! Artists received certificates and copies of freshly bound artist catalogues. These memories can be shared with family and friends, showcasing the incredible talent of our Victorian Artist Residents.
As always, if you are an artist, we encourage you to submit your artwork in next year’s 'Home is Where the Art is' competition. Please contact the Community Development and Engagement Team at communitydevelopmentvic@hcau.org.au for more information.
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Above: Artist Artypixelle.
Above: Artist Raymond with Alex.
Above: Artist Kerri.
Above: Artists Amber and Sam print their tote bags.
Firestation Print Studio 2 Willis Street Armadale Victoria 3143 Australia Phone: 03 95091782 Open: Wednesday - Saturday 11am - 4pm
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Meet Sam – Inclusive Communities Team Leader
Pet Social
As Housing Choices is growing and expanding to cater to the increasing number of residents, we’ve seen some changes to our leadership team. We’d like to take the time to thank Coralene Berkeley for her tenure as the Victorian Inclusive Communities Team Leader. And… we’d like to introduce Sam van der Meulen , newly minted national Inclusive Communities Team Leader. Sam is based in Tasmania and was the TAS Inclusive Communities Team Leader for three years. Prior to working with Housing Choices, Sam has worked supporting young people, and in the Alcohol and Other Drugs field. Sam is excited to visit other states, as it will be a real learning experience to see what other states do, and how we can work together, but keep our state-based strengths. Sam believes that our regional differences are important, and that we shouldn’t lose sight of what works best. Sam has been travelling around the country, meeting her new team. A fun fact about Sam is that she is crazy about animals. She has dogs, cats and horses. Have a glimpse of them!
We’d like to present our final Pet Social winner of the year! Congratulations to Zarathustra and Nathaniel. Here are some words about Zarathustra and what he means to Nathaniel. This is Zarathustra, my companion cat. His name means interpreter of god’s will. He is a loving and affectionate cat who keeps me company throughout the day. He enjoys sitting in the garden that I have created over many years. We sit there together to enjoy the sun and fresh air. He is also a playful cat and enjoys various games including chasing his small toys. He is now almost 4 years old, and he has been a very comforting addition to my life.
Above: Zarathustra.
Our Pet Social is a quarterly feature in Home Stories . Residents have been sharing their special pet photos and stories. Don’t forget to submit your favourite pet photo and story to be nominated for a $100 gift card to communitydevelopmentvic@hcau.org.au
Alex , Community Development and Engagement Officer, now reports to Sam, and they have been getting along like a house on fire. You may spy Sam at an event upcoming, so be sure to say hello!
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Keeping cool in Summer
Garden Transformations
This Summer is forecasted to be a hot one. Whilst fans and air-conditioning are great ways to cool down, the price of electricity has been going up with the cost of living. Here are some ways to keep cool without relying on the fan and air con, and some unlikely money-saving tips.
• Close your blinds or curtains throughout the day to block the sun’s heat.
• Dress in light, breathable clothes.
Above: Resident Patricia shows off her garden creation.
• Open windows at night to keep the air flowing.
• Keep a damp face washer in the freezer for a quick cool-down
• Keep a spray bottle to spritz on your face for a light refresher.
• Set your air con to 23-26 degrees.
• Only cool the rooms that you need, and close doors and curtains to keep the cool air in.
Above: Community garden new blooms.
• Set your fridge between 3 to 5 degrees, and your freezer to -15 degrees. We wouldn’t think twice about our fridges, but they are one of the most expensive items in the home.
The Community Development and Engagement and Housing and Property Teams have been busy working with residents to transform their gardens. Resident Community Fund applications have paved the way for these gardens to be given a facelift. Thank you to the residents who volunteered their time and energy to make these gardens their own – through rain and shine!
• Visit cool public places i.e. shopping centre or your local library.
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Lea and Marusya make their
Housing Choices’ Community Development and Engagement Officer Alex and Digital & Media Content Creator Gavin met Lea at her home in South Melbourne, where they were greeted by the star of the show – Lea’s cat Marusya. Lea and Marusya have been thick as thieves since 2009, when Lea picked up Marusya from some family friends. A spur-of-the- moment decision has turned to a decades-long partnership. As we spoke with Lea, Marusya ensured the spotlight was on her by exploring the lounge and kitchen area and showing off her vocal talent. Alex and Gavin interviewed Lea in Spring, as Lea and Marusya were selected by Homes Victoria to feature in their 2025 Pets at Our Place Calendar. Lea submitted an entry form and photos of Marusya, and after being chosen, was photographed with the queen – Marusya – by Homes Victoria staff. In this interview, Lea shares the importance of companionship. So, what is Marusya’s personality like? “She is clever, wise, and also has healing abilities”. Marusya is indeed a vocal feline, capturing our attention with soft meows. We are transfixed. Are there any funny habits that Marusya has that you enjoy? “She wants to go up to the top of the wardrobe. She asks to get put up there and then jumps down”. Marusya runs the town. “She is a picky eater. She tries lots of different stuff. She is gourmet.”
house a home in Melbourne
Above: Resident Lea.
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Midsumma 2025 Midsumma is Australia’s premier queer arts and cultural organisation, bringing together a diverse mix of LGBTQIA+ artists, performers, communities, and audiences. The Midsumma Festival runs for 22 days in summer each year, with numerous events that centre around hidden and mainstream queer culture, involving local, interstate, and international artists. This festival is open to the public and open to everyone, whether you’re straight, gay or anything in between. Take some mates to the festival for a guaranteed great day! In 2025, Midsumma Festival will run from Sunday 19 January to Sunday 9 February. Whilst Midsumma will run through January and February, keep note of their major events!
Above: Lea her cat Marusya.
What are some of your favourite memories or moments you two have shared? “Recently, she has started to do yoga with me. I do the child’s pose, and she joins me. Marusya climbs on my back, and we enjoy being in this pose together”. Yoga is central to Lea’s day-to-day life. It keeps her healthy, centred and balanced, but also busy! She teaches yoga in South Melbourne once a week, where she provides seated options for people who cannot go down to a mat. Lea also teaches yoga in gyms and aged care facilities and does ad-hoc classes for residents in her building.
Midsumma Carnival
Midsumma Pride March
19 JAN Sunday
2 FEB Sunday
Victoria’s Pride Street Party
9 FEB Sunday
If you are living close to the Melbourne CBD and are interested in taking part in yoga classes taught by Lea, please contact Alex at communitydevelopmentvic@ hcau.org.au with your name and contact information. Alex will pass it onto Lea.
https://www.midsumma.org.au
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2024 Resident End of Year Celebration
The Community Development and Engagement Team and Staff Volunteers worked as an incredible team to bring together our end of year celebration event in early December. We share a heartfelt thank you to all the residents who attended this event. A spectacular array of activities and performances were enjoyed by all, including face painting, circus skills, performances by Melbourne Contemporary Choir, memento photo magnets and more. It was great to see MC Marty Fields crack a few jokes! As always, we’d also love to give a big thanks to our staff volunteers – without you, we wouldn’t have an event like this.
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Home Stories Summer Puzzle Win a $50 Bunnings voucher!
Find all the words in the word search except for one, which is not actually in the grid. Words may be forward, backward, up, down or diagonal.
SANDCASTLEXKOSOESSDHCMHH HPMYBABNNFLCAUUSAPBIUFPS UKMRPAUDRAUTTNTDEPXSOGPO OLEROFBEESGACGSRAXI AXRAA WATERMELONGRPL INPCDGIUGG QOHALEOYNOARAADDONBNCECC SUNSHINENTGS I SENEUKCCOCC IRSRL ICAASE I LSTJJLKADZAD EEOUPXSLUWRMOEEXEHHLTELT EVASNOI TACAVASPRI 0STHUTH SWIMMINGIWLHAOHCEUQEBRAB NDGBINENMAERCECIDTLRSPRS I EUPRWGSTAPMOSQUI TOESOVA TCRLGNIPMACMANKEELZI SAI S SWIMSUI TFDAUNOIWPMETOLTO E S BPA T E ADP F FOX I NE E RCSNUS
FIND THESE WORDS IN THE GRID SUNSCREEN SPRINKLER
SANDCASTLE SUNGLASSES HAMBURGERS WATERMELON
LUGGAGE SUNSHINE ICECREAM SWIMMING
BARBEQUE CAMPING OUTSIDE MOSQUITOES
VACATION SWIMSUIT
Please tell us the remaining word before Friday 28 March 2025 by emailing communitydevelopmentvic@hcau.org.au or posting your answer to: Level 3, 350 Queen Street, Melbourne VIC 3000. Only one entry is allowed per household. The winner will score themselves a $50 Bunnings voucher and will be drawn from the correct entries. Good luck!
Preston Office 137 High Street Preston VIC 3072 General Enquiries 1300 312 447
Head Office Level 3, 350 Queen Street Melbourne VIC 3000
Maintenance
info@hcau.org.au housingchoices.org.au
1300 321 185
Disclaimer: To the best of Housing Choices Australia’s knowledge (Housing Choices), this information is valid at the time of publication. Housing Choices makes no warranty or representation in relation to the content or accuracy of the material in this publication. Housing Choices expressly disclaims any and all liability (including liability for negligence) in respect of use of information provided. Housing Choices recommends you seek independent professional advice prior to making any decision involving matters outlined in this publication.
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