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Case Study: HeyYou-t

From rough sleeping to permanent housing

Anthony is one of the 24 people that were housed in long-term affordable housing through our HeyYou-t assertive outreach program in Swan Hill this year.  

From sleeping rough on the banks of the Murray River, Anthony has been on journey from homelessness to permanent housing.

Trying to get a rental property was that difficult I found myself getting poorer and poorer and ended up living on the river bank [for about 12 months]
Haven; Home, Safe Tenant Anthony in an interview with ABC-Mildura-Swan Hill in July

Our assertive outreach team helped Anthony secure stable accommodation as well as a casual job which has put him on a positive pathway. Since then, he has rediscovered his trade skills in carpentry. Anthony has also begun creating pieces of art from recycled pressed metal and timber which he’s been selling locally.

Haven’s outreach team have helped me get a unit for me to move into and helped me out financially. I’ve also had four operations on my ankle and they’ve helped organise hospital visits and sorted out the paperwork to get me on the DSP.

I’ve got ADHD, Asperger's and Autism and I find it hard to talk to people on the phone and it can be a struggle for me to say what I need. Haven’s outreach team have made a really big difference to my life. Having a house has made a huge difference. Because I’d left Swan Hill, I didn’t have a rental history and that made it so hard to be considered by real estate agents. Now I’m doing better than I’ve ever done.
Haven; Home, Safe Tenant Anthony