Argyle Housing has teamed up with interior designer Candice from community improvement organisation S.C.E.N.E (Skills Community Education Networks and Environment) to revive Ainslie Village tenant accommodation. Candice believes the condition of living and working spaces directly influence a person’s state of mind. Many social housing residents have been through or are going through a lot when they come to Ainslie Village. To have a space to come home to or wake up in, that’s comforting and welcoming, it’s hoped, may promote improved emotional, mental and physical health.
Candice has been creating these refreshed spaces for little or no money, using her design skills and also through the clever use of recycled materials and items. Candice says “There are so many resources that would allow people to have better living conditions for little or no money. Sometimes it just takes some inspiration and a little know how.”
Argyle Housing and Candice runs a variety of workshops demonstrating what can be done with found items and recently made over a unit in half a day for zero dollars using workshop techniques. These twice weekly workshops are aimed at promoting community inclusion to improve living environments, build skills for employment, promote community belonging, and act as a pathway to education and employment networks, whilst caring about the environment.
Along with this program, Argyle Housing continues to address and has a strong commitment to achieving positive outcomes for Ainslie Village residents and the community. The best outcomes for vulnerable and disadvantaged individuals come from a sense of belonging and community, which Argyle helps to provide through an established relationship with the existing community.
In Ainslie Village, Argyle Housing have staff onsite, inclusive of tenancy officers, administration officers, tenancy action worker, maintenance officer, security staff, existing relationships with site inducted contractors, cleaners and volunteers, which provides an all-round support service for the residents.
Argyle Housing also have partnerships with local supports, who provide onsite services to residents with high and complex service needs. These supports include but are not limited to; Directions Health Nurse, General Practitioner and Alcohol and Other Drug counselling, Flourish Mental Health, Salvation Army Doorways caseworkers, Orange Sky Laundry, St Vincent De Paul (Blue Door), and the Mobile Dental Van.
With the ongoing support of Argyle Housing staff, it is anticipated that residents will be transitioned to long term housing, either within Ainslie Village or with another provider. Housing options will be solely dependent upon the goals, long term support needs, financial and physical requirements of each resident. Tenants are supported to maximise their financial capacity and employability, whilst residing in the program to minimise the barrier of affordability of long term housing.
Ainslie Village residents are supported, wherever possible, to access private market or affordable housing in the first instance, with access to social housing within Ainslie Village for those with high, long term complex support needs. Argyle has an extensive network of relationships within the community housing and private rental market in the ACT and NSW for other programs, which maximise opportunities for residents to transition into these housing options.
