Evolve Newsletter: 2020 April

EDUCATION GRANTS

RESIDENTS ADVISORY GROUP

PREVENT MOULD

APRIL 2020

CORONAVIRUS UPDATE

REPORT from Lyall Gorman, CEO Evolve Housing: As you may already be aware, there has been a global outbreak of a coronavirus disease, COVID-19.

There is no doubt we are living in challenging times like we have never experienced before. But as hard as it is at the moment, and as hard as it is yet to get, I am reminded that it is not what happens to us in life but how we respond to it that ultimately defines who we are.

One thing I know is that our Evolve family, and most importantly you, our residents, are extraordinarily tough and resilient.

At Evolve, we are totally focussed on doing everything we possibly can to support you through the days and months to come, to ensure you stay safe, stay well and most importantly have that special place you call home.

I wanted to let you know how much we care about each and every one of you, how much we value your continued support and importantly, to remind you as hard as the days may get, to make good health decisions, stay calm and look out for each other. We will come though this and a vital part of that process will be us sticking together.

As a reminder, most people who become sick with COVID-19 only experience mild symptoms, similar to a cold or flu, and will quickly recover. However, some people may be more affected than others. This includes elderly people and people with chronic health issues such as heart, lung and kidney conditions or diabetes.

Your health and safety is our paramount concern

and we will update you regularly on how we are approaching this situation. Our goal is to continue to serve you as best we possibly can whilst also ensuring a safe place for our staff in which to operate.

To that end, there will be some changes to the regular way we conduct visits and property inspections. You can learn more about these changes, and how we are addressing them, by visiting our website evolvehousing.com.au or calling us on 1800 MYEVOLVE (1800 693 865).

In addition, to ensure we minimise the risk of the virus spreading to our staff, we would ask that you please communicate with us via phone or email only, rather than coming in to our office, unless it is essential.

Please be assured that our staff will still be working hard to answer your questions remotely and there is no need to visit us in person, unless it is essential.

I wish all of you and your loved ones the best of health over the next few months. Please know that we will be here to offer whatever support we can.

Stay safe and most importantly stay well.

Should you have any concerns contact your doctor. For more information see Health NSW at www.health.nsw.gov.au and the National Coronavirus Health Information line: 1800 020 080 EVOLVE 1 NEWS

STOP the energy bill shock!

We have teamed up with Australian Business Energy to make energy savings easy for you!

Compare, switch and save in under 10 minutes. They will either find you a better deal or confirm you are on the best plan! All you need to do is register for your free comparison call.

On average 60% of Australian Business Energy’s customers are finding a better deal! When every dollar

counts, it makes sense to find the best available deal for your home’s energy. They have already helped over 1,000 Aussie homes find a better deal. Stop wondering if you’re paying too much, speak to Australian Business Energy to get a fair-go when it comes to your energy costs.

Get started, it’s FREE! For more information, visit: australianbusinessenergy.com.au/evolve

Prevent mould in wet weather

The heavy rain and humidity in Sydney lately have provided the perfect breeding ground for mould, so we’ve got some tips on how you can prevent mould growing in your home.

• When possible, let fresh air and sunlight into your home by opening windows, doors, curtains and blinds • Try to keep your windows and walls dry by wiping moisture away • Don’t have too many indoor plants inside your house • Make sure your clothes and shoes are dry before you put them away • If you have a clothes dryer with a vent at the front, open a window so that moisture does not build up on the walls and ceiling • Use the exhaust fan and open a window if possible while cooking and showering If you’ve already got mould in your home, try to remove it as soon as possible so it doesn’t get out of control. You can wash mould off walls and windows using bleach mixed with some water, or commercial products from the supermarket. Always use a clean sponge or cloth to remove the mould, follow instructions on the product packaging, and protect your eyes, skin and clothes.

Welcome to our new Resident Advisory Group We are excited to share that we have established a new Resident Advisory Group for 2020, made up of 15 members who will represent our diverse resident cohort.

Our RAG meet every month and provide feedback to us on issues, documents and resident experiences that are relevant and important to all residents. They help improve services for residents, plan local activities and events, and aim to help us make lives better for residents.

RAG Communications Panel call-out Would you like to have a say about how Evolve Housing communicates with you? Help us by providing feedback on communication before it goes out to residents such as letters, text messages or notices. If you join, we will email you with the communication we’d like your feedback on and await your response!

To join, please email community@evolvehousing.com.au or call 1800 MYEVOLVE (1800 693 865)

EVOLVE 2 NEWS

RESIDENT PROGRAM

RESIDENT

PROGRAM

key grants

high school h elp

Keep Educating Yourself (KEY) grants help with the cost of tertiary education for up to 3 years. The program provides financial assistance for Evolve residents enrolled in a course at TAFE, university, private college, or a trade program.

Evolve’s High School Help pro gram supports Did you know?

Program benefits important high students through school years by their • University degree holders earn • Over 3 years we’ll tuto support you helping with scho ring fees. This program ol expenses and approximately 40% more income with $4,500. provides tutoring of up to $10,000 over and financial assi over their lives compared with high • Anyone is able to apply. a period of 3 yea stance who are full-time rs to Evolve Hou school leavers.

There’s no age limit! students and mee sing resi dents • 92% of students who completed t the eligibility requirements. a vocational training course as part of a trade apprenticeship are employed.

Did you know?

• Research show Program ben s that children efits who Who can apply for the grant? complete their • Provides the HSC have much family financial higher chan • Tertiary students who are enrolled in a course at TAFE, university, private college ces of employme relief of up to $10,000 nt and improved over 3 years. life outcomes. or in a trade program • Helps students establish a stron • Students with • Only one applicant per household can receive the grant g high attendanc foundation to continue and e in Year 7 were much more • Applicant must be a Permanent Resident or Australian citizen succeed in further educ likely to comp ation lete Year .

• The applicant must be a declared occupant living in an Evolve Housing property 12 compared with students of low attendance.

• Preference may be given to applicants experiencing additional challenges.

For example: disability of yourself or someone you care for, medical costs, Who can app home overcrowding making study difficult ly for the gra nt?

• Applicant household must not have a current debt with Evolve Housing.

• Only students in high school can apply • One child per household is eligib le • The applicant must be a Perm 1800 myevolve (1800 693 865) evolvehousing.com.au anen t Resident or Austr • The student must attend a alian citizen state funded publ are not eligible ic school. Priva to apply te and Catholic • All successful school students applicants parti cipate in an end of year presentati on ceremony.

Education Grants

1800 myevolv e (1800 693 865)

evolvehousin

Are you a student in high school, university, TAFE or other vocational training? We may be able to offer you support to help you complete your education.

We offer two different education grants — High School Help, which offers targeted financial and learning support to Evolve Housing residents in high school, and Keep Educating Yourself (KEY) Grants, which provide funding of up to $4, 500 over three years to help cover the educational expenses of tertiary students.

One of our current grant recipients is Mymy Tran, an aspiring doctor who received a KEY Grant during her undergraduate Bachelor of Science degree and

g.com.au

is now receiving another one as she completes a Medicine program.

Mymy said that the grant has been very helpful for some of the more expensive parts of university education.

“The grant helped me paying for uni fees, paying for textbooks, computers, things I needed to get me through the year…medicine is very costly, there’s the stethoscope, the lab coats and the textbooks…the KEY Grant just makes life a bit easier.”

For more information on how to apply for High School Help or a KEY Grant, please visit evolvehousing.com.au or email community@evolvehousing.com.au for a copy of the application form.

Welcome to our new business intern!

Evolve Housing has welcomed its very first Business Trainee, Rebecca, who will be with us for 26 weeks.

Rebecca is paid to work two days a week at our office, and will rotate through each of our business units to learn different skills. She is also completing a Certificate III in Business with ARC Training as part of the internship.

We recruited Rebecca for the traineeship through our Opportunity Pathways program, which helps social housing clients access employment, training and work opportunities.

Participants in Opportunity Pathways have a dedicated case coordinator working with them to identify activities to help them find a job that matches their goals. They may also receive practical financial assistance to help them with job

seeking expenses, have the chance to attend workshops, and receive resume writing and interview support.

You may be eligible to join Opportunity Pathways if you are aged 17 years or older and are living in social housing, receiving a Rent Choice subsidy, or are on the social housing waitlist.

We are currently working with 117 participants in this program, and have helped 36 of these people into employment in a range of industries including construction, administration, beauty, hospitality, disability services, traffic control and more.

If you’re interested in participating in Opportunity Pathways, please call us on 1800 PATH2WORK (1800 728 429) or email pathways@evolvehousing.com.au.

EVOLVE 3 NEWS

Support to help you through COVID-19 Mental health support

Preventing the spread of COVID-19

The government is currently advising all Australians to help stop the spread of coronavirus by practicing social distancing (maintaining a space of at least 1.5 metres between themselves and other people), avoiding nonessential travel, and maintaining good hygiene practices (washing hands for 20 seconds with soap and water regularly or using hand sanitiser, and coughing or sneezing into elbows or a tissue.

For more information about COVID-19 including symptoms and tips on how to reduce your risk of being infected, visit www.health.gov.au.

During challenging times like these, many people feel worried, anxious or overwhelmed. You can visit www.lifeline.org.au to get some mental health and wellbeing tips and strategies. If you need someone to talk to, you can get in touch with Lifeline by calling 13 11 14 (available 24/7), texting 0477 131 114 (operating 6pm-midnight 7 days a week), or accessing web chat via www.lifeline.org.au Kids who need support can call Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800.

Beyond Blue is also available on 1300 224 636 or at www.beyondblue.org.au.

Food and resources

If you are in financial stress, there are organisations that may be able to help you to pay bills and purchase essential items such as food.

Anglicare – call 1300 111 278 or visit www.anglicare.org.au Vinnies – call 1800 606 724 or visit www.vinnies.org.au Salvation Army – call 1300 371 288 or visit www.salvationarmy.org.au

Resident Satisfaction Survey Evolve Housing will be arranging Resident Satisfaction Surveys this year through the Community Housing Industry Association.

This will help us to get feedback about the services we provide. We will be mailing out copies of the survey in July so please keep an eye on your mailbox!

How to lodge a complaint At Evolve Housing, we acknowledge that complaints provide valuable feedback to help us improve our services. We are committed to handling complaints effectively and efficiently. We have a dedicated Complaints Officer to investigate complaints in an impartial manner.

You can make a complaint by emailing ihear@evolvehousing.com.au, by calling us on 1800 MYEVOLVE (1800 693 865), or by sending us a letter to 9-13 Argyle Street, Parramatta 2150 NSW. EVOLVE 4 NEWS