Homelessness

McAuley House (formally Regina Coeli) Program 

The McAuley House Program offers accommodation and support to women aged between 25 and 55, unaccompanied by children, who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and/or have a mental illness. The unique residential setting and community offers women a safe community in which to live, that promotes respect and values the dignity and worth of each person.

The McAuley House Program fosters a spirit of harmony, acceptance and security, and aims to empower women to achieve independence. Staff strive to extend each woman’s independent living skills so they can secure permanent housing. Women who have established independent permanent housing continue to be supported by the Outreach program. They can return back to the house for meals, activities and company. Currently the service provides accommodation for up to twenty five women and support for an additional thirty women in the Outreach program. The women who come to Regina Coeli are diverse in ethnicity, religious and cultural backgrounds and age. Currently the majority of women are over forty years of age. They have a diversity of life experiences and confront a variety of challenges such as: living with a mental or physical illness, the negative effects of misusing drugs, alcohol or prescribed medication, problem gambling and poor health.

An opportunity for women to achieve their goals is offered through:

• Coordinating a Casework Program, which includes assisting women to identify their goals and make an Individual Support Plan.
• Providing social and recreational activities and promoting the celebration of important life events.
• Promoting healthy lifestyles and providing information and links with health services to help women regain good health or manage any health conditions they may have.
• Offering the service of personal archiving and the safekeeping of valuable documents.
• Advocating for their rights to secure affordable accommodation and social supports.
• Providing information about and links with, other support services.
• Providing continued support when women move into independent accommodation, through the Outreach program.
• Making a commitment to offer support through illness and death and to honour each woman’s wishes for funeral arrangements.

   

  Robyn Davies – Program Manager McAuley House 
  Email: mcauleyhouse@mcauleycsw.org.au