Women over 50 are the fastest growing group of people experiencing housing instability in Australia – often as a result of pay inequity, little to no superannuation or savings, divorce, domestic and family violence and taking time doing unpaid care work.
To combat this growing inequity for women, YWCA worked with our partners to create Lakehouse – a “pop up” housing project that gives us the capacity to keep nearly 40 older women safe, warm and supported at any one time. Learn more about Lakehouse.
In one year Lakehouse has:
- Housed over 50 women, 50% of whom have experienced domestic or family violence
- Won a Powerhousing Australia award in the category of Leadership and Innovation
- Enabled the majority of women leaving Lakehouse to move into public housing or the private rental market
Lakehouse would not be possible without the support of our wonderful partners who helped transform Lakehouse into a home: Metricon, Residential Group, Dezign Electrics, Reece, Ades Dingley Plumbing, Two Good, Tonner Transport, Kitchen Innovations, All Over Bins, Bunnings Port Melbourne, Prime Group, Silver Chef, Milton Group, Sigma, Caspacare, City of Port Phillip, Lord Mayors Charitable Foundation, Rotary – South Melbourne and DHHS.
YWCA would particularly like to thank Rob Pradolin from Housing All Australians for his ongoing support and his innovative solutions to homelessness.