yourtown Lendlease transitional home launch

yourtown launches a transitional home for DV families through the generosity of a $100,000 donation from Lendlease’s FutureSteps initiative

yourtown have announced the opening of a third transitional home amidst an acute shortage of housing options for women and children exiting refuges after escaping domestic and family violence.

The four-bedroom transitional home in a confidential and secure location in South East Queensland, has been made possible through seed funding of $100,000 by Lendlease through its FutureSteps Program.

“This transitional home is a housing option for families that have transitioned through our Domestic and Family Violence Refuge.  yourtown refuges offer supported emergency accommodation averaging 5 – 6 months to support women and their children in a safe and secure environment whilst they rebuild their lives.

“This transitional home allows yourtown to continue to support women and their families not just through accommodation, but on legal and financial matters, for up to an additional twelve months,” said yourtown Head of Client Services Brendan Bourke.   

“Families are staying in refuge longer due to the impact of Covid-19 on house shortages.  This is bottlenecking refuges as a result. With this $100,000 donation we’ve had a great boost to our community fundraising to enable the building of this home to respond to the overwhelming need to offer a fresh start for women and their children,” said Mr. Bourke.

Lendlease Australia CEO and Chair of the FutureSteps Committee Dale Connor said the Lendlease FutureSteps Program is committed to finding new ways to support those most vulnerable in our community.  

“The $100,000 FutureSteps grant made to yourtown was awarded to assist yourtown’s community fundraising efforts to build an additional transitional home. The home provides a significant milestone in supporting those experiencing increased vulnerability as a result of domestic and family violence.

“Lendlease has a long history of striving to improve social and economic outcomes to support people today, and into the future.   This grant offers life-changing, practical support to families who are finding their path to independence”, Mr Connor said.

“This house was constructed as part of a yourtown social enterprise initiative, which saw a total of 15 long term unemployed young job seekers gain training and employment over the period of the project. The development of this home is a wonderful example of how community coming together can be part of the solution," said Mr. Bourke.

"Each family who find their way to this home, will know that they are not alone, that their safety and the safety of their children is something that really matters, and that the aspirations they have can be realised," stated Mr. Bourke.

-ends-