It takes immense strength and self-determination to move to a foreign country and make a life for yourself and your child without the support of your loved ones close by.  

Miss P’s story speaks volumes to her courage and unwavering hope to create a safer home for her young daughter. After escaping domestic violence in her home country of Papua New Guinea, Miss P’s plight to Australia felt like a leap towards uncertainty. 

Upon arrival, Miss P visited our housing service, HART4000, with the dream of securing a place to live for herself and her daughter. The HART4000 Families team provided the pair with essential resources, assisted them into temporary accommodation and linked them with support services including Refugee and Immigration Legal Service (RAILS), World Wellness Group and SSI. With HART4000 by her side, Miss P began to rebuild her life. 

Despite having worked as a qualified midwife in PNG, Miss P discovered that she was unable to use her qualifications in Australia. The HART4000 team knew that it was crucial to help Miss P maintain her self-sufficiency, so they supported her to pursue a Certificate III in Individual Support and Aged Care instead. Through this course, Miss P was able to apply her skills from the health sector and continue caring for people. Miss P is now on track to secure employment within the community services sector, which is a true testament to her perseverance.  

While Miss P continued her studies, it was very important that her daughter continued to receive an education. HART4000 assisted the family to enroll in a local school, where Miss P’s daughter has since thrived academically. 

To source safe housing for the family, HART4000 worked with the Department of Housing’s Buranda Housing Service Centre to secure a Rental Subsidy Scheme. Miss P then applied for and received a Bond Loan and Rental Grant as well as a Flexible Assistance Package, which provides essential goods and services to assist survivors of domestic and family violence to maintain or access safe housing. These supports, combined with HART4000’s brokerage and assistance from local charities, enabled Miss P to secure a private rental and furnish her new home. 

Through her steadfast determination and endurance, Miss P has achieved stability in housing and prioritised an education for her daughter, while advancing her own – propelling herself into a new line of work. Her story is a powerful reminder of the impact of community services and support in helping families start afresh and build healthier, happier environments.  

Miss P and her daughter now look forward to a bright, safe future filled with exciting opportunities and stability – by virtue of the strength they found within themselves, and the incredible support of the HART4000 team. 

HART4000 works with people from all walks of life who are currently experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness. If you need support to access safe housing, please call 3004 0100 or email info@hart4000.org.au to book an appointment with us to assess your needs. 

Communify also assists people seeking asylum through the ASRA Program, which provides specialist support to asylum seekers to access housing, emergency relief, health services, legal support and more. Click here to learn more.