From homelessness to hope: three stories of connection and transformation

4 Aug 2023

More than just accommodation or care for people at risk of homelessness or mental health challenges, our team in western Sydney provides a safe, stable home and the time and support individuals need to recover and rebuild their lives. The key word there? Individuals.

Every Casa Venegas client is unique

While all the people who are referred to Casa Venegas live with mental health challenges, everyone has a unique story. 

Some have fallen through gaps in the social services and health system. Others are highly educated, high-functioning individuals. Many have a history of trauma.

And this is the point: our caregivers focus on each client’s unique needs and strengths. Their hopes. Their goals.

What’s more, we provide this one-on-one care and support for up to two years, giving each person the space, time and support they need to find a permanent home, with the financial, health and social support and connections required to write the next chapter in their story.

Tammy’s story of confidence and connection

Tammy came to Casa Venegas battling schizophrenia. She often appeared mute and disengaged, with no friends and limited contact with her family. She hadn’t seen or spoken to her mum, who lives in a nursing home two hours outside of Sydney, or her sister for several years.

With the right support over the next 18 months, Tammy slowly gained her confidence. From struggling to engage with the world or make even small decisions, she started doing grocery shopping, cooking her own meals and even applying for NDIS funding.

Eventually, Tammy felt confident enough to engage in social outings and reconnect with her family, visiting her mum, her sister, and her uncle, who she played the violin with – it was the first time she’d played in years. Now, she’s living independently in her own apartment in a community she loves.

Enam’s story of safety and stability

Born in West Africa, Enam is a talented DJ and music artist who was referred to Casa Venegas when he experienced significant deterioration in his mental health. He’d been found riding the train network – he felt so unsafe in his home at night, he rode on trains until the morning.

Our team set Enam up with accommodation in a shared home in the inner west and helped him connect with mental health services and establish a daily routine. This stability and support enabled him to focus on his music, which includes creating mixes inspired by his African roots and the techno music he grew up with in Sydney, then publishing them on YouTube.

Enam has also reconnected with his family and now spends his weekends working with his father and volunteering while he awaits a permanent housing offer. 

Avril’s story of health and hope

After battling depression, chronic pain and experiencing domestic violence for years in an overcrowded and uninhabitable rental property, Avril came to Casa Venegas and moved into one of our studios in an area of her choosing, close to the medical services she accessed.

With the support of her Casa Venegas caregiver, she began to establish a routine, worked on her physical and mental health and applied for NDIS funding and a permanent home via the Department of Housing.

Although the wait times for housing exceeded five years, her caregiver advocated for Avril to remain within her preferred area.

In just over a year, Avril moved into her own apartment in a leafy street with her cat, Daisy, just two streets from her Casa Venegas accommodation. She now has an extensive NDIS plan to assist her with her day-to-day living and is planning to re-enter employment and volunteer to give back to her community.