Since expanding the Home at Last service to the Northern Central Victoria region, Housing for the Aged Action Group is proud to have helped one hundred older people experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity to find safe, secure and affordable “forever homes”.

Housing for the Aged Action Group is a community organisation that runs the Home at Last Service, assisting older people to find housing they can afford. Supported by the Ian Rollo Currie Foundation, in 2021 they expanded their service to the Goulburn Valley-Hume region, providing information and advice on housing options, as well as practical support for older people at risk of homelessness.

Locally based workers, working closely with other services in the region, raise awareness about the housing assistance that is available through regular sessions at neighbourhood houses across the Goulburn Valley region from Seymour up to Cobram. The service has now expanded and re-named to reflect its geographical spread across North Central Victoria.

“With a regular local presence in so many communities, our small team of local women have made a huge difference in the lives of the over 100 people we have assisted to find housing they can afford, with hundreds more supported through the service with Information and advice on housing options, Now, thanks to the generosity of the Ian Rollo Currie Foundation, we are have been able to expand our reach Into Loddon-Campaspe, and employ another worker Into the team," said Fiona York, Executive Officer.

Marking the 100^th person housed by the new project, a short video was made documenting the growth of the project and its impact.

Making connections with neighbourhood houses has been key to building trust with the communities, with local Neighbourhood House worker John Acurso commenting that "the program is very very very good”. John referred a local community member to the service, who was then able to obtain housing.

“I recommend the government to do more of it, because there are a lot of people out there who need help, that are in the same situation or a worse situation," John said.

Daryl, a man in his late 60's who was assisted to find housing by the service, talks about the impact of having a safe and affordable place to call home:

“I’m still having a few little health problems but I’m not as bad as I was, I’m not as shaky, I speak a lot better, I just feel settled again, you know”

Housing for the Aged Action group is calling for the service to be expanded state-wide.

"We've proved that the Home at Last service works in regional Victoria, as well as in metropolitan Melbourne. With thousands of older Victorians in rural areas struggling with rising house costs and housing insecurity, there has never been a better time to provide one-on-one support for older people to understand and access housing options," concluded Ms York

For comment: Fiona York, Executive Officer 0449 554 142

Local workers available for interviews on request.