Westcare is a QIC-accredited Community Service Organisation.
Quality Improvement and Community Services Accreditation (QICSA) is one of Australia’s leading quality improvement service providers for the health and community sectors. For more information about QICSA, please visit www.qicsa.org.au
LEAD TENANT – ‘SHARED HOUSING WITH A DIFFERENCE’
Westcare’s Lead Tenant program is all about offering young people an opportunity to experience independent living by being guided by volunteers (‘Lead Tenants’) that continue with their everyday lives.
Lead Tenants are members of our community who make a real difference in the lives of young people, serving as mentors and guides to young people in a share-house environment. Lead Tenants serve as role models, exhibiting mature living skills, doing activities such as cooking, grocery shopping and other social activities whilst providing a positive environment for young people.
Lead Tenant Profile: Krystal
Krystal is originally from rural Victoria and has been a Lead Tenant for six months.
“I have an awesome mum and dad as well as two younger sisters who are a blast! I moved to the city to study – first business and now I am studying to become a paramedic. I’m in my last year of the course and I’m itching to get out and work! Back home I was a firefighter, and a few of my favourite memories involve flames. It’s a bit of a family affair – three generations are firefighters along with a bunch of cousins, aunties and uncles.
“I love to play squash and I love to travel. I’ve had the travel bug for a while now. My next adventure is a backpacking holiday around Europe. I’m super excited!”
What’s it like to be a Lead Tenant? And what do you like about it?
“Being a Lead Tenant is very rewarding. You live a completely normal life! You work, study and socialise but have a major impact on a young person’s future. I love the fact that just by being myself and living with a young person, I can really help them find the right path in life”.
What challenges do you face as Lead Tenant?
“It’s a funny challenge but I find that you have to change your language to match the young person’s language, which means adding a few naughty words into the vocabulary! Engagement with a young person is occasionally challenging but is also one of the most enjoyable aspects of being a Lead Tenant. You have to get creative which I love. Plus, it’s not too often that you get to think of ideas for fun outings and then go on them – all the time!”
What types of activities do you do with the young people that you live with (e.g. living skills, art, etc.)?
“As much as possible, I work on living skills with the young people – whether they realise this is happening or not. I work the lesson into general conversation, as well as formal sit-down mentoring in areas such as budgeting and grocery shopping. We also have an art teacher who comes to the house once a month. I never thought I’d be the ‘painting type’ but I absolutely love it! Art class is a constant in the house, so the young people have consistency and routine”.
To become a Lead Tenant, please visit: http://www.salvationarmy.org.au/contactus/victoria-divisions/westcarewecare/our-services/transitional-services/leadtenantprogram.html
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