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Haven Horsham will become home for the first of its 14 residents when the residence opens this month.

Service Manager Josh Koenig says the local community has opened their arms to the residence as it prepares to provide stable and supported housing for 14 people from the Horsham area.

“The community has been so welcoming and supportive; a number of people have taken an interest in what we do and commented how programs like ours are desperately needed,” he said. 

“Our staff are also local people with strong ties to the community, who understand the specific challenges that we face here in the Wimmera.”

Mind’s model of housing with support is predicated on giving people who are experiencing mental health challenges the support they need to live independently in established residential communities. The locations of Haven residences are also in suitable proximity to amenities such as shopping centres, public transport and recreational spaces.

Haven Horsham features 14 one-bedroom homes set in landscaped grounds, providing a relaxing environment to focus on recovery while feeling at home. It is an integrated social housing and support service delivered in partnership between Mind and community housing provider The Haven Foundation – a subsidiary of Mind.

“The model aims to create a homely atmosphere for residents, similar to what they’d have in a private rental, but with a supportive environment and the level of support they are comfortable with or require,” Josh said. “Each person that moves in, it’s their home, so we are really aiming to make it as welcoming and warm as possible.

“Our staff will be available in a supportive way, working on a 24/7 roster meaning that we will always have someone close by and available if a resident is in need.”

Each unit at Haven Horsham features a main bedroom with built-in wardrobe, bathroom, kitchen and eating area, European laundry, lounge room and outdoor courtyard or balcony.

The residence also features communal recreational and lounge areas, kitchen, meeting spaces and on-site overnight facilities for Mind’s mental health staff.

Mind’s qualified and experienced staff assist Haven residents with activities of daily living and support them to achieve their recovery goals, which is funded by their NDIS packages. Mind staff also connect residents with relevant support services within the community as appropriate to each person’s unique needs.

Horsham is the 11th location in Victoria to have a unique Haven residence. Other suburbs with a Haven residence include Frankston, South Yarra, Laverton, Epping, Mooroopna, Highton, Pakenham, Ballarat West, Drouin and North Bendigo. Construction has also started at the first Haven residence in South Australia, and the New South Wales government has committed to building three more in the state.

Haven Horsham is being delivered in partnership with Homes Victoria as part of the Victorian Government’s $5.3 billion Big Housing build.

Vacancies are still available at Haven Horsham. For more information or to submit a referral, contact Mind Connect on 1300 286 463 or email [email protected] 

If this article raises concerns for you, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14. Aboriginal and Torres Straits Islanders can also call 13 YARN (13 92 76) a 24/7 national crisis support telephone service staffed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. 
If you would like more information, please contact us.

1300 286 463 
[email protected]