Providing regional Queenslanders a place to call home

Stable housing is vital to good mental wellbeing but with long waiting lists for public housing and low rental vacancy rates many vulnerable regional Queenslanders are struggling to find suitable accommodation.

In response to this growing crisis selectability is expanding its service offering to include more dedicated NDIS supported independent living facilities and other affordable accommodation options.

selectability Chief Operating Officer, Aaron Farrell said a home was important in an individual's recovery journey and many of the organisation's consumers were impacted by the housing crisis. 

“Homelessness is often a result of mental illness and a cause of it," said Aaron.

"We have found that services right across our footprint are being overwhelmed.

"Crisis accommodation providers are seeing people stay up to 12 months as there is just nowhere for people to go."

 Last year, selectability engaged its NDIS support coordination team in a survey to understand the living situations of consumers.

“Over a 12 month period at least 70 per cent of surveyed support coordinators indicated they had worked with at least one consumer who was homeless and almost 85 per cent were working with someone at risk of homelessness,’ said Aaron.

One support coordinator described the stress that it puts on consumers as they have to resort to unsafe and unsuitable sleeping conditions.

“The last few  months have put a huge strain on the consumers I support -  many find themselves at risk of living rough. This places them in highly vulnerable positions,” said the support coordinator.

Another commented that evictions and extended stays in hospital can leave consumers homeless.

“My consumer was put in a difficult situation where she was given notice to move out her home, ended up in hospital and was unable to secure housing on her own,” said another support coordinator.

“With a lack of suitable accommodation options available across our footprint we are constantly exploring ways to better support our consumers,” said Aaron.

 “We purchased our first group home in Townsville in late 2020 and have dedicated facilities in Cairns, Ingham, Charters Towers and Mackay.

“selectability offers a mix of NDIS supported independent living group facilities, affordable shared homes and emergency short term accommodation to ensure that more regional Queenslanders had access to secure and appropriate housing.

“We are always looking for opportunities to introduce these into other regions.”