PwC awards funding to twelve not-for-profits tackling homelessness

PwC Australia’s Foundation Trust has awarded grants totalling $108,500 to twelve organisations who are driving solutions to Australia’s homelessness crisis.

The initiatives focus on groups who are disproportionately affected by homelessness, including at-risk young people, older women, women escaping domestic violence, LGBTIQA+ and First Nations communities, and people with complex problems.

The 10x10 Community Grants, ten grants of up to $10,000, is part of PwC’s focus on homelessness and were awarded to support organisations to grow and develop their programs. Due to the overwhelming response, and the number of quality applications, the program was extended to include two highly commended grants of $5,000.

PwC’s Social Impact Partner, and Foundation Trust board member, Rosalie Wilkie said she believes the applications put forward by all grantees will lead to lasting impact:

“The not-for-profit sector has been hit particularly hard by the challenges that we all faced in 2020, so we are delighted to be able to contribute to some very inspiring organisations who are supporting our communities. As a firm we share a vision to help solve important social problems, like homelessness, and through the PwC Foundation Trust we are investing in initiatives that are working to prevent or reduce homelessness in Australia.”

The 2021 10x10 Community Grantees are:

Barnardos Australia
Beyond Barbed Wire supports vulnerable Aboriginal mothers leaving prison in regional Western NSW. The program offers professional support, short-term housing, parenting programs and community mentoring to ensure they are reunited with their children, improve life skills, find stable housing and gain employment.

Grant funding will provide support for accommodation, and other expenses, for two program participants.

Brotherhood of St. Laurence
The Brotherhood of St. Laurence (BSL) established the Youth Opportunity Pool Fund to provide young people, between the ages of 18-24 who are at risk of or experiencing homelessness and are committed to pursuing education and training, the opportunity to continue to develop leadership qualities, skills and resilience.

Grant funding will directly support up to seven initiatives led by young people engaged with BSL’s Education First Youth Foyers across three Victorian locations. This project will help foster young people’s skills, empowering them to become active members of their communities while also helping to build a pathway out of homelessness.

Habitat for Humanity South Australia
Studio Purpose is a collaborative youth housing initiative in the Murraylands region of South Australia providing safe accommodation for vulnerable young people between 15-21 years of age, in combination with key support services.

Grant funding will directly contribute to the completion of the construction phase of four self contained units.

Melbourne City Mission
Frontyard Youth Services (Frontyard) is Australia’s largest 24/7 emergency and crisis accommodation service for young people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Located in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD and operated by Melbourne City Mission (MCM), Frontyard has a proven track record of creating positive pathways for young people by putting them at the centre of everything they do by applying MCM’s healing orientated framework to address the root causes of their experience of homelessness.

Grant funding will support ~105 nights of safe, stable emergency accommodation where individual needs will be assessed to determine what additional support services may be required during this time.

Open Doors Youth Service
The Young and Proud Support Program assists young LGBTIQAP+, Brotherboy & Sistergirl communities in South East Queensland, between the ages of 18-24, who are experiencing social and emotional hardships, including homelessness, mental health and social connections.

Grant funding will deliver access to a specialist case manager to work with young people to find and maintain safe, stable housing and accommodation, and provide appropriate referrals to other support services.

StreetWork Australia
Finding Home is a new early intervention, community-based program that focuses on reducing incidences of homelessness, insecure accommodation and rough sleeping for young people aged 11-18 in Sydney’s north. While working towards securing permanent housing, Finding Home will also utilise mentoring and education re-engagement programs to assist young people to overcome disadvantage, reach their full potential and minimise lifelong vulnerability.

Grant funding will support the delivery of 222 one-on-one mentoring sessions to at-risk young people experiencing homelessness, insecure accommodation and rough sleeping.

St Vincent de Paul NSW
The Housing & Homelessness Division of St Vincent de Paul Society NSW supports vulnerable people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Support takes the form of crisis intervention, crisis accommodation and case management through to longer term support to sustain tenancies.

Grant funding will be allocated to develop and implement a structured, organisation wide learning program designed by First Nations employees of Vinnies. The program will address how interactions and conversations are conducted with the First Nations communities by Vinnies staff and volunteers with a view to increasing accessibility to existing programs and removing identified service barriers for First Nations peoples experiencing homelessness or seeking other support services.

St Vincent de Paul Society WA
Vinnies Tom Fisher House supports people experiencing long term homelessness and who are often facing complex challenges which may prevent them from accessing other programs. Individual needs are assessed in order to understand the relationship between trauma exposure, homelessness, mental health, substance misuse and social disadvantage, ultimately working towards finding a pathway from homelessness to housing.

Grant funding will support the capital purchase and upgrade of information communication technology (ICT) equipment to build organisational capacity and allow for improved and increased data collection, reporting and access to essential services.

The Constellation Project
The Constellation Project is driving action through cross-sector collaboration, with a vision to end homelessness in a generation.

Grant funding will engage a First Nations contractor for up to 5 months of dedicated focus on a workstream that furthers the provision of housing that meets the needs of First Nations communities. Embedding First Nations voices, knowledge and perspectives is critical to achieving Constellation’s vision.

Australian Red Cross is acting as auspice for the Constellation Project.

YWCA Canberra
YHomes is an innovative housing program located in Ainslie, Canberra that will provide ten affordable housing units supporting older women on low incomes with long term accommodation, and supported housing for women with children escaping domestic violence.

Grant funding will be directed towards the creation of a communal garden that will be accessible for all tenants to enjoy, producing an inclusive space for residents to meet with their family and friends, and increasing their connections to the community.

The two highly commended grantees are:

Documentary Australia Foundation
‘Under Cover’ is a feature length documentary and impact campaign that tackles the issue of the ‘hidden homeless’. The film follows three older women who are experiencing homlessness, the fastest growing demographic in the developed world, and those who are working to prevent it.

Grant funding will contribute to the production budget to ensure the film is the best it can be. Documentary Australia Foundation is acting as auspice for SA Films.

The Property Industry Foundation
The Make a House a Home campaign is part of the new Dulwich Hill home renovation located in the inner west of Sydney, turning a house into a home where 5 young people can rebuild their lives with the care and support they need. Having a place to call home helps establish a routine, and gets young people back to school or going on to further education. It provides a stepping stone towards something more permanent.

Grant funding will be used to turn one bedroom into a place to call home for a First Nations young person.

Here is what some of our grantees had to say:

“Young people without a safe place to call home is not acceptable. Our ability to be part of the solution is only possible with the support of the local and wider community. It's incredibly heart-warming and vitally important to have funding support through the PwC Foundation to help complete construction of the housing units. We are incredibly grateful for the grant which will directly house young people in need. Thank you PwC Foundation.”
Ben Sarre | Executive Director
Habitat for Humanity SA

“Documentary Australia Foundation is thrilled that PwC is supporting the important documentary, Under Cover. This funding will support this urgent story to be made and have an impact, shining a light on the ‘hidden homelessness’ that affects women over fifty.”
Clara Williams Roldan | Impact & Education Director
Documentary Australia Foundation

Barnardos Australia is delighted to have been selected as a recipient of a PwC Foundation 10x10 Community Grant, with support being directed to our hugely impactful Beyond Barbed Wire program in Western NSW.

Aboriginal women’s imprisonment perpetuates intergenerational trauma and the breakdown of family, community and cultural pride. Currently, 78% of women are released from custody with no support, and while Aboriginal women in NSW return to jail at a rate of 87%, the rate for mothers completing the Beyond Barbed Wire program is just 8%.

This program empowers so many to build a better future themselves and their families, and we hope to expand to help even more. Thank you, PwC Foundation, for your kind contribution.
Sarah Spence | Executive Leader – Engagement & Giving
Barnardos Australia

“We are delighted to receive this support from the PwC Foundation for our YHomes project, which will support older women and women escaping domestic violence with affordable and secure housing. We know that it takes more than just four walls to build a home, and this grant will enable us to create a welcoming and accessible outdoor communal area, for our tenants to enjoy with their friends and families.”
Frances Crimmins | CEO
YWCA Canberra

“Open Doors are thrilled to be a recipient of a PwC Foundation 10x10 Community Grant. The money will fund our Young and Proud program and will provide over 580 opportunities for vulnerable young LGBTIQAP+ Sistergirl and Brotherboy people aged 18 – 24 to seek support from our service over a 12 month period”
Chris Pickard | Chief Executive Officer
Open Doors Youth Service

“The generosity of PwC Foundation’s Community Grant will allow MCM to provide more young people experiencing or at risk of homelessness a safe and secure space to stay and case management with therapeutic supports so they can get their lives back on track.”
Wayne Merritt | General Manager, Homelessness & Family Services
Melbourne City Mission

“PwC Foundation’s 10x10 Community grant couldn’t have come at a better time for StreetWork and we are sincerely grateful for the support . We’re experiencing sharp increases in referrals to our program and urgently need funding to minimise any wait time. Young people facing homelessness rely on StreetWork to act swiftly to secure their safety and wellbeing”.
Helen Banu | CEO
StreetWork Australia