Wentworth Commmunity Housing board member Keith Bryant, Wentworth Community Housing CEO Nick Sabel, NSW community services minister Pru Goward, Wentworth Community Housing chairperson Estelle Ehmann and Blue Mountains MP Roza Sage.
NSW community services minister Pru Goward heard first hand about a local project fighting homelessnes in the Blue Mountains last Tuesday.
Ms Goward and Member for Blue Mountains Roza Sage met with the Katoomba team of Wentworth Community Housing to discuss a local project that is providing housing for homeless people.
Titled Project 40, the program offers permanent homes to a range of people experiencing homelessness, including rough sleepers. Currently, the project houses 71 adults and 94 children in the Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury and western suburbs.
Tenants are provided with safe, secure homes and support teams to help them stay healthy, stable, and eventually lead independent lives.
Ms Goward said she was delighted to speak with staff and agencies involved with the project.
During the visit Nick Sabel, Wentworth Community Housing CEO, presented Ms Goward with the results of a survey that indicated 31 per cent of Project 40 participants have entered paid employment, training or volunteering.
“Wentworth Community Housing is proud to be a part of a collaboration of more than 80 local organisations that are working on practical strategies to prevent homelessness, or intervene earlier when homelessness happens,” said Mr Sabel.
Member for Blue Mountains Roza Sage said she was happy to see Project 40 helping tackle homelessness in the Blue Mountains.
“With 469 homeless people in the Blue Mountains it is great to see initiatives such as this operating in my electorate,” Ms Sage said.