Gero charity to help families Thrive

A local charity has been given a five-year contract to reduce the number of people at risk of being evicted from public and Aboriginal housing.

The Department of Communities will refer tenants in situations of overcrowding, domestic violence, financial trouble and other disruptive circumstances to Mission Australia Geraldton, which will try to repair the problems or refer them to other services.

The mission will enter homes, offer informal counselling and help tenants access services by taking them to appointments or helping them fill out paperwork.

Paul Royce, the organisation’s area manager, said the program, named Thrive, was adopted after a Communities Department review on housing.

“It was basically determined that there wasn’t a good proactive and preventative approach to keeping people in their homes,” Dr Royce said.

“So this program is replacing the older, more reactive model.”

Dr Royce said at the end of the contract, he hoped to see more secure tenancies.

Thrive will be delivered in several regional areas around WA, including remote towns surrounding Geraldton.

Mission Australia Geraldton is employing or redeploying at least six staff across the region as part of the program. It now works with the National Disability Insurance Agency.