Designed to provide short-term accommodation to CALD women and children transitioning into recovery due to DFV, Access is currently building a duplex safe house. Access CEO Gail Ker OAM said the project was initially identified when, in order to better understand the impact of DFV within CALD communities, and the barriers that individuals experienced when accessing support, they (Access) established the South East Queensland Domestic and Family Violence Task Force. “We identified the gap in accommodation services as women transfer out of DVF refuges into long-term accommodation,” she said.
The duplex safe house project is being undertaken by Access’ social enterprise AES Building and Maintenance Solutions and its Skilling Queenslanders for Work (SQW) program. “This double pronged approach means DFV victims get accommodation, while jobseekers get hands-on training and work experience,” Ms Ker said. The building commenced in June and supports individuals engaged in the SQW Construction Program who have experienced difficulty gaining full time employment, by employing them and training them in a Certificate I in Construction. Due for completion in mid-December, the house will fill a strong need within the community for supporting victims of domestic violence and their families and will compliment ’99 Steps’, Access’ counselling and legal support service for CALD women affected by DFV which operates from The Access Gateway.