New Hope SA has secured a 4-bedroom flat to be used by formerly homeless men that are in the process of getting back on their feet; this housing solution is changing lives!
Mowbray, South Africa (24 August 2021) – New Hope SA, an organisation that helps homeless people in Muizenberg, has created a sustainable Pathways Programme towards independent living to ten previously homeless men at the New Hope House.
The organisation recently launched phase 3 of the New Hope Flat initiative: a flat in Mowbray big enough for four tenants. This flat provides a new living opportunity for the residents of the New Hope House after they have secured a formal income and are ready to take the next step towards a life off the street.
The main issue for many homeless people is finding a safe and secure place to live once they have started getting back on their feet. Many make use of the shelters available, but it can take time to secure a safe, permanent home.
New Hope SA is making the journey easier with its new transition programme. They are members of the Homeless Action Committee (HAC), previously known as The Street People’s Forum.
The flat will be a home for graduates of the New Hope House to experience more independent living arrangements before finding their own accommodation. It’s a necessary step in the process to ensure that one doesn’t fall back into homelessness, as they jump into independent living can be tricky to navigate.
Until April 2020, New Hope SA hadn’t run their own shelters, rehabs or job readiness programmes. Instead, they made sure that the various parts of the ‘homelessness’ puzzle work well together and ensure their participants don’t fall through the cracks as they are referred from one organisation to the next. They aim to be at least one of the constants in their participant’s life as they move from dependency to dignity.
New Hope House
New Hope SA ran a microsite out of St Peters Church in Mowbray for 10 homeless people. A successful funding campaign enabled them to close the microsite after 4 months and take a lease on a 6-bedroom house in Muizenberg in September 2020. This new home can host 10 residents and allows New Hope SA to continue their holistic programme in providing long-term pathways out of homelessness.
The residents are required to engage in weekly scheduled d structured sessions with the in-house social worker and/or counsellor, participate in community services and personal development programmes such as AA or NA meetings, counselling sessions and personal growth work. They are also offered the opportunity and support to further their studies, get a driver’s license and partake in practical courses that may enable them to find sustainable work. The residential programme seeks to be holistic in nature and is tailormade for each individual depending on their specific needs. Residents also participate in the work-based program where they make planter boxes, custom wooden products as well as macrame items. They each share in the profits at the end of each month.
One of the hopeful new house residents is Rudie Basson, pictured above. He committed to join the New Hope SA pathways programme early in 2020 and moved into the New Hope House in September 2020. He is currently studying to become a Social Auxiliary Worker and recently secured contract work at the City of Cape Town. The last step is to move into the New Hope Flat whilst finishing his studies, which will enable him to finally get a home of his own.
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New Hope Helpers
If the public or businesses wants to get involved, there are many options to choose from. A mere R35 gives one resident 3 meals on a single day. An R700 donation will cover all costs involved for a week’s therapy and support services for a resident. Or a generous donation of R10 000 will sponsor one resident for an entire month. But if volunteering is something that is more of interest, then members of the public can cook a meal at the New Hope House, volunteer their time at one of the programmes, or buy one of their products. These products include planter boxes, fabric baskets or place an order online at https://www.newhopeSA.shop.
The “New Hope Flat” is a very exciting programme for New Hope SA, and they would like to create more of these campaigns but cannot do it alone. If you want to donate, please email fundraiser@newhopesa.org or visit https://www.newhopesa.org/donate. You can also follow their stories and progress on Facebook and Instagram.
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