Unfortunately rising costs and a highly competitive fundraising market mean that we are unable to continue to deliver a cost effective event.

In partnership with ConnectEast, Hanover established the Ride for Home in 2010. With around 2,500 participants in 2010, the event grew substantially in 2011 with over 7,000 participants and $310,000 raised for Hanover. Hanover is proud to have developed a strong relationship with ConnectEast and greatly values the partnership over the past three years.

2012 saw substantial drops in fundraising revenue across the board for most fundraising events across Victoria and nationally. The majority of mass participation fundraising events experienced substantial drops in revenue in 2012, and the Ride for Home was no exception.

We are disappointed to see the end of this great event. Hanover truly appreciates the thousands of people who participated and supported the Ride for Home. Their involvement in the Ride for Home has made a difference – more people than ever know about Hanover’s work with people experiencing homelessness and their fundraising has supported families and individuals into stable housing and education and employment.
We are tremendously grateful to the many individuals, businesses, supporters, sponsors, event ambassadors, community groups and importantly cyclists who have supported the Ride for Home since its inception in 2010.

We thank our committed sponsors for their support of the Ride for Home over the past three years and look forward to continued mutually beneficial relationships in the future.

We’d love for you to stay in touch with Hanover, and support our work.

Here are some ways you can keep involved and fundraising for Hanover:

• Become a regular donor – with only $2, $5 or $10+ per month you can continue to break the cycle of homelessness each month! Your donations will support our Wellbeing program, which includes programs like Bike maintenance, nutrition and computer skills.

• Fundraise to support people experiencing homelessness by challenging yourself through an event of your own. Register at everydayhero.com.au

Click here to read more about how to stay involved with Hanover.

Thanks a million for your hard work, now and always, we appreciate your generosity and kindness very much.

To find out more about volunteering at Hanover, click here.

Read stories from two of our volunteers, Cindy and Paul.

Martha’s had a tough life. Moving from Sydney to Melbourne, she couch surfed for a time, then was shifted from cheap motel, to studio accommodation and short term accommodation across numerous city suburbs, all with her young daughter in tow in the middle of a bitter Melbourne winter.

When she was referred to Hanover she was assisted with an Office of Housing application. She thought it would be a long wait for housing, and then she got a call – she’d been offered an Office of Housing flat.

Thanks to the generosity of Move-in: Complete Furniture Packages, Martha moved into her new permanent housing last month, completely fitted out with all-new furniture, linen, crockery and other household goods. Martha says she feels like she has a new life. “They gave me a new start, now my daughter and I can make a new life. When I saw the flat, I was crying because I was so happy. No one has ever done something like this for me.”

With her own room and space to play, Martha’s daughter couldn’t be happier. “Now she can play, she has her own room, she feels safe and we feel secure.”

Hanover’s Chief Executive Tony Keenan thanked Director, Zahava Elenberg and the team at Move-in for their support. “We’re tremendously grateful to Move-in for their generous donation. They’ve created a new life for Martha, and she now has the safety and security to start a new life with her daughter. They should be commended for their philanthropy and generosity.”

Director Zahava Elenberg said she was delighted to support Hanover. “We are very pleased to support Hanover and make a tangible difference to a family’s life. This is the second complete furniture package we have provided to one of Hanover’s clients, and it is enormously rewarding for everyone involved and to see what a difference a stable and secure home environment can make. Hanover offer a wonderful service to people experiencing homelessness, and we look forward to continuing our work together in the future.”

To read more about Move-in furniture packages, please visit www.move-in.com.au.

Kim is a part time Employment Consultant with Hanover’s Employment Service in Dandenong. She loves her team and enjoys the satisfaction of knowing her support to jobseekers is making a difference.

Q. You started as a volunteer, and then got work with us, what’s that experience been like – transitioning from volunteer to paid work?

A. It was ‘too good to be true’ and overwhelming as the job came to me instead of me chasing after it like my previous accounting jobs. The experience has been rewarding and challenging – it enables me to put my strength into good use to empower these clients with job searching skills so they can walk away feeling that bit more motivated hence rewarding. Overall the experiences have been till today enjoyable and eye opener as it allows me the opportunity to work with clients from different cultures. I am happy to be in the Employment Service Team!

Q. Tell us a bit about your daily life at Hanover
A. I work at Hanover as an Employment Consultant on Thursdays and Fridays.
My day starts with printing off the diary for the receptionist – these are my client’s appointments for the day.
My work through the day covers:
Client/job search support: for example Resume, cover letter preparations, online applications, cold calling – reverse marketing.
Updating my client’s Employment Pathway Plans to include existing/current compliance activities.
Referral to RTO for further study or training as part of updating their skills or getting the minimum skills/qualifications to work towards obtaining employment.
Writing up case management notes for each client that I have seen on the day or spoke to via telephone, future appointment bookings.

Q. Would you recommend volunteering to others?

A. Definitely as it not only improves one’s employability skills but allows one to be aware of other services out there which can come in handy one day.

Q. What first led you to volunteer at Hanover?
A. When I resigned from my accounting profession, I just couldn’t see myself sitting around from March to July doing nothing so I took this opportunity to do temporary work for other recruitment agencies and voluntary work at welfare organisations. Since I wanted to pursue in the welfare field I went onto the Greater city of Dandenong site and located the local welfare organisations. Hanover came up so I gave the organisation a call and went from there. I love building new skills as if I had stayed at home my skills would deteriorate and I wouldn’t be as employable hence voluntary work was the best option to remain active with seeking new skills and provide me firsthand experience/exposure into the welfare industry.

Q. What inspires you about working in Employment Services?
A. I never thought I would be working as an Employment Consultant, it came to be by surprise. Today what inspires me working in the Employment Services are:
The number of clients out there who really want to work but just need that extra support to either bring back their confidence or help them build on their confidence to show cast their skills and personal strengths.
The positive feedback I get from clients, interpreters and work colleagues.
Challenging clients also motivate me to do better at my job and finally the support team I have at Hanover from everyone in the Employment Services team right to the work colleagues in the housing team.

Q. What does a great client outcome look like?
A. I look at the big picture. Assisting my client with getting an employment outcome is the most rewarding feeling especially through reverse marketing with potential recruitment agencies or organizations. This will allow future possible employment connections if the first client does well. That first interview opportunity with recruitment agencies or organizations is already a positive outcome for me. I feel like I have slightly opened the doors for them in achieving
their independence, self-worth and living a quality life.

In the short term, I enjoy putting a smile back on my client’s face when they leave the room. Clients can come in feeling down on themselves as they haven’t heard anything from employers or recruitment agencies, so I would assist them by calling them up to see the process of their applications or continue job searching on the spot with them either via phone or online. By doing this clients can feel motivated and hopeful with themselves again as they have at least done something at that appointment.

Q. What do you do when you’re not making a difference at Hanover?
A.  I am currently a student at Holmesglen tafe studying diploma of Community Services Work 3 days a week. When I am not working or studying I like to stay fit by going to my bootcamp classes, 1000 steps at the Dandenong Ranges, going for a run or walk, shopping, enjoying good food and just spending time with family and friends.

Charlotte is an Intensive Case Management Worker for the Young Women’s Intensive Case Management program, run from Hanover East St Kilda. Charlotte loves her work, saying it’s challenging, but seeing young people set their own goals, and work to meet them makes it worthwhile. She works across Melbourne, saying this is vital – often her clients have had a lot of case-workers, and having one consistent support worker is a really important element in helping young women gain the skills they need to live independently. It means  that if they move, they don’t need to change Workers.

The Intensive Case Management program supports clients over a 9 month period, and vacancies for the program are advertised on Opening Doors. Charlotte says a lot of her work is about building trusting relationships with the young women in the program. She says the initial phase of her work focuses on relationship building and goal setting, then building independent living skills, such as making and keeping appointments – developing the skills needed to navigate the systems they will need in the future. “My clients all have multiple and complex needs. They’ve all had traumatic childhoods and most don’t have the mental health support they need. Often they find goal setting difficult – many haven’t had the option to set their own goals in the past.”

Charlotte says she focusses on several key elements such as building respectful relationships, managing drugs and alcohol, developing essential living skills and social awareness. “We take practical steps – we make appointments with their GP to get a Psychologist referral, I drive them to appointments, talk them through the importance of keeping appointments to get the services they need. Giving clients options is important. Empowerment is a massive thing – empowering clients to make decisions and be responsible for their decisions is an important part of my work.”

Working with young people right across Melbourne has its charms and challenges says Charlotte: “I love being out and about in the city, but I don’t know Melbourne that well, so my clients are learning map reading skills with me while we’re out and about! We’re getting a Navman – that’ll make a big difference.” She also relies heavily on her mobile phone to keep in touch with the young women she works with, “We agree that we’ll text to set up an appointment, we’ll text when I’m coming to meet them.”

She believes we need more innovative and intensive ways of helping young people set and realise their aspirations. She thinks programs like ICM and the Youth Foyers provide exciting opportunities for the young people she works with.

Click here to read the story of Andrea, a former client who has received support similar to that provided in the ICM program.
Pictured, Charlotte about to head out to meet clients

Hanover Chief Executive Tony Keenan received a cheque on 7 February for $62,595 from Paul Lunardi, Managing Director of Real Estate Agent Nelson Alexander – the result of a viral social media campaign that exceeded everyone’s expectations.

“We are blown away by the generosity of Paul Lunardi and the team at the Nelson Alexander Charitable Foundation. Both by what they’ve done to raise awareness of our work in the community and for their very generous donation. The cheque they wrote this morning was the number of ‘likes’ the facebook post had gained this morning – a whopping 62,595 ‘likes’ resulted in a $62,595 donation to Hanover” said Mr Keenan.

Mr Keenan said the Facebook post had rapidly gone viral, and staff and supporters were blown away with how quick the response rate was to the post. The initial pledge was for 50,000 Likes to donate $50,000 using the current Facebook trend whereby a person holds a sign detailing the pledge. The post rapidly went viral, with over 60,000 likes on the picture by 11pm the day it was posted. At the time of writing the cheque, the photo had 62,595 likes and Nelson Alexander decided to raise the donation to reflect this.

“What started early yesterday afternoon and we expected would go over a couple of days, fast became viral, with over 60,000 likes on the picture by 11pm the day it was posted.” Mr Keenan said

Nelson Alexander Managing Director Paul Lunardi said the idea behind the campaign was to raise the profile of Hanover, as well as awareness of homelessness in Victoria. “We were going to donate $50,000 regardless, and wanted to do so in a way that would grant maximum exposure for the organisation ­ to go beyond simply making a donation.”

Nelson Alexander chose social media as a powerful medium to accomplish their goal, and sparked conversation on a range of issues, not only on homelessness but also on the social responsibilities that corporate companies have, as well as a broad range of opinions on the ways social media can be used.

Mr Lunardi explained “Nelson Alexander has a long history of supporting individuals, local community groups and charities within our business footprint, and this initiative is an expression of that. The whole company were involved – and combined with the enormous public support, we’ve been able to make a contribution and bring Hanover to the attention to many people who may not have been aware of their services.”

Mr Keenan congratulated and thank Nelson Alexander for the donation, saying “Nelson Alexander are to be congratulated for their determination to profile our work. The response from the Facebook community was staggering – over 1,900 people commented on the picture – with many overwhelmingly positive comments, congratulating Paul for his generosity. We were interested in the supportive comments of people who have been supported by Hanover in the past.”

Mr Keenan said the generous support of Nelson Alexander would be used to expand Hanover’s successful Rental Establishment program, a program aimed specifically at providing people experiencing homelessness with the tools and material support to establish ongoing, stable housing.

“Paul’s generous donation of $62,595 will go a long way to support people experiencing homelessness in Melbourne. It is equivalent to helping 60 homeless families get set up in safe, secure and affordable housing for a year.”

Click here to go to Hanover’s facebook page, here for Nelson Alexander’s page.
To download a media release (in pdf format) about the donation this  click here.

Media contact Fin Bird, Communications 9695 8355 or 0439 388 251

Pictured Tony Keenan, Hanover CEO (left), Paul Lunardi Managing Director Nelson Alexander (right).

A Youth Foyer provides the opportunity for highly disadvantaged young people, aged between 16 and 25 years, to gain an education and ultimately to become employed. It offers purpose-built student-style accommodation whilst studying at an adjacent education facility.

Both Hanover and the Brotherhood of St Laurence said they were very pleased to be able to assist in establishing the Holmesglen Foyer  program and managing its first year of operations.

The Government will then proceed to tender for an ongoing service provider once the Youth Foyer is operational.

“The best thing we can do for highly disadvantaged young people is to enable them to become educated so that they can build a good life for themselves through being employed. The great thing about the Youth Foyer approach is that it recognises that the accommodation and welfare assistance offered to them must be shaped by this objective,” Tony Nicholson, Executive Director of the Brotherhood of St Laurence, said.

The Youth Foyer is the only model of its kind linking secure affordable accommodation, to training, employment, health and wellbeing services and social participation. Tony Keenan, Hanover Chief Executive and President of Foyer Foundation, explained,“Youth Foyers are about providing a long term support to ensure that the most disadvantaged young Victorians gets a genuine chance to succeed in life. This is cutting edge social welfare policy and we know it works.”

Both organisations congratulated the Victorian Government for delivering the second foyer. “The youth foyers represent a great new offer for young Victorians.” Independent evaluations of Youth Foyers operating in the United Kingdom showed that 75% of young people exited foyers successfully engaged in further education, employment or both. Foyers are aimed at young people who are without family support and unable to live at home, but whom are keen to remain in education. The Holmesglen Foyer will accommodate 40 students and will be staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Click here to download a pdf of this media release.

Pictured from left to right, Michael Gidley local MP for Waverley, Tony Nicholson CEO Brotherhood of St Laurence, Hon Wendy Lovell Victorian Minister for Housing, Tony Keenan CEO Hanover, Cr Micaela Drieberg Mayor City of Monash and Bruce MacKenzie CEO Holmesglen. 

Q. Tell me a little bit about your work, and the Outreach work you do:

A. We are in the Accommodation Options for Families (AOF) program which began in 2010. I have been in AOF since Aug 2012.  I am fortunate to have the opportunity to assist families in or at risk of entering a rooming house. We frequently outreach Bethel Emergency Accommodation around three times a week and work to find sustainable housing for clients.

Q. Can you tell me a bit about the clients you’re seeing in Bethel?

A. A majority of the residents we encounter have had several housing breakdowns, from private rental to Office of Housing. Bethel has been described as the last stop before the street. We have discovered some families which have experienced a crisis and have been forced to vacate their private rentals. For some of these families this is their first experience of homelessness and engaging with homelessness services.

Q. What are the clients experiencing?

A. This client group presents as traumatised given their exposure to other residents which present with challenging behaviours. Bethel has a significant impact on children who are disconnected from their friends, schools and community. Their world becomes a small room surrounded by the chaos of others. All residents are exposed to a lot of substance abuse, aggression and violence, bed bugs and scabies and the secondary effects of tobacco and cannabis usage in rooms and through the air-conditioning.

Q. How does this impact on kids?

A. Children become withdrawn and confused, they cant understand why they can’t go home, they wounder why mum and dad are crying and angry, struggle to understand why there is little food, and why they can’t go and play with their friends.
Children describe the yelling and screaming, sounds of crashing and banging of a night time outside their doors, and plead with us to help get their families out of their and take them home. Every day we see despair and helplessness on the faces of parents when they have to tell their children they can’t go home; and they struggle to find words to explain the hand that life has dealt them.

Q. What do you do for these families?

A. We do what we can to give hope, we do what we can to find a solution or path to lead families to recovery.

Q. What are the biggest challenges you face on a day to day basis, and what are the rewards?

A. The reward is telling a family we can get you out of here and make it happen The reward is bringing on board long term supports to help the families move on when we are gone. Being able to have supports in place to give the family confidence that they won’t fall back. What are the challenges? We all know what they are: the limited availability of affordable housing, trying to engage families that have lost hope, massive Office of Housing waiting lists, trying to stop the decline of feeling of helplessness and hopelessness… those are just a few of the challenges!

Q. What is the key to getting a good client outcome in such a challenging environment?

A. Empowerment, the family are the masters of their own destiny, they are the experts of their own lives. Respect this and work together, let them make the decisions and decide their path.

Q. Do you see repeat clients in the Rooming Houses?

A. No

Q. If you had a million dollars, how would you use it to support the clients you see?

A. I would buy Bethel and relocate the Cheltenham Support team there. I think this would really enhance the empowerment model and show families we are there.

“I think there’s a misconception that homeless people brought their situation on themselves. In reality, most are individuals who’ve had a spate of bad luck or have been unable to find accommodation in the surging rental market – people like you and me. Any one of us can lose our job or make a bad investment, and not everyone has a personal network of support.

It’s really disappointing that a country as wealthy as Australia can have homelessness. Such a large part of the way our society functions is dependent on having a home – getting and maintaining a job, having access to services, etc. Homelessness prevents people from being able to reintegrate into ‘fully functioning’ society. Understanding all these elements made me want to help.

Since becoming a donor I’ve gained a greater understanding of the causes of homelessness and an appreciation of the difficulties a person or family face to get out of homelessness. There is a lot more work to be done, but I believe much has already been achieved.

My contribution not only provides emergency housing but helps people help themselves. Hanover has achieved so much over the years and I’m thrilled that my contribution is helping.”

Julia manages the Australian legal team of a multinational consulting, IT and outsourcing organisation. She has two sons and loves reading fiction. She has been a donor to Hanover since 2004.

Low self-esteem is often a common issue among marginalised groups, so I like to engage with the residents and listen to issues. Conversation is a very helpful and important tool as often the people I meet don’t find it easy to communicate with others. I believe that my conversations in the veggie garden have assisted some residents in being able to be more sociable, knowing that people do care.

I feel that it is everyone’s responsibility to assist and make a difference in our community. I have found my time in the veggie garden (at Hanover Southbank) rewarding and hope that residents feel comfortable coming into the garden for a yarn.

My philosophy is that if you can make a difference to one person’s life once a week then hopefully this will take on a domino effect that will flow onto others.”