National First Nations Housing & Homelessness Forum with our partners AHO and Westpac

In September, Head Start Homes proudly co-presented at the National First Nations Housing & Homelessness Forum in Adelaide alongside our valued partners, the Aboriginal Housing Office (AHO) and Westpac.

A truly special moment was sharing time with Chontell (also known as Charlene), our very first homeowner, as a valued attendee. Her story is a powerful reminder of why we do what we do - creating fair and practical pathways to home ownership.

Our session highlighted how collaborative partnerships are delivering game-changing solutions to increase home ownership for First Nations peoples across Australia. By bringing together the government, community and financial sectors, we’re breaking down systemic barriers and creating opportunities that transform lives.

We were humbled by the feedback we received and inspired by the wisdom shared by so many First Nations leaders throughout the forum. Together, we’re proving that when partnerships are built on trust and shared purpose, the results can be truly transformative.

A special thanks to our fantastic presenters Pam Jackson, Stephen Woodlands, Debbie Avery (Aboriginal Housing Office) and Heather Green (Westpac). Thanks also to Kate Fenton for attending the event with us.

Thank you for your leadership and for embodying the spirit of collaboration that makes meaningful change possible.

Key themes explored:

Our joint presentation at the Forum with the Aboriginal Housing Office (AHO) and Westpac included the f ollowing themes:

How our innovative partnership model delivers practical home ownership pathways for First Nations peoples
How our Empowerment Services put people before property
Real stories of impact, including families moving from social housing to home ownership

Outcomes to date:

To date we’ve supported 242 households (reaching 651 people) through our Empowerment Services, including 242 households actively using Head Start Savings Plans. Together with partners, we’ve achieved 32 home purchases nationally, freed up 18 social and affordable homes (benefiting an estimated 136 people), and supported 103 First Nations households, including 20 First Nations home purchases.

#FirstNations #Homeownership #Collaboration #PeopleBeforeProperty #AHO #Westpac #HeadStartHomes

Pam Jackson and Stephen Woodlands speaking at the Forum in Adelaide.