IMPACT helps Lleyton and pregnant partner find a home

Lleyton came very close to being homeless during the COVID-19 lock-down, but thankfully he turned to IMPACT Community Services for support.

IMPACT Community Navigator Steven Hull was able to help Lleyton and his heavily-pregnant girlfriend find a new house to live in.

Despite the difficulties added by COVID-19, Steven was with Lleyton every step of the way until he had a roof over his head last Friday.

Lleyton loves his new home and says there's plenty of room for him and his partner, and for their baby who's due in a month or two.

Lleyton, 18, had experienced a lot of difficulty trying to secure a new home, mainly because of his young age.

“I found it difficult to get a home because I had no rental history,” he said.

“But IMPACT helped us out a lot, printed out all the papers we had to sign, and they even took them in for us.”

Lleyton's next goal is to find a job.

“I was doing mechanic training, but the boss sold the business. I'd like to learn farming,” he said.

Lleyton knew about the great support available at IMPACT from previous experiences.

Steven said he was delighted to have helped achieve such a positive outcome for Lleyton.

“We helped Lleyton fill out applications for every real estate in town, and got lucky when one contacted us only a day later to say they had a house available,” Steven said.

Steven and his team even helped Lleyton secure a bond loan through regional housing.

“The process can be daunting and he had no experience with it, so we were happy to help.”

Community Navigators were with him every step of the way, letting him know what his rights were and what support and services were available.

“Community Navigators is a great program,” Steven said.

“It fills in a lot of gaps in services and offers support for people like Lleyton who need a hand to make positive steps ahead.

“It's always good to have a win.”

This move was possible under the exceptions of Direction from Chief Health Officer 'Home Confinement, Movement and Gathering Direction(No 2)'.

More information is also available from Residential Tenancies Authority guide for navigating requirements and protections for residential tenancies impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

If you need support during these challenging times, call IMPACT on 4153 4233 or Free call 1800 179 233.

Our specialist community support team can assist with:
• Your mental wellbeing;
• Domestic violence support;
• Child protection concerns;
• Support for the elderly;
• Assisting families in need;
• Understanding community notices effecting your personal circumstance; and
• Conversation.