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St Vincent de Paul Queensland welcomes new leadership to shape state homelessness response

The St Vincent de Paul Society Queensland has appointed Trish Woolley and Bianca Harris to strategic leadership roles to revitalise the Society’s commitment to keep vulnerable Queenslanders out of homelessness. 

Trish Woolley Bianca Harris join vinnies qld

ST VINCENT DE PAUL QUEENSLAND WELCOMES NEW LEADERSHIP TO SHAPE STATE HOMELESSNESS RESPONSE

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<p class="Paragraph SCXW10089529 BCX0" paraid="744519724" paraeid="{732abd9b-046f-4e37-a6a3-bc1ffc1cfd59}{33}"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW10089529 BCX0">The St Vincent de Paul Society Queensland has appointed Trish Woolley and Bianca Harris to<span>&nbsp;</span>strategic<span> </span>leadership roles to revitalise the Society’s commitment to keep vulnerable Queenslanders out of homelessness.</span> </p>
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<p class="Paragraph SCXW10089529 BCX0" paraid="200214286" paraeid="{732abd9b-046f-4e37-a6a3-bc1ffc1cfd59}{39}"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW10089529 BCX0">These appointments bring a combined 45+ years’ experience across the government, community and property sectors and will<span> </span>assist<span> the Society to deliver more than 600 community homes for people in need across the state.</span></span> </p>
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<p class="Paragraph SCXW10089529 BCX0" paraid="1810782747" paraeid="{732abd9b-046f-4e37-a6a3-bc1ffc1cfd59}{45}"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW10089529 BCX0">Chief Executive Officer Joe Duskovic said the state charity was under critical pressure to deliver support services as Queenslanders continued to face unprecedented levels of homelessness and housing unaffordability.</span> </p>
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<p class="Paragraph SCXW10089529 BCX0" paraid="839105687" paraeid="{732abd9b-046f-4e37-a6a3-bc1ffc1cfd59}{51}"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW10089529 BCX0">“In our 130+ years<span> </span>in<span> </span>Queensland, we’ve never seen this level of complexity in the housing and homelessness space,” he said.</span> </p>
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<p class="Paragraph SCXW10089529 BCX0" paraid="1416015160" paraeid="{732abd9b-046f-4e37-a6a3-bc1ffc1cfd59}{65}"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW10089529 BCX0">“It’s clear that to truly address the issue, we need to go above and beyond just bricks and mortar – we need to help people to escape the cycle of homelessness for good,” he said.</span> </p>
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<p class="Paragraph SCXW10089529 BCX0" paraid="34609232" paraeid="{732abd9b-046f-4e37-a6a3-bc1ffc1cfd59}{71}"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW10089529 BCX0">Trish Woolley, appointed to the new role of General Manager for Service Excellence and Assurance, had extensive experience working with the Society on their homelessness response as former Queensland Deputy Director-General for Housing and Homelessness Services.</span> </p>
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<p class="Paragraph SCXW10089529 BCX0" paraid="1048663502" paraeid="{732abd9b-046f-4e37-a6a3-bc1ffc1cfd59}{77}"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW10089529 BCX0">“During the COVID-19 pandemic, we worked together to keep homeless hostel residents<span> </span>in<span> </span>inner<span> Brisbane </span>safe,” she said.</span> </p>
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<p class="Paragraph SCXW10089529 BCX0" paraid="1877005311" paraeid="{3214c6b2-aec0-4b8c-889c-942817ddf0db}{30}"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW10089529 BCX0">“As part of this work, we had an opportunity to test improved approaches to delivering housing<span> with support,</span><span> giving people the dignity of privacy and </span>multi-disciplinary care</span> </p>
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<p class="Paragraph SCXW10089529 BCX0" paraid="202727738" paraeid="{2356b4e0-98f9-4e27-8222-355d56b3d176}{196}"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW10089529 BCX0">“We found this led to improved long-term outcomes for some of<span> </span>the<span> </span>most<span> </span>vulnerable<span> Queenslanders</span>.</span> </p>
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<p class="Paragraph SCXW10089529 BCX0" paraid="1192932619" paraeid="{5873076d-37ba-4cdb-bedd-adf9b9c34985}{116}"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW10089529 BCX0">“This formed the foundation of a new approach to supportive housing and one I’m excited to be able to continue with the Society.”</span> </p>
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<p class="Paragraph SCXW10089529 BCX0" paraid="1151921805" paraeid="{732abd9b-046f-4e37-a6a3-bc1ffc1cfd59}{83}"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW10089529 BCX0">In the last<span> </span>financial year, St Vincent de Paul Queensland provided more than 160,000 nights of accommodation and supported<span> </span>nearly 1,300<span> people experiencing homelessness to find long-term, secure accommodation.</span></span> </p>
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<p class="Paragraph SCXW10089529 BCX0" paraid="534013107" paraeid="{732abd9b-046f-4e37-a6a3-bc1ffc1cfd59}{111}"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW10089529 BCX0">In 2021, the Society announced it planned to build 500 community homes across Queensland for people struggling to secure safe and affordable housing, with each site having full access to wrap-around support services.</span> </p>
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<p class="Paragraph SCXW10089529 BCX0" paraid="841480659" paraeid="{732abd9b-046f-4e37-a6a3-bc1ffc1cfd59}{117}"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW10089529 BCX0">As the new General Manager – Construction and Property, Bianca Harris will be leading this program, which has since expanded its scope to<span> </span>over 500 homes, with 150+ currently under construction.</span> </p>
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<p class="Paragraph SCXW10089529 BCX0" paraid="1118298746" paraeid="{732abd9b-046f-4e37-a6a3-bc1ffc1cfd59}{123}"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW10089529 BCX0">“Building<span> </span>these<span> </span>homes is<span> </span>just the first<span> challenge; the next is keeping people there,” she said.</span></span> </p>
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<p class="Paragraph SCXW10089529 BCX0" paraid="1034436469" paraeid="{732abd9b-046f-4e37-a6a3-bc1ffc1cfd59}{137}"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW10089529 BCX0">“Our goal is long-term stability and independence, ensuring each home we provide includes immediate access to wrap-around support services.”</span> </p>
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<p class="Paragraph SCXW10089529 BCX0" paraid="2056731871" paraeid="{732abd9b-046f-4e37-a6a3-bc1ffc1cfd59}{145}"><span class="NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW10089529 BCX0">Ms<span> Harris brings to the Society more than 20 years’ experience in the property industry, including most recently overseeing the property management of </span>$400m real estate portfolio for the City of Brisbane Investment Corporation.</span> </p>
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<p class="Paragraph SCXW10089529 BCX0" paraid="386351426" paraeid="{732abd9b-046f-4e37-a6a3-bc1ffc1cfd59}{151}"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW10089529 BCX0">The St Vincent de Paul Society Queensland expects to welcome tenants into the first of these new homes by<span> </span>the<span> </span>end of 2026, with construction well underway on a 60-unit site in<span> </span>Nerang, a 27-unit site in Toowoomba and a 60-unit site in Bundaberg.</span> </p>
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<p class="Paragraph SCXW10089529 BCX0" paraid="207567207" paraeid="{732abd9b-046f-4e37-a6a3-bc1ffc1cfd59}{163}"><span class="NormalTextRun CommentStart SCXW10089529 BCX0">The Society’s housing program will also be helped by more than 400 business and community leaders across Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast taking part in the Vinnies CEO Sleepout on 18 June.</span> </p>
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<p class="Paragraph SCXW10089529 BCX0" paraid="1009372999" paraeid="{732abd9b-046f-4e37-a6a3-bc1ffc1cfd59}{171}"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW10089529 BCX0">The event hopes to raise $2.7m towards homelessness support across the three events, with more than $1.5m currently raised.</span> </p>
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<p class="Paragraph SCXW10089529 BCX0" paraid="721530045" paraeid="{732abd9b-046f-4e37-a6a3-bc1ffc1cfd59}{177}"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW10089529 BCX0">“The Vinnies CEO Sleepout is a reminder that we all<span> </span>can<span> </span>play a part in supporting Queenslanders experiencing homelessness,” Chief Executive Officer Joe Duskovic said.</span> </p>
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<p class="Paragraph SCXW10089529 BCX0" paraid="2051837759" paraeid="{732abd9b-046f-4e37-a6a3-bc1ffc1cfd59}{187}"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW10089529 BCX0">“As the last few years of our housing crisis have shown us, it’s not something we can afford to ignore.”</span> </p>
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<p class="Paragraph SCXW10089529 BCX0" paraid="1896134691" paraeid="{732abd9b-046f-4e37-a6a3-bc1ffc1cfd59}{193}"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW10089529 BCX0">For more information, visit <a href="/ceosleepout.org.au" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ceosleepout.org.au</a></span></p>
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