The Toward Home Wellbeing team is led by Alliance partner Sonder. The team includes peer support workers with lived experience of mental health challenges, homelessness or both.

Working with clients alongside the teams delivering Prevent, Divert, Resolve and Wardli-ana, is the team of health professionals from Alliance partner Sonder. They provide assistance to clients to address any health and/or mental health challenges which may be a barrier to them securing and maintaining a safe and sustainable home. The team includes Peer Workers with lived experience of homelessness and/or mental health challenges. This is a story of George* a client Sonder have worked with recently.

George* was first referred to Toward Home’s Wellbeing team in November 2021. He was identified as a rough sleeper in the southern suburbs and had been sleeping outside a pharmacy so he could obtain his daily prescribed medication.

During the intake interview, George was emotionally distraught and expressed feeling isolated after he attempted suicide earlier in the year leaving him physically impaired. George was triaged at a level 4, meaning that he was assessed as requiring intensive supports from the Wellbeing team, due to the complexity of his physical and emotional wellbeing.

George engaged well with the Toward Home Divert Case Manager and the Wellbeing team. He was soon offered emergency accommodation and attended regular GP appointments. The Wellbeing peer workers supported him through his appointments as he was struggling with anxiety and low confidence. George attended regular psychology appointments and soon enough found his own private rental. George now lives independently and is able to manage attending his appointments and collecting his medication and maintain his own home.

Contact the Toward Home Access line, 1800 809 273

Clients can also connect with Toward Home services and supports by visiting Access staff based at WestCare Centre, Southern Pathways Centre, and Hutt St Centre. Through our no wrong door approach, we aim to ensure clients only need to tell their story once, regardless of how they connect with us.

Here are additional support lines:
Lifeline: 13 11 14
Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636
Mental Health Triage Services: 13 14 65
In a life-threatening emergency, call 000

*Client’s name has been changed