1. Action research on mid- to long-term housing services for women who have experienced violence Lu Yongli, Xu Ruimei, Lai Wen-chen Garden of Hope

2. 1. BackgroundAt emergency shelter sawproblem women have leaving violent home2Mid- toHousing,long-termFinance,shelterSupport 3. 2. Action Research Goals: Document admin strategies & work practices, developassessment plan, meet womens mid- & long-term housing needs Use assessment to gauge program efficiency Targets: Establish mid- to long-term housing program Understand womens economic, career, emotional,relationship, etc. needs Clarify the real needs of women & their children 4. 3. Needs assessment of womens survivors (cont.) HousingAdjustmentNew relationshipsFinanceChild schooling 5. 3. Common needs assessment: Job & Rent Housing, finance/employment Safe accommodation away from violent home Common needs assessment: Job & Rent Most find low-paid work in service industry Low salary limits housing choice Most landlords reject single mothers Affordable housing helps women leave cycle of violenceand poverty5 6. Health Leave stressful environment Low sef-esteem, low self-confidence Physical/emotional care, self awareness No spare cash, low quality of life, health suffers Life Housing, accommodation, finance, employment,childcare 7. Mid- / long-term housing program introduction 8. 1. Clients Women, survivors of violence, living inTaoyuan, Taiwan Need to care for young children Survivors of violence, ready to live aloneAble or motivated to work, no savings Slip through social welfare net No serious mental illness 8 9. 3. Administrative Targets Mid- to long-term housing for 10 womenLong-term independent living assistanceResource networks & adjustment strategiesHelp women develop career plans, empowerment 10. Accommodation stages early Max period:0.5 yr1 yr1.5 yr1 year 6 months: future life plan, career plan Special cases: 6 month extension 11. Care Close Standards housing, health: Can live independently No need for social welfare Can make own social connections finance, employment Stable job relationships, children Healthy relationship with children & relatives Children settled in school 12. Program service elements Client services Housing service/visits: 2 visits per month Employment: information, training, communication withemployers Connection to resources Other services: introduction to counselors, etc. Program services Householder meetings Empowerment classes 13. Service Elements financecounselingtraininghousing careerrelationships children (school) 14. How we help women rent an apartment We help women choose where to live based on: Community safety Proximity to childrens school Workplace Convenience Women use the internet, brokers, friendsrecommendations. After finding a place, our social worker will talk to the landlord. Depending on the circumstances, our socialworker may go together with the woman to look for a place and talk to the landlord 15. How we help women rent an apartment Introduce program, assess clients motivation,find suitable community NT$8,000 for rent plus NT$4,000 for each child upto a max of NT$13,000 (min NT$4,500) Search for suitable housing, based on future ability to pay rent, moving distance. Cheap rent vs. furnished apartment Unfurnished apartments have cheap rent, furnishedapartments have higher rent 16. Project Success Indicators Home stability Working towards independence Improving life skills Health stability Health recovery Improved social relations Economic, job stability Improved financial situation Better job security Improved job skills Childrens stability Stable schooling, improved health Improved parent-child relations 17. Conclusions & Reflections 18. Holistic social work combining direct & indirect services Serving diverse clients Women vs. children, Clients vs landlords Understand different needs of childrenService and management Multi-issue programs (different clients, sectors, etc) Flexible thinking case workers and managers Micro-, meso-, macro-outlookFamily relationships and rebuilding Help women manage their families and care for their children 19. Community outreach From the family to the community Help to integrate into communityCommunity resources Community resources needed to support future life Level of community support impacts quality of life 20. Program coordinators Staff qualifications: Know about family management Know about child development Able to do situation analysis, make decisions, connectresources Personnel management concerns Prepare for dangers of family visits and complex family issues Power relationships behind budget resources for services Need at least 2 social workers and 1 supervisor Service length & depth Challenge of recurring family problems Mid-, long-term housing; single parent Social values Value projection (eg: mobility, self responsibility) Influence on project management 21. Administration Housing contracts~ NGO signs Risk of client getting a bad name, NGO risk of signing contract, risk to social workers Woman signs contract Increased self-autonomy, -responsibility, control over life 22. Client services (1) Entry conditions Lowest capacity cases vs. Cases with some capacity Build service experience with successful cases, develophousing model, take on tougher cases Clients from different backgrounds Shelter cases: Have least resources, most chose tosave money / gather support to leave home. Follow-up cases: Many at personal safety risk, not prepared to leave home, follow-up needs not addressed Motherhood capacity building Challenges of child care, mothers bring up children indifferent ways, children different ages, etc. 23. Client services (2) Pressure on clients Unpredictable impact on health, stress is commonafter re-housing Apart from lasting trauma, poor decision-making capacity, feelings of helplessness, worry, etc. Impact of DV Past married life & intimate partner violence impactswomen who want to live independently with children Fear of unknown Some women cant deal with pressure Counseling for clients 24. Client services (3) Life needs Priority of stable finance Secondary need for support from friends, housing, work, victimidentity protected, etc. Goal to save money, escape poverty Spending highest in first 1-6 months, 7-9 months scrape by, 10-12 months women start saving money Future concerns Worried about life after 1-year case period closes No steady job, need 6 months to adapt to new life Case benefits Less pressure on mother and children Less financial pressure, women better able to care for children,manage household etc See self through relationships 25. Client services (4) Partnership between social workers and clients,finding the balance Social worker helps client rebuild life, clienttransforms reliance from ex-partner to social worker Sensitive to where to draw boundaries to stop overreliance Social workers role guide and analyst 26. Clients suggestions Need at least 2-year program 2-years needed to pave the way to stable andsustainable life Influence on goal attainment Fear of unknown future, health, finance, childcare Child support Helps women concentrate on career Positive about social workers Social work is the backbone of program, supportswomen emotionally 27. Thank you!http://www.goh.org.tw Tel02-89118595 E-mail: master@goh.org.tw27