Laughter and joy have returned to Haven Home Safe’s Sidney Myer Haven playground thanks to generous donations from the Kangaroo Flat Rotary Club, Lisa Chesters MP and a grant from the City of Greater Bendigo.
The playground had been closed for some time due to ageing equipment and landscaping, however with an injection of funding support, Haven Home Safe has been able to rejuvenate the space and bring additional joy to the residents’ children.
Sidney Myer Haven (SMH) is currently funded entirely by Haven Home Safe, a not-for-profit community housing provider. The program includes 19 units providing stable, affordable housing for individuals and families as well as wrap-around support for residents to develop the skills they need to achieve educational and employment pathways, and transition into independence. Currently there are thirteen children participating in the SMH program and the playground is key to supporting social and health outcomes.
The Haven Home Safe team worked closely with the SMH residents to ensure the area would be an appropriate space for children of diverse ages to play, connect and to support the Shared Futures parents groups, which is also attended by former residents.
“We are so grateful to the City of Greater Bendigo, Kangaroo Flat Rotary Club and Lisa Chesters MP for their generous donations and support of the playground. With Haven Home Safe funding all other elements of the Sidney Myer Haven program, we had to diversify where we can invest in extra support and at this time weren’t able to add extra value to this program ourselves. The benefits of this playground will continue to support the children now and into the future,” said Trudi Ray, CEO of Haven Home Safe.
A Social Return on Investment study completed in 2023 found that for every $1 invested into the Sidney Myer Haven program, between $12.13 and $13.11 in social and economic value is created. Of this value, 10 per cent of this was experienced by residents’ children who reported improved: social and emotional development, learning and cognitive development and physical health and wellbeing.
