Table 4. Satisfaction scores for meeting housing needs and difficulties repaying loan
Median
score
The amount of brokerage (loan amount) has been enough to meet my housing needs
I have no difficulties in meeting the repayments of the loan
Having a loan to repay makes it difficult for me to pay for other things that I need
10
10
0
Having the full month rent has made
the biggest difference because I was
able to get in the door [Client
interview].
All reported that the amount of brokerage they
received was enough to help them to gain access
to their private rental property and the fact that is
was negotiated quickly meant there were no
delays when their application for a property was
approved. Clients viewed the brokerage role of the
program as a ‘kick start’ or a ‘door into’ the private
rental sector that would have otherwise been
closed to them in the absence of other supports to
turn to.
For the majority of clients, the amount and
intensity of the practical and emotional support
provided by the brokerage program and broader
range of services offered at WCC was considered
sufficient to meet all their needs. This suggests
that for many clients financial assistance and shortterm case management is adequate to stabilise
their housing. The question remains as to how far
the program should extend support to address
other needs such as employment and where other
support services can step in. Some clients whose
needs were more intensive, including those with
ongoing counselling and clinical conditions,
continued to receive support through existing
providers and engaged WCC for practical support
around housing access.
No one has helped me in the way that
this program has. The program helped
to set up our family in Australia. We
did not have any rental history and this
is very important to have for our future
housing. The program needs to be
expanded so that more people can
benefit from it [Client interview].
The program has given me and my
family a good start in this country. I
would not be where I am without their
help and support [Client interview].
The WCC services meet all my needs.
Whenever there was a need they have
always responded [Client interview].
The program gave me the kick start –
to be able to live in Australia with a
level of knowledge of how the housing
market works so that I could start
leading a life [Client interview].
I get most of my mental health needs
met by my case worker at [another
service] who I see for an ongoing
mental health issue. WCC supported
me in the initial stages with references
and advocacy with the real estate
agent and that is what I needed at the
time [Client interview].
I borrowed around 600. I agreed to pay
back $50 a week because I wanted to
pay the loan off quickly. I knew that it
would be missing from my income
every fortnight so I budgeted around it.
I paid it in 6 fortnights. There is no
other funding like this available where
you don’t have to pay interest – it was
a life line at the time and it got us in
the door of our property [Client
interview].
A critical aspect to consider in the delivery of
service models based on the provision of a loan is
whether individuals and households are able to
meet the repayments without being exposed to
additional hardship. There were no reported
difficulties in meeting the loan repayments among
those interviewed. Whilst clients reported having
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