More Than A Landlord
Supporting secure housing and success in wellbeing goals.
More than a landlord (MTAL) is our well-being pilot program that provides life coaching and life skills support to AHV tenants.
The program aims to maximise opportunities for Aboriginal households to enjoy the broader health and socioeconomic benefits that long-term, secure and affordable housing can provide.
MTAL is yet to be expanded state-wide but has already achieved remarkable success. Our dedicated Life Coaches and Life Skills Worker have supported 50 tenants to achieve more than 200 goals over a three year period.
The life coaching component is designed to support AHV’s tenants to identify and work towards personal goals. These goals may be short, medium or long-term, and include improved life, health, vocational, educational and cultural outcomes.
“I find having a life coach very good and it has been a great help to have someone providing me a helping hand in housing as a tenant. It has also helped our family achieve our goals. Thanks.” - AHV Tenant and life coaching client.
The life skills component of the program provides intensive support to tenants with immediate needs, as well as introductory support to new tenants.
"The support I get from AHV through the Life Skills Program is fantastic. Getting a decent house to live in has really made such a difference in our lives.” - AHV tenant and life skills client.
To assist new tenancies, our wellbeing program provides new tenants access to a welcome kit. The kit includes essential household items.
The program was established in 2017 through a partnership with the University of Melbourne.
If you have questions or wish to support our More than a landlord program please contact wellbeing@ahvic.org.au.
Story of success
Lucy is a tenant of AHV has worked with the MTAL team to achieve her goal of a stable, full-time job.
Lucy initially worked on a casual basis as one of AHV’s peer researchers in the pilot’s study, which provided an understanding of the needs of Aboriginal families living in social housing.
She went on to work with a MTAL Life Coach to develop a plan to improve her health and wellbeing, and further her career. This included:
• Securing her tenancy by linking her into a financial counsellor and setting a realistic household budget;
• Getting a mental health plan, and linking into counselling and other medical practitioners;
• Obtaining her driver licence.
The achievements in this plan provided the basis for further goals, and Lucy was able to secure full time employment with a government department as a Client Services Officer.
The dedication from both Lucy and the MTAL team - as well as partnerships maintained with government departments, not-for-profits, Aboriginal organisations and other mainstream businesses - have led to this success.
“She is an amazing, resilient young woman who has a passion to learn and improve her own life, and wants to be a role model for her daughter”, says Samantha French, AHV Wellbeing Programs Team Leader and Life Coach.