Ned and Nic who have been matched by Bridge It. Photo taken by Ian Lillington
Bridget It focus on the idea of a ‘home’ rather a house. A home is not just a bed and roof over your head, it’s somewhere that is safe, comfortable, welcoming, which is full of people (and pets!) who you have chosen to live with. A home is a sanctuary and how it feels can impact the rest of your life. Flatmates.com.au is helping Bridge It to find caring flatmates and welcoming homes for people in their program.
How does it work?
Your new flatmate will be someone who can sustain a tenancy. They could be an asylum seeker, refugee, affected by family violence, aged, or from a disadvantaged background.
Note: People who are sleeping rough and living on the street or who have complex needs are not eligible for this program.
The agreement will be personalised and can be re-negotiated if your situation changes. The maximum rent and bills which is affordable for the people Bridge It supports is $100 per week.
One of our householders, Kathryn, who found a new flatmate through Flatmates.com.au
Bridge It supports people who live with a disability to find a supportive flatmate who provides them with an average of 10 hours per week of companionship and support with light household tasks such as pet care and mentoring in exchange for free rent. The arrangements are very flexible. We assist people to create their housing vision and get this funded through their NDIS package. We can also assist in finding a home to rent. Finally, we will find you the perfect flatmate to support you to live in a connected way with the support of a likeminded flatmate.
There may be fees for some arrangements. This will be determined on an individual basis. For people opening their homes to people within our target group, these fees will be waived.
Check out [Bridge It’s Vacancies](https://bridgeit.org.au/vacancies/{:target=”_blank”} if you are looking to join any of their programs.
[Contact the Bridge It Team](https://bridgeit.org.au/contact-us/} to see how you can get involved.
Spread the word. Talk to your friends and family about Bridget IT, [donate to the service](https://bridgeit.org.au/support-us/}