For me the process seems logical to start with getting to know Lentara, after a presentation from them to our class, I had a fairly solid idea of who they are, and where they sit within Uniting Care. However you can never know too much about your client, so I downloaded from their website all the publications and documents they had on offer.

I went through these for key points that may relate to the Asylum Seeker Housing Project and questions they raised for me.

Key Notes from 2013/14 Annual Report:

• Values: Respect. Integrity. Collaboration. Compassion. (Identity)
• Lentara’s First Ever Staff Intranet (Resource)
• Mission Development Minister appointed (Key Person)
• ASP Transitioned out of providing Community Detention programs (Why was this?)
• Reward and Recognition Program Developed (does this interplay with AS Housing?)
• ASP transitioned to Lentara (where had it sat previously? what prompted the restructure)
• Full time Volunteer Coordinator appointed
• Strategic Plan included outcome to develop advocacy groups for ASPs (was this realised? what role do these groups play around Housing?)
• Strategy 3 was Partnerships 2012-2015 (were any of these around housing?)
• Under the strategy of capacity building, maintenance planning was listed (is there a mechanism for supporters of ASP programs to support upkeep of existing properties if they can’t donate a house but still want to give to the housing program budget specifically?)
• ASP Case Study – The case described sounds like contact with Lentara came quite late, eleventh hour sort of thing, how do Asylum Seekers find out about Lentara and make contact? How does Lentara go about being proactive in this area, or is it more a reactive service? There would be significant mental health challenges for many clients, what role does housing play in overcoming these?
• A lack of confidence in traversing, conversing and accessing services is indicated in the second case study. Is this a common challenge to overcome after being detained? What difference can it make to a case like this, between living in a hotel situation and living in a Lentara housing project space?
• Grant and Trust Applications – what role do they play in acquiring property assets for the ASP?
• Donor relations – how important is the upkeep of relationship both before a donation and after? How is this managed? How is this received by donors?!

I also downloaded 2015’s Annual Community Meeting minutes and Annual Report, but am yet to fully get through these materials.

After this initial research we met with Mohammad the manager of the Asylum Seeker Program, we’ve determined that encouraging donations of housing isn’t the most important thing, (Jeff’s early discussions centred around a guide to the process of donation) simply amplifying the message of what Lentara does differently is important, it’s important to them to not be overwhelmed with donations when they’re under resourced to deal with that volume, therefore growing monetary support and assistance in term of time given rather than materials is more important. Lentara is also the last line of defence against homelessness for its clients. They do more than housing they help integrate and form community, they help with medical costs and basic needs beyond a roof over their clients’ heads. One of the most striking things to come out of the discussion was that many of these Asylum Seekers exist in nomans land, so to speak, they have no work rights, no study rights, they’re in limbo until their visa is approved, they have no income and no means to access education or healthcare or generate income. They can’t get housing because their references are all international, language and cultural barriers atop of the restrictions on study compound their struggles. Lentara approaches housing as part of a holistic approach to their needs.