News

In the latest Think Piece of our series, Staying in Place: Social housing and Support Services, Dr Juliet Watson, Deputy Director of the Unison Housing Research Lab, examines a range of issues in relation to support and the importance it holds for people living in social housing.

 Our latest edition of Thrive is out now.

Anthony’s Unison apartment in an inner-city heritage building reveals a creative life. 

NAIDOC Week will be celebrated nationally from July 4 – July 11. The week celebrates the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Read Susan and her children's story of strength, resilience and a postive outlook in the face of homelessness.

We are proud to announce that Unison won the Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA) National Award for Excellence for our social housing development in Melbourne's west.

Our Enterprise Team is making great use of plant cuttings and food scraps at our Kensington community by turning it into valuable compost.  

Did you know that one in four people experiencing homelessness in Victoria are aged between 12 and 24? 

Susan's home and community is where her heart is. Helping her community is what she loves.   

We are very excited to share the news that our Station Street Fairfield redevelopment is nearing completion.

"The Victorian Government already demonstrated a clear commitment to supporting the most disadvantaged people through the Big Housing Build. We now call on the Federal Government to do the same." Unison CEO James King

In Part three and the final interview, Sarah reveals what Lab projects she’s working on at the moment and what’s in planning.   

We are honored to have contributed to the Inquiry, both presenting at a public hearing and with a submission.,

Unison conducts Tenant Satisfaction Surveys to provide our tenants, with the opportunity to give open and honest feedback on how we are doing and to help us improve our services.

We are proud to announce that Unison’s Napier Street Footscray apartment complex has won three Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA) Awards for Excellence.

Harmony Day is on Sunday March 21 and Cultural Diversity Week will take place from March 21 to March 28.  

In Part 2 of our conversation with Sarah, we talk about the importance of the practical application of Lab’s research, surprising research findings and opportunities for the Lab’s work to influence change.

Since March 2020 when COVID hit, Unison’s homelessness teams worked tirelessly to assist over 1500 households. To assist with the demand for temporary hotel accommodation during COVID-19, our IAP service welcomed six new team members.

Dr Sarah Taylor is Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at the Unison Housing Research Lab. She is a data scientist and researcher who brings a love of administrative data.

We are chuffed to see Unison’s solar panel installation project featured as a case study in a Community Housing Industry Association Victoria (CHIA Vic) energy efficiency report.

RMIT students are gaining a unique perspective through the first homelessness and housing course developed in collaboration with industry.

 More affordable housing is needed.

 “I have loved helping. It is so nice to see how much it has grown since we started the garden.”  

Together with our partners we have established an impressive list of sustainability projects that are caring for and rejuvenating our Kensington community.

Season's Greetings from all of us at Unison and we wish you all the best for 2021. 

The final of our 3 part conversation with Juliet where she talks about what sparked her interest in homelessness, her particular research interests and what projects are on the horizon.

 Our Summer Tenant Newsletter is available now.

In Part two of our conversation with the Unison Housing Research Lab Deputy Director, Dr Juliet Watson, she tells us about her role as the curriculum developer and coordinator of the first dedicated course on homelessness and housing.  

Dr Juliet Watson is the Deputy Director of the Unison Housing Research Lab. Juliet is a sociologist, social worker, academic and educator. 

November 25 is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.  

Unison’s PRAP supports low-income households to secure and maintain private rental housing. The team members' experience in private property rental has proved invaluable.

Our final interview instalment with Prof Guy Johnson.

Unison resident Erika Lodge, has been selected as a finalist in the Community Champion category of the City of Melbourne, 2020 Melbourne Awards.

Irena is a Unison Housing Support Worker, a role funded by the Department of Health and Human services to provide health and wellbeing support to vulnerable residents. 

Homelessness. What has changed and what has stayed the same. Part 2 of an interview with Prof Johnson.

What does the Unison Housing Research Lab do differently? The Director, Professor Guy Johnson explains.  

Families in Kensington are happily eating their greens as the award-winning Kensington Food Forest is growing bumper vegie and herb crops for families in need of fresh ...

Unison has completed a staged solar panel installation at our social housing properties set to provide both financial and environmental benefits.

Unison has featured in the latest Council to Homeless Persons’ Parity magazine. 

Acting CEO James King, Sue Grigg Director for Housing and Homelessness and the Unison Housing Research Lab team have authored articles for the edition, which has the theme, Supporting and Sustaining Tenancies in Community Housing. 

Wheels, a long time resident of one of our properties in Melbourne's West has returned to a new affordable unit with his own facilities. He explains how a sense of community is as important as a roof over your head. 

Unison's Acting CEO James King, talks about how the pandemic has changed his day-to-day.

Our Elizabeth Street Common Ground project is now 10 years old! 

Works are well underway at a Unison property in Fairfield, which will transform an historic property with a very interesting history, into 38  modern self contained apartments for vulnerable women.

Homelessness isn't always what you think it is. Lisa shares her story of her time without a home and the companionship of her cat and dog. 

Despite the social and economic toll that COVID-19 will doubtless exact on the country, COVID-19 may – paradoxically – be the catalyst that drives the housing and homelessness policy changes we need.Despite the social and economic toll that COVID-19 will doubtless exact on the country, COVID-19 may – paradoxically – be the catalyst that drives the housing and homelessness policy changes we need.

 Unison continues to carefully monitor the current developments related to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus disease) pandemic, to understand the impacts on our community, services and activities.  

Mr De Olizeara moved into his own self-contained flat in Footscray after social housing non-profit Unison transformed a dilapidated apartment block into 54 new affordable and modern units.

Unison’s Private Rental Access Program (PRAP) supports low-income households to secure and maintain housing in Melbourne’s West. A research report on the Program has just been released and Hollie, a team member, talks about her pride in her work.

Our Winter Newsletter is available now.

Today is Unison’s final day at the UNO in Adelaide. We will pass the baton to community housing organisation, AnglicareSA Housing Limited as of tomorrow July 1.

The Unison Housing Research Lab (the Lab) has undertaken an evaluation of Unison’s PRAP, and has released its findings in the report, Staying Home? Examining the longer-term housing outcomes of the Private Rental Access Program, (PRAP).

The first thing that strikes you when you walk into Bk’s studio is the light. 

It flows into the studio space from two glorious floor to ceiling windows that face onto a street tree resplendent with autumn colour. 

When Government restrictions were swiftly implemented due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Kensington Community Network sprang into action, developing a range of initiatives to assist our most vulnerable community members and lift spirits.    

Today we proudly launched a new social housing development in Footscray, with funding support from the Victorian State Government’s Victorian Property Fund.  

From backstage for the Rolling Stones to working for the CFA and SES, Eric has had incredible life experiences and provided remarkable service to the community.

Unison and Melbourne City Mission jointly authored an article in the April 2020 edition of the Council for Homeless Persons national magazine Parity. The issue focusses on new developments and initiatives in the response to youth homelessness.  

On any given night in Australia, over 100,000 people are experiencing homelessness of some kind. (ABS 2016 Census ...

After 8 years managing the mixed-use UNO Apartments in Adelaide’s CBD, Unison will pass the baton to community housing organisation, AnglicareSA Housing Limited as of July 1. 

Sunday May 17 is the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexphobia and Transphobia.

Unison is delighted to announce Acting CEO James King has been appointed to  Read more

There is some really informative and comprehensive COVID-19 information available. Here are a few websites we would like to share with you.

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 April 15 is Youth Homelessness Matters Day.

In the latest in our Tenant Story series, we learn how Dorothy brings joy to her community through her generous spirit.

We are making some changes to the way we work to protect our tenants, clients, staff and the community.

This Sunday stay connected and celebrate the importance of neighbourliness - from a distance.

How will you celebrate Cultural Diversity Week?

We regret to advise that the Festival has been postponed until further notice.

As always, we continue to advocate for an increase in the supply of social housing.

At Unison, we know full well the housing crisis we are facing through our homelessness services in Melbourne’s West. Our service response focuses on meeting the needs of individual clients as they come through our doors as each household has a range of unique circumstances and needs. 

Did you know that Unison not only manages social and affordable housing but also builds more?

Our property development team works to increase the supply of affordable housing for ...

Sandra arrived at the Kensington public housing estate in the 80’s as a single mum with her young family. High rise, high density public housing living was new to Sandra. 

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Gong xi fa cai (Happy Lunar New Year) to everyone celebrating, and we wish you, as the literal translation states, great happiness and ...