WHAT DOES NEAMI SUPPORTED HOUSING OFFER?

1. Who is NEAMI?

The North Eastern Alliance for the Mentally Ill (N.E.A.M.I.), is a community managed organisation that provides a range of safe, secure and affordable long-term (12 months or more) supported housing options, to people who have a serious psychiatric disability within the North East Sector of metropolitan Melbourne.

Other services that NEAMI provides include psychosocial rehabilitation at the "Catch 23" day centre in Thornbury (Phone 9484-0333), psychosocial rehabilitation and a workskills program at the "Acorns" day centre in Heidelberg (Phone 9459-5455), education and support groups for caregivers from non-English speaking backgrounds (NESB), and community development and education work with people who have a psychiatric disability.
 
The following is a guide for individuals and workers regarding the service and support offered by NEAMI Housing, as well as the application process involved. If you have any further queries please do not hesitate to contact us on 9471 3055 or come along to our office at 296 High Street, Preston.

2. What we offer -

Disability Support

A team of NEAMI workers is available to offer support with independent living skills to all residents in NEAMI housing. This support is flexible and can take the direction dictated by the needs of the tenant or household. The support is available on a group level (assistance with house meetings) and/or individually. 

Individual disability support can assist tenants in gaining (or regaining) skills in areas such as cooking, house cleaning, budgeting, using public transport, shopping or in other areas nominated by the tenant concerned. Where a tenant wants to move on from NEAMI housing, follow up support can be negotiated for a period of up to six months. Do not hesitate to contact one of our support workers with any questions regarding NEAMI disability support.

Houses

Currently we offer a range of single and shared (1, 2 & 3 bedroom) housing with a range of levels of support available to tenants. The properties are spread throughout the Local Government areas of Darebin, Whittlesea, Banyule and Nillumbik. In the
have requested assistance in filling vacancies when flatmates move out.

In response to these requests, NEAMI has begun a Shared Housing Noticeboard, to assist people with a psychiatric disability to maintain their accommodation in the community, and to put people in contact with others who are interested in sharing a house or flat.

Shared housing inquiries (and other housing-related concerns) may be directed to Glen Tobias at the NEAMI office.


GIVE US A CALL TO SEE IF WE CAN HELP WITH YOUR HOUSING.
9471 3055


NEAMI allocates single bedroom properties on the basis of need with risk of homelessness and risk of relapse given high priority.

The Conditions

When you move into a NEAMI property you sign a standard Residential Tenancy Agreement. This agreement entitles you to the rights of a tenant under the Residential Tenancy Act, 1980 and the responsibilities (eg. paying your rent, keeping the property reasonably clean). The NEAMI worker will provide education and information about these rights and responsibilities.

Tenants are required to pay rent into the rental account each fortnight. Rent is approximately 25% of a tenant's income and does not cover gas, electricity, telephone or food. Each household organises their own bill payments and budgets (with the help of a support worker where necessary).




3. Who can apply ?

You have to have a serious psychiatric disability as a result of a diagnosed psychiatric condition (eg. schizophrenia, manic depression or extreme anxiety/depression). 
Given the above at time of application, N.E.A.M.I. will house within its current housing stock people with a psychiatric disability who are:

NEAMI will not discriminate on the basis of gender, race or creed.




4. How to apply

Give the Residential Services Development Officer a telephone call on 9471 3055 to make a time to come to the NEAMI office at 296 High Street, Preston and fill in the housing application form. You can ask your case manager to call on your behalf. If you cannot get to our office, the worker will meet you at a mutually convenient place.

Your name will then be added to the Supported Housing Register (which is really just a pool of people that we can draw from in order to select new tenants). When a vacancy occurs, the current tenants tell NEAMI what they're looking for in their new housemate, and NEAMI will try to find a number of people from the Housing Register that may be suitable to these requirements. Informal interviews are then arranged at the house, and current tenants meet with applicants and select the new tenant. 




5. Tenant Furniture Purchase Program

The Tenant Furniture Purchase Program is a no-cost loans service provided to tenants of NEAMI. The project was established to provide tenants with a means of acquiring furniture in order to take on direct tenure of the properties leased by NEAMI, or alternatively for tenants wishing to establish a new (direct tenure) home. Repayments can be arranged to suit individual budgets, and can be renegotiated at any stage.




6. Shared Housing Noticeboard

Some people looking for housing who have decided to try rental on the private market have requested our assistance in finding others to share with them, while others already in private rental
shared houses we have mixed gender, all male and all female households.

All of the properties are fully furnished with basic household items (eg. fridge, washing machine, lounge suite, beds, cooking & kitchen utensils, etc).

You are welcome to bring your own furniture if you desire, but moving costs of individually-owned furniture will not be paid for by NEAMI.