ISR - Students - Student stories
Student 8: Community
housing, South Australia
Why did you do the course?
- To ensure that within our co-op there could be
some expertise, and to bring some of that knowledge
to the group to enhance awareness and performance
at the grassroots level.
- To equip our co-op to enter into meaningful discussions
with local councils, other entities within the
sector and commercial bodies, so that there is
a body of applicable knowledge on which to draw,
which ensures that we will be regarded as professional
colleagues rather than a collection of well-intentioned
volunteers.
- To continue to find ways of "giving back" to
the sector my own provision of housing, without
which life would have been very different.
As a result of being securely and affordably housed,
I was able to complete my Bachelor of Music and
commence a career in music.
What were the benefits of doing the course?
A number of people expressed interest in the details of my studies
and we spoke at length about some of the issues being explored. As
a result of the current nature of the course material, all the topics
had some relevance to us within the sector and overall housing environment.
Depending upon the research I was engaged in for each assignment, I
would make the findings and discussions known to the interested members
of the group.
Did your specific housing skills and knowledge improve as a result?
Most definitely, to the point that as a result of an assignment in
the last semester of Year 2, I was able to identify a range of issues,
which warranted serious consideration by the membership of our co-op.
Following this, a series of special meetings were called, facilitated
by a SACHA delegate to collect a range of details about the ways in
which the group could be improved and set upon a more up-to-date mode
of management and work practices.
The impact of the course has been very significant within our co-op.
What commenced as a search for means to engage with the industry professionals
and to heighten my awareness of the operations of the sector in relation
to the overall provision of housing has resulted in a most desirable outcome.
Where do you think your working future lies?
Will continue as a music teacher and also as founding member of new
co-op.
Other comments?
Thanks for keeping this course so relevant to the needs of those who
study it. Intend to continue to the next level within a couple of years.
|
