History of Coast Shelter

Gosford Emergency Accommodation Services had its origins under the auspice of Gosford Community Information Services. The Service was established through the initiatives of two visionary people, Dorothy Poole, who was then the Executive Officer of Community and Information Services, and Alderman Bob Braiding of Gosford Shire Council who donated the use of his own old timber house that was situated in Showground Road.

Eventually this house was sold, however the sale coincided with St. Joseph's Convent relocating to East Gosford. The former Gosford convent stood where the commuter car park has now been built in Showground Road and this property was made available by Gosford Council to house homeless men, women and families.

The new refuge was staffed by staff and volunteers and could accommodate up to 20 people which included families and single men. Because of its location, the design of the building and that men and women shared the same facilities, the program presented its own problems.

Rumbalara Youth Refuge was purposely built by Gosford City Council to accommodate youth. Rumbalara had a twofold purpose; four beds were allocated to homeless young people and two beds were allocated to students who were able to return home on weekends. To support Rumbalara and the Family Refuge, Kibble Park Cafe was commissioned. Arch McLaughlin and his volunteers allocated $1,000 a month to pay for the running costs of the two refuges.

The efforts to accommodate the homeless intensified as this project enjoyed the full backing of Council who often supplied the Chairman of the Committee who included Don Leggett, Bill Hecker and Peter Coleman.

Upon the retirement of Dorothy Poole, Anne Sullivan took over as Executive Officer of Community and Information Services and continued to build upon the good work of her predecessors.

When it was announced that the old convent was to be demolished, a concerted effort was directed toward locating new premises.

The old Roma Hospital at East Gosford was selected as an ideal site and with an understanding that these premises would be approved, the successful transition of the program was mapped out in great detail. However, in what could only be described as an extreme eleventh hour decision, fate was to intervene and approval for the transition to Roma Hospital was rescinded.

The enormity of the impact of this decision was to have disastrous consequences as alternative accommodation premises could not be sourced and a complete closure of the program was imminent.

Faced with overwhelming adversity, the Committee was forced to inform the Department of Community Services that it would not be able to continue. At the last minute, Laurie Maher approached Centacare Broken Bay to auspice the Service and this was approved by the Minister for Community Services. Laurie, who was ably supported by Jim Grainger and Trish Bramble, worked as a volunteer for quite sometime to restructure the organisation, obtain additional funds and establish a new Committee. All of this was completed within eight months. Additional properties were obtained and Laurie was employed to run the Service.

The success of the operation that followed was quite remarkable. Through astute lobbying, Laurie convinced the powers to be to allocate 40% of all growth funding for the SAAP program for NSW in 1992 toward supporting programs designed specifically to assist the homeless of the Central Coast.

This ensured the viability of Rumbalara, allowed for the commissioning of Kara Cottage - the Family Refuge and Coimba - the men's refuge and through strategic planning, along with a number of other cottages supplied by the Office of Community Housing. Later the Service auspiced Maya Cottage - the young ladies refuge and later still, The Ridge - a special program for behaviourally challenged young children in the care of the State.

Additional properties have been obtained through our relationships with the Department of Housing, Pacific Link and Toukley Tenancy Scheme along with properties head-leased with funds from Sanitarium Health Food Company and the Central Coast Region of Clubs NSW. Many of these properties are safe havens for victims of domestic violence and their addresses are confidential.

With the negative impact of the socio-economic dynamics of the Central Coast, the demands placed on our Service have quadrupled and in 2006 Coast Shelter supplied in excess of 35,000 overnight beds.

Funding for Coast Shelter has always been a problem and in real terms there has been no increase in Supported Accommodation Assistance Program funds since 1992.

In February 2000, the budget was so stretched that it was imminent that Coast Shelter would have to close the men's refuge. This decision was not made lightly, as the alternative was to close the Family Refuge.

Normal sponsorship received through bingo from Gosford RSL had ceased because of the new State legislation and fundraising options were limited.

Following negotiations with the forty one members of the Central Coast Region of Clubs NSW, they banded together to sponsor the Central Coast Emergency Accommodation Services for three years.

Financial stability is yet to be assured and continued lobbying for support is a daily must. Yet the challenges are met and met admirably. It is said that nothing introduces a man to himself like adversity.

From those early visionary days, it has always been more than offering accommodation. From inception it has been about support with education and financial counselling and where possible, offering meals, assistance with meeting essential household expenses and moral support and advice.

Today, it is about offering physical and psychological security through the safety of stable accommodation. It is also about empowering people in their time of need to address the many complexities that contribute to homelessness.

Within the community, it is not a level playing field. Many of our clients are disadvantaged because of diminished living, social and communication skills. Numeracy and literacy problems are high, as is substance abuse.

But with care, support and educational programs, many of these people transcend their current predicaments and become contributing members of our community. The demand for repeat assistance is declining rapidly which aligns itself with a simple policy of offering a hand-up not a hand-out.