President and 2018 Hornsby Woman of the Year, Sallianne McClelland joined with newly appointed Shelter Manager, Hylette Evans today in celebrating the Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Women’s Shelter’s third birthday and the latest remarkable achievements of Hornsby Ku-ring-gai’s only women’s shelter.
Opened in February 2015, Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Women’s Shelter has in three years safely housed 231 women with 82.4% of clients successfully housed in sustainable accommodation after their stay. 72% of clients needed the shelter’s help due to domestic violence while 23% were homeless. Within 72 hours of arrival, 97% of clients had a tailored case plan prepared by dedicated, professional caseworkers employed around the clock by the shelter and committed to turning each client’s life around.
Unfortunately during the same period, 721 women were turned away due to lack of beds. From July 2016 to June 2017 there were 263 domestic violence assaults in the Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Council areas, with an average increase of over 10% per year. Domestic violence assaults are the fastest growing violent crime statistics. In Australia, an average of one women every week is murdered by her current or former partner.
“The Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Women’s Shelter was set-up by our local community in a grassroots response to the desperate need for this vital community service,” comments President, Sallianne McClelland. “As a true local charity, our dedicated community has taken us into their hearts and everyday we are overwhelmed by the support from local families, businesses, schools, churches, sporting clubs, community groups, businesses and shops throughout the area who ensure we keep our doors open.”
Newly appointed Shelter Manager, Hylette Evans, is a Hornsby local since the age of 2 and was a Shelter Caseworker on the very first shift back in February 2015. With multiple tertiary qualifications in Nursing, Counselling and Social Welfare, Hylette has excelled in her role earning her the recent promotion. In the short time since her appointment, Hylette has already overseen the set-up of:
• A transitional house: to ease the stress of finding accommodation for shelter clients as their maximum three month shelter stay draws to a close
• An outreach program: to support former clients, helping to constantly keep them on track towards achievement of individual case plans and life goals
• Hornsby Court Support: a HKWS caseworker attends Hornsby Court every Tuesday to support women in the community in Domestic Violence cases. None of these women are shelter clients
