Empowering women and non-binary people to create the life they choose
Juno works with women and non-binary people in Melbourne’s northern suburbs who are experiencing homelessness and family violence. Formerly known as WISHIN*, we have a long history of partnering with women to help them make lasting change in their lives.
Our primary role is to support people in crisis, and their children, to find secure accommodation and access resources. We also support them to find and move into long-term housing and access other specialised supports.
Many of the people we work with have complex issues which may act as a barrier to safe long-term housing and make it difficult for them to use other services. Our staff take a holistic approach and are skilled at working with clients with challenges including mental ill-health, trauma, poverty, family violence and involvement with the justice system.
We also support clients to recover from trauma and help them to increase their financial independence and connect to their communities.
We advocate for change to the systems and structures holding women and non-binary people back and to increase awareness of the unique issues faced by people experiencing homelessness.
* Women’s Information Housing and Support in the North
Juno is unique, like the women and non-binary people we support
We are an independent, feminist organisation, with a commitment to social change. Our approach to support is non-judgemental, evidence-based, trauma informed and person-centred.
We have deep understanding of the issues faced by women and non-binary people experiencing homelessness and the close links between gender, poverty, family violence and homelessness for women.
Juno’s staff work with an intersectional feminist lens, recognising the many ways women and non-binary people can be marginalised and the cumulative effects that multiple forms of discrimination can have.
Last year, we supported over 300 women, with over two-thirds having children in their care and almost 80% a victim survivor of family violence.
Our agenda for change.
In 2020, we changed our name to Juno, to better reflect the organisation we have become and are becoming. Juno was a Roman goddess connected with all aspects of the lives of women. We now act for women and non-binary people as Juno did: by giving council, advice, guidance, and protection.
As Juno, we continue to support women and non-binary people who may be marginalised or experiencing significant challenges in their lives. We are also now setting out an ambitious agenda for change.
We have begun to explore new and creative ways to empower women and non-binary people. In 2020, we launched a pilot of the EMPower program, coaching women to identify barriers to employment and achieve financial independence. We are also running Powering Future Choices, a peer-education program that builds the capacity of older women at risk of homelessness to access support early in order to avert future housing crises. We also launched a Rapid Response Clinic which provides support to people who need assistance with tenancy rights, accessing private rentals, navigating Centrelink, applying for public housing, or managing bills and debts.
We also speak out for and amplify the voices of the people we support to increase awareness of the challenges they face, the support required and to advocate to change the systems and structures that hold them back.
