Lily House, a place of life and hope
Cass is finding her feet in independent living. She has joint custody of her daughter and good relationships with her family.
Raising a child is enormously rewarding but it can also be relentlessly challenging and exhausting, despite having two parents present and a supportive family network.
If you are young, single, and have few or no family connections to help you, it suddenly becomes a lot more daunting and difficult.
Lily House was opened over a decade ago in response to a vital need to provide supported accommodation for women in crisis. Since opening its doors, Lily House has been able to assist young pregnant women; young mothers fleeing from domestic violence; mothers who have recovered from substance abuse and need stability; women seeking reunification with their children; and homeless women.
“Based on Christian values and using a strength-based approach, we enable pregnant women to give birth to their babies and care for their children in a loving and safe environment,” said Manager, Deborah Kenny. “We teach the basic skills necessary to raise a child and help the girls establish themselves in the community with confidence,” she said.
Lily House works in partnership with many community organisations across the Sunshine Coast in both the Government and not for profit sectors to create a safety net for vulnerable and at risk young women and their children.
“I think Lily House is quite unique because we have not created a ‘shelter’ environment, but rather a family one,” Mrs Kenny said. “We currently offer a mentoring programme, exercise, cooking and nutrition classes and baby swimming lessons. The women attend parenting classes and counselling sessions and we make the most of the expertise of our volunteers. We encourage gratitude and self-reliance and as our residents progress in their healing, they are encouraged to study and to give back through volunteering with other community organisations. It is wonderful to see the sense of responsibility, confidence and purpose that emerges when our young women grow and transition through our programme.
Many of the women who have spent time with us have had incredibly difficult lives and we are always so very proud of them when they work through their individual challenges and emerge as confident and independent mothers. There are no ‘victims’ here. We acknowledge our rights, but also take responsibility for our actions and my girls know that they will need to do some hard yards so that their own children can have a good life,” she said.
“It is wonderful to watch as the girls create their own ‘family unit at Lily House’, and they look out for each other and hold each other accountable. We have strong beliefs in the value of human life and we encourage the unification of families.
“So we strive to improve the physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing of mothers, so that they in turn can nurture and care for their own children.”
• Lily House receives no Government funding and there are many ways individuals or businesses can assist it to continue the vital work it does in the community. You can help through financial donation, monthly sponsorship, volunteering, donation of new goods or, being part of fundraising events. If you would like to assist in any way, please email info@lilyhouse.org.