Two women laughing in conversation whilst sharing a cup of tea

Our Vision

Co-housing - what does our model look like and how does it work?

Sharing With Friends tenantSharing With Friends tenantSharing With Friends tenantSharing With Friends tenantSharing With Friends tenant

The scenario

Potential residents attend a series of workshops where they meet likeminded women.

By the end of the series, a group is self-selected by five women who are compatible and have similar values.

They will be living independently in affordable purpose built homes next to each other but can share company with each other when and how they choose.

How we assist

The Foundation Workshop Series enables the five women to develop their group rules and responsibilities around issues such as pets and visitors and how to resolve differences.

They are fully informed about the legal structure and how their investment can be recouped when they leave.

They have the opportunity to consult with the Foundation architect to make some choices on internal design issues (within limited options) for ageing in place.

A group of friends in a huddle

Our co-housing design

Our residence looks like a regular suburban house from the street, beautifully landscaped around a central courtyard. The Sharing with Friends community is designed for five older women residents to live privately, independently and dignity in their own home as they age in place. The design is affordable, safe, and secure.

Essential Living

The key element of the design is a personally-owned studio-unit built on one level with bedroom, bathroom, living room, a landscaped private courtyard and access to the central courtyard.

Proximity

Designed for an 800m² block, and placed close to public transport, shops and medical facilities

Central Garden Pavilion

A convivial space for cups of tea,
a kitchen with a large oven for  occasional shared meals and entertaining family, home theatre and a shared laundry.

Universal Access

The residence incorporates the Liveable Housing Australia (LHA) GOLD standard design guidelines for ageing in place. This includes wide doorways and ease of movement around the unit.

Our Strategic Plan 2023-2026

Our Vision

In Australia, all older women will have a safe, secure home.

A group of dedicated individuals working together

Our Values

  • Fairness
  • Generosity
  • Respect
  • Dignity
  • Empowerment
  • Belonging

Our Mission

We design and help deliver affordable, safe, secure housing for older women to live in privacy, with dignity and in a supportive community, as they age.

Our Core Functions

  • Developer - at Darra and our other co-housing projects
  • Manager - of our ongoing relationship with residents
  • Licensor - for other co-housing initiatives
  • Change Agent - for adoption of the co-housing philosophy and models.

Our Objectives

Objective 1

Design and build affordable co-housing for five-women communities

  • Build Darra
  • Identify Site #2
  • Identify Site #3

Objective 2

Engage with interested council and community organisations to promote, replicate and apply our model

  • Document model & license others
  • Promote Model
  • Identify and obtain funding
  • Provide ongoing support to Licensees

Objective 3

Influence policies which are barriers to collaborative housing models

  • Obtain resources to drive our organisations agenda
  • Engage with government, business and community
  • Work with partner organisations to form alliances and share knowledge

Objective 4

Sharing with Friends remains an organisation accountable to our values, donors and residents

  • Identify and secure a major sponsor
  • Maintain clear and transparent documents
  • Focus on Board succession planning
  • Earmark funding for organisational capacity building
  • Incorporate lived experience to our organisation

Interested in our co-housing model?

Learn the answers to common questions about living in a Sharing with Friends co-housing community.

Find the answers here
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