Bayan
Overview
Bayan is a Guugu Yimidhirr word meaning ‘house or shelter’. The Bayan project is a three stage financial case management platform that supports families to develop the skills and behaviours to launch their home ownership ambitions and transition from renting to home ownership. This may be converting public housing into a home or building a new home.
The first stage is Bayan: Bronze (Renting a house) which supports families to succeed in managing their household tenancy by ensuring that all adult occupants are contributing their fair share of rent, that rent is at a market rate and paid on time and that they are fulfilling their tenancy responsibilities.
The second stage is Bayan: Silver (Preparing for a home loan) which supports families to develop a savings plan for a home deposit, maintain steady employment and savings history, establish a good credit history and manage finances associated with home ownership.
The third stage is Bayan: Gold (Owning a home) which supports families to submit loan applications, purchase or build a new home and manages finances associated with mortgage payments, bills, education and general living costs.
As families progress through the three Bayan stages, they can access Opportunity Products such as, Pride of Place (POP)1, House to Home2, Bush Owner Builder (BOB)3, Home Ownership Opportunity Port (HOOP)4 as well as the House on Indigenous Land (HOIL) subsidy, through Indigenous Business Australia.
Families who sign up to Bayan are required to do a plan through the MPower money management program, that assists families to meet their basic needs and build wealth. Through an MPower Conversation, coaches work with families to map out where they are in their lives, where they want to be and what they need to do to get there. Participants set goals and build family budgets and receive follow up coaching sessions to help them stay on track.
Bayan will be available to all families in the welfare reform communities through their local Opportunity Hub (O-Hub)5.
Objectives
• Families are supported to successfully manage their housing tenancy.
• Families are supported through case management to make plans and prepare for moving to home ownership.
• Families are supported through case management to successfully manage their home ownership.
Funding and partnerships
Bayan is a key component of the Housing Stream of the Cape York Welfare Reform Agenda – a tripartite partnership between the Australian and Queensland Governments, and Cape York Partnerships (CYP) representing the regional Indigenous organisations. Welfare Reform currently operates in Aurukun, Coen, Hope Vale and Mossman Gorge.
Bayan is currently seeking funding through the Welfare Reform partnership.
Alignment with the Cape York Agenda
CYP’s role is to implement the social, economic and cultural development goals of the Cape York Agenda, developed by indigenous leaders from Cape York. CYP has developed a Third Way to enable Aboriginal families to move from passive welfare dependency to real economic participation. This Third Way shifts from passive service delivery to an approach that combines personal and family responsibility, capabilities development and tangible opportunity products to enable individual and family pathways to a better life.
Home ownership, which is the ultimate goal of Bayan, will ensure that families are able to create wealth and participate in the real economy like other Australians.
The case for reform
Many Cape York families live in overcrowded houses that are in desperate need of repair. Often, basics like food storage, cooking, shower and toilet facilities are not functional6. Overcrowding, poor construction and maintenance and the anti-social behaviours of some, all negatively impact on the health and well being of children and others who occupy the household7. The situation is at crisis point and requires immediate action.
The land tenure systems in the region hinder the establishment of a private property market so home ownership or private rentals are not possible. This effectively means public housing is the only option.
Research indicates that Indigenous families, like most Australians, aspire to live in safe, healthy and attractive homes they can take pride in. They want opportunities to gain employment, own their own home, and make their homes more liveable.
There is considerable international research to indicate the public health benefits for families and communities who participate in home beautification and ownership programs.
Cape York Partnerships (CYP) is working with the Cape York Institute, Cape York Land Council, Balkanu Cape York Development Corporation and Governments to resolve the significant and complex structural barriers to home ownership. CYP has developed a suite of projects that support each other to achieve the goal of home ownership in Cape York. Bayan provides financial case management to prepare the family for home ownership.
1. Pride of Place supports families to invest effort and money in small-scale renovation projects that enhance their backyards.
2. House to Home supports families to transform their run down public houses into clean, safe and secure homes that they can purchase.
3. Bush Owner Builder is a Cape York Partnerships Welfare Reform pilot program that supports Indigenous people to build their own simple climate-conscious bush homes on their traditional lands.
4. Home Ownership Opportunity Port supports Indigenous working families to create wealth and mobility allowing reinvestment and repatriation back into Cape York villages while ensuring public’s investment in affordable housing is protected and maximised.
5. O-Hubs are purpose built community centres staffed by a team of professionals that include local people, who offer individuals and families access to a range of opportunity products. These products are designed to support personal responsibility and increase participation in education, employment, financial management, housing and other endeavours.
6. Australian Government Productivity Commission, Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage Report, Remote Areas Key Indicators, Canberra, 2009.
7. Garner, G 2006, The ecology and inter-relationship of between housing and health outcomes. Retrieved August 10, 2007, from http://eprints.qut.edu.au/archive/00007216/01/7216.pdf
This project is designed, developed and delivered by Cape York Partnerships.