Sekisui House pitches in for youth homelessness
Our partnership with the Property Industry Foundation (PIF) has led to many great opportunities to give back, and this time we were thrilled to be able to roll up our sleeves and pitch into the community, with a focus on upgrading a home for youth accommodation.
On the 7th of August, an eager group of Sekisui House team members set up at Salvation Army’s Oasis Youth Accommodation Centre, to refresh, revamp and brighten key spaces within, creating a warm and welcoming space for young people in need.
The Youth Crisis Accommodation Centre is an integral part of the community, providing access to accommodation for youths in need.
The cause is close to many of us here at Sekisui House, and for Justin Soto, Project Director, Residential Communities & Home Building, the opportunity to pitch in and give back to the younger community just made sense.
“When you’re fortunate enough to be involved in big, exciting residential projects you can sometimes get lost in the thrill of it all and forget the fundamental reason why homes are created in the first place – shelter”, said Justin. “The opportunity to partner with the Property Industry Foundation and contribute to helping the Salvation Army keep this basic human need accessible to young people is both rewarding and necessary. At a time when the current housing crisis is affecting more people than ever, the property and construction industry should be doing more to help those at risk of homelessness.
“I’ve been blessed to have had mentors throughout my career who have always prioritised the social, mental, physical and economic wellbeing of people so my decision to take part in the PIF x Salvation Army working bee is a way of paying this forward. Through participation, I hope that Sekisui House’s team of volunteers become better educated around the issues causing thousands of young people to go without shelter every night and are inspired to play a role in finding the solutions. Giving back is always a humbling experience - I know that we will all come away with a better sense of perspective and be reminded that as a land developer and builder, we are in a privileged position to affect change.
“The essence of Sekisui House’s key philosophy ‘Love of Humanity’ is service. It is my belief that as an organisation our obligation to serve should go beyond our customers and extend to the communities in which we conduct our business. Being able to make a positive difference to the lives of those who are most vulnerable illustrates Sekisui House’s commitment to continually do better.”
Our focus for the day was engaging in gardening, building furniture and additional ad-hoc work. Throughout the process, we were able to learn more about youth homelessness and the important role the Salvation Army’s Oasis Youth Accommodation Centre plays in providing a home for young people in need.
We’ve valued our time here, and the opportunity to give back to the community, and look forward to continuing our partnership with PIF and their associated charities.
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