The Support, Housing and Enablement (S.H.E.) Project was a research-based service that provided stable and decent housing and transformational support programme for low-income families headed by single mothers. These families were referred to S.H.E. by Family Service Centres (FSCs) or community partners. They were enduring untenable living conditions, such as situations of family violence or abuse, prior to moving into S.H.E.
Note: The S.H.E. Project pilot programme ran from 2018 to 2021.
Why the S.H.E. Project?
AWARE’s 2016 study “Single Parents’ Access to Public Housing: Findings from AWARE’s Research Project” indicated that low-income, single-mother families who sought HDB sale and rental flats faced a range of problems: unrealistic income ceilings, long debarment periods and lack of transparency and clarity in policies.
With S.H.E., we hoped to reduce housing insecurity and stress, give residents a chance to stabilise their lives and develop their capacity to transition out of poverty.
Unlike transitional housing programmes, which typically provide housing for three to six months, S.H.E. provided housing for up to two years, to afford the families longer-term stability. Each apartment accommodated up to three families, depending on size, with each family being allocated one private room each. Thanks to a generous donor who covered the full rent payment and utilities, S.H.E. residents paid a very low monthly rental fee.
During their tenancy, residents attended transformational support programmes conducted Daughters of Tomorrow. These programmes focused on empowerment and employment. Residents also worked closely with individual social workers and befrienders to improve their lives.
In addition, residents contributed prose, drawings, poetry and photography to two quarterly newsletters produced by the S.H.E. Project Team. The newsletter provided residents with opportunities to showcase their creative work while also educating the public about the issues faced by single mothers. Read the newsletters here: September 2019 | December 2019
Goals and Principles
Through the S.H.E. Project, we aimed to enable our residents to:
- stabilise their living conditions;
- build their confidence and capacity;
- build a path towards financial independence; and
- find permanent accommodation after their tenancy ends.
These Enabling Agency principles underpin S.H.E. project:
- The families are the experts of their own lives. They set their own goals and track their progress towards these goals.
- Community support is critical and the families will support each other to find solutions to the problems they face.
- Services will be provided on a non-judgmental basis to support the goals and strategies that the families have set for themselves.
Why Stable Housing Matters: Outcomes of the S.H.E. Project for Single-Mother Families
Alongside the housing and transformational support programme,AWARE also conducted longitudinal qualitative research, to test the following hypothesis: If single mothers and their families have access to affordable temporary housing for two years, they build the capacity and strength to tackle issues such as permanent housing, employment and personal growth.
12 residents whose tenancy lasted more than six months were interviewed every quarter throughout their tenancy period by a researcher from AWARE. These regular interviews provided an opportunity to study the relationship between housing status and changes in other aspects of life, such as personal growth, work, financial situation and interpersonal relationships.
Based on the findings, a research report with analysis and recommendations were presented to key stakeholders, relevant ministries and the public. Titled “Why Stable Housing Matters: Outcomes of the S.H.E. Project for Single-Mother Families”, the study found that residents’ lives were positively impacted by their stay at the S.H.E. Project. By the end of their tenancy, eight families managed to secure and move out to public rental flats. Two moved out to rented rooms on the open market, while the remaining two moved in with family and friends.
Moreover, the majority of the S.H.E. mothers were able to find and maintain work, with many seeing improvements in their employment situations, e.g. moving from part-time to full-time positions. Their incomes also increased substantially: Their median income doubled, from $500 before they entered S.H.E. to $1,150 when the Project concluded. At the same time, living in an abuse-free environment helped improve their well-being and that of their children. For some S.H.E. mothers, having some distance from their families of origin also allowed them to build healthier relationships.
AWARE continues to share the lessons learnt from this project with policy makers and the community, and to support and advocate for more support for low income women to transition out of poverty.
Read “Why Stable Housing Matters” here, and the Executive Summary here.
Contact the S.H.E. Project
If you have any enquiries about S.H.E. project, please contact Liz at housing@aware.org.sg.