With an average of 2 kids per family in the Logan area, our target audience are single mother victims with dependents in her care. We’ve identified that here, unemployment and lack of education are perpetuating factors towards homelessness and this gap is where we intervene.

Through our research, we found that in 2017 and 2018, there were 121,000 people experiencing domestic violence who had sought housing assistance. However, only 4% of those who sought help actually received it. As a group we evaluated many possible actions we could take to help these people get back onto their feet. Our solution, homeLib, is a program that connects homeless women with children to industry in facilities offered by libraries in the Logan area, helping them find work and be educated in various fields. 

Accessible through cellular devices and advertised through brochures and bus stops, the general public and target audience alike are made aware of the program’s facilities. Activation of local libraries simultaneously allows for communal gatherings of women in support of one another. The library is an easily accessible space for people to meet and learn, whilst being beneficial for those with children, who can make use of the play area as they meet with the industry professional/ employer. HomeLib offers many different programs for women such as: resume writing, infant care, computer basics, and budgeting, all of which are vital for the workforce and parenting. Through digital and analogue promotion, users are directed to libraries, where they can be trained for the job role or skills they would like to pursue.

An example of how a user may reach out, expressing their interest, and our response. 

Women can join one of HomeLib's programs by following these simple steps 

1. Getting in contact either by visiting the closest library or completing an online form through the HomeLib portal

2. Picking the program that interests you the most

3. Finding the library closes to you

4. Getting trained by an industry professional

By partnering with FutureSteps, HomeLib has the potential to reach more of the targeted demographic through existing industry connections. Being forced to flee a dangerous environment, these women need the emotional, financial and psychological stability to support their own and their kids' futures. We believe HomeLib will be the key to making a difference. 

Through my group's collaborated effort, our response to the Lendlease brief of assisting homelessness in Logan was an iterative process demonstrated in the above Miro board. Visual experimentation through diagramming, prototyping and analyses of clients, programs and potential sites have culminated in the optimised solution - HomeLib.