Our 2023 Annual General Meeting

On 16 November 2023, Head Start Homes held its sixth Annual General Meeting which was hosted by our Deputy Chair Joel Larsen and our Founder, Stephen Woodlands and attended by members, directors and staff from across Australia.

The atmosphere was electric as we celebrated our clients' amazing accomplishments, who continually inspire us with their commitment and passion to improving their financial capability and becoming proud home owners. 🏡🙌.

Our Aunty in Residence, Fran Dobbie started our AGM with a heart-felt Acknowledgment of Country encouraging us to take the time to know what First Nations Country we are on and to always pay respect to our elders as guardians of sacred knowledge.

Joel described 2023 as an incredible year for Head Start Homes.

“The team has made extraordinary progress, strengthening the position of the organisation, securing incredible new partnerships such as Wollongong Council while continuing to deliver on the core promise of providing a safe and stable home for deserving families,” he said.
“Wollongong in particular is a place very close to my heart, having spent my childhood in a few different suburbs and quickly learning the value of safe, stable housing and what that brings to self-empowerment, economic prosperity and better communities.
“Stephen and the Head Start team never cease to amaze us. The passion and commitment they bring to this organisation every day inspires me to want to be a better director, a better banker and a better person.
“Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be a part of something so special - I am excited for our future.

Head Start Homes Chair, Vanessa Chan, speaking on video at the AGM, said 2023 had been the best year yet, with exponential growth in the number of families Head Start Homes is working with and the growth strategy realised.

“People are moving into savings plans, property searches and bank negotiations towards home ownership at a pace we hadn't dreamed of,” she said.
“The energy and passion the team brings to their work and their relentless pursuit of social justice, with real outcomes for our evergrowing community of families, is changing lives.”

Vanessa thanked the directors for their energy and creativity and Stephen for his unrelenting commitment and drive, which has seen Head Start Homes go from a visionary idea into a real-life solution.

Stephen spoke of the rapid growth in client outcomes in 2023, due largely to the establishment of the Home Ownership Success team.

“As of 1 November 2023, we have assessed and provided our Head Start Savings Plans to 208 households throughout Australia. This is a significant expansion from August 2022, when we provided our savings plans to just 15 households, marking a 1286% increase,” he said.
“We have also continued to enhance our cutting-edge Empowerment Products and Services, resulting in our empowered clients having multiple new pathways into home ownership.”

Stephen thanked the board, staff, partners, and volunteers for their part in the success of Head Start Homes.

“We also extend special thanks to our funding partners including the Snow Foundation, Wollongong City Council, Aboriginal Housing Office and our Founding Partner Westpac for their renewed three-year commitment to the work of Head Start Homes,” he said.
“I’m deeply grateful for their contributions - thank you to each and everyone.” 🤝🙌

At the meeting, Fran Dobbie and Jo Formosa from our Home Ownership Success Team launched our newest video which highlights Kera’s story and journey towards being a proud home owner. You can watch this heartwarming video by clicking here.

Annual Report 2023

You can learn more about our recent achievements in our 2023 Annual Report, also released at our AGM.