For Caitlan, Brisbane Common Ground is home. Before becoming a tenant at Brisbane Common Ground, Caitlan had been couch surfing for 4 months before getting into a women’s hostel located out at Toowong. Caitlan said that she was at this hostel for 10 months while the Department of Housing did a complete overhaul of their system.

She says part of the reason why this time in her life was so important was because it had a huge impact on her mental health, with all of the things she had been going through.

“I was generally happy, but I would go through bouts of my mental health where I needed support, and the workers at the hostel were able to give me that support.”

While she was at the hostel, her support worker heard the news: a vacancy was about to become available at Brisbane Common Ground. With her permission, they organised an interview with the Tenancy Manager where she inspected and was offered an apartment.

Caitlan moved into Brisbane Common Ground soon after.

“I was a ball of emotions. I was so happy and excited to finally have somewhere stable to live, and not have the stress of finding somewhere [to live], but I was also really overwhelmed by everything once the realisation had set in. Thankfully the staff were all very helpful and happy to help.”

Since coming to live at Brisbane Common Ground, Caitlan shares that she has created so many special memories, each of which she cherishes deeply. She reflects on several memorable moments from her experience as a tenant, including digging for turmeric in the rooftop gardens on level 13, enjoying the weekly Tenant Meals, and interacting with a variety of people every day. Currently, she also works at the Hope Street Cafe next door through Micah Projects.

Caitlan says that she very much looks forward to continuing to live at Brisbane Common Ground. She looks forward to more shifts at the Cafe, making new friends, and fostering the current relationships she has with the community here.

She also shares that one of her greatest passions is fostering dogs. She loves giving them affection and showing them that there are many people eager to provide the love they truly deserve.

We’d like to thank Caitlan for her personal courage in sharing her story with us.

Written 2024