In early 2025, Ascott Australia – the parent company of Quest Apartment Hotels – partnered with Housing All Australians and St Vincent de Paul Society Tasmania to help outfit Amelie House, a transitional housing facility in Hobart for women at risk of homelessness. Around $500,000 worth of furniture was donated to Amelie House. Here, Heather Kent – CEO of Vinnies Tas – talks about the partnership and the important work the organisation does every day.
Why are these kinds of partnerships so vital?
Because of the housing crisis, there are simply not enough services that offer supported transitional accommodation to women, including those experiencing domestic violence. As a consequence, many women continue to live in dangerous circumstances. We could not have delivered a warm and dignified space for those women were it not for the support of Housing All Australians and Ascott Australia. Amelie House is a place of vibrant warmth and that's what I want to offer a woman who has the courage to come to us and begin rebuilding her life.
Tell us about the work you do.
The core work of Vinnies is delivery of emergency relief. So while we respond in times of flood or fires, every single day across the nation we’re here for people who need to feed their loved ones, pay the rent and keep the power on. To help us do that, the ecosystem that is Vinnies is large and diverse – we’re so much more than just retail stores!
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned as the CEO of a not-for-profit?
Relying so heavily on volunteers and typically being under-resourced, you've got to be nimble and ready to seize opportunities as soon as they arise.
What’s a good day at work for you?
A good day for me is when I get a sense of flow and connect with like-minded individuals, organisations and corporates, to make things happen – connecting to Ascott Australia, for example. And once you start moving ahead with that, it snowballs and amplifies the impact.
What are the challenges that lie ahead?
Insufficiency of resources and the increasing prevalence of women over 55 experiencing poverty. Sadly, we've also had greater community conversations about domestic violence. And for these reasons, we see a far greater likelihood that women might find themselves on their own, experiencing homelessness. That's why things such as Amelie House are important.
If you could go back to the time when you were starting on your leadership journey, what advice would you give yourself?
I look back and think, ‘If only I'd had the confidence, I may have had the capacity to do even more’. So my advice would be: don’t underestimate yourself.
No one succeeds alone. Who is the mentor or inspiration that has helped you along the way?
Our Governor-General, Her Excellency the Honorable Sam Mostyn, has enormous humility and takes seriously her role as a representative of the people, including those experiencing vulnerability. She chose early in her tenure to spend some time with the men who are accommodated in our homelessness Support Centre. She was so genuine, I learned a lot from her, and I really admire her approach.
Where is the place you feel most yourself?
Somewhere by the water. We have so many beautiful walks on the coastline in Tasmania but my favourite is the Bay of Fires area on the East Coast where I can let go of everything and find clarity.
