Najidah is a

nonprofit A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

secular Secularity, also the secular or secularness (from Latin ''saeculum'', "worldly" or "of a generation"), is the state of being unrelated or neutral in regards to religion. Anything that does not have an explicit reference to religion, either negativ ...

organisation in

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

dedicated to reducing societal tolerance of

abuse Abuse is the improper usage or treatment of a thing, often to unfairly or improperly gain benefit. Abuse can come in many forms, such as: physical or verbal maltreatment, injury, assault, violation, rape, unjust practices, crimes, or other t ...

and the development of safer communities. Located in

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

on the Sunshine Coast, it was founded as "Jacana lodge" (a

homelessness Homelessness or houselessness – also known as a state of being unhoused or unsheltered – is the condition of lacking stable, safe, and adequate housing. People can be categorized as homeless if they are: * living on the streets, also kn ...

service) in the early 1990s before becoming an incorporated association in 1999.

Belief statement and mission

The Najidah Prime Statement:

"No form of abuse is acceptable. Every individual has the right to live in a safe community."

Najidah Community Development practices work for the reduction of societal tolerance of abuse; and Najidah Service Delivery contributes to the development of safer communities. All Najidah responses adhere to the Najidah Philosophy, which is contextualised in the United Nations Bill of Human Rights. The name ''Najidah'' is of

middle eastern The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Province), East Thrace (European ...

origin. Its simple meaning is "to succour with courage

Mythologically, Najidah was a dancer and entertainer of rich and influential men, who used her position to rescue women and children from life-threatening situations, spiriting them away to safety.

History

Najidah founded its first service, Jacana Lodge in partnership with the Women's Crisis Service in 1993. In 1999, Najidah became an Incorporation (business), Incorporated Association and received Federal and State Government funding to provide accommodation services to families escaping

Domestic Violence Domestic violence (also known as domestic abuse or family violence) is violence or other abuse that occurs in a domestic setting, such as in a marriage or cohabitation. ''Domestic violence'' is often used as a synonym for ''intimate partner ...

(DV). In partnership with the Queensland Departments of Communities and Housing, Najidah established the first specialist DV accommodation service in the Sunshine Coast region. The organization expanded accommodation services in 2003 and again in 2005 to include medium term accommodation services and as a result, in 2006 Najidah provided in excess of 14,000 nights accommodation to homeless families. Further growth and development included a host of ancillary programs and the development of a unique accommodation service in

Noosa The Shire of Noosa is a local government area about north of Brisbane in the Sunshine Coast district of South East Queensland, Australia. The shire covers an area of . It existed as a local government entity from 1910 until 2008, when it was ...

, on the Sunshine Coast of Australia. During this time Najidah developed a national profile as an innovative, boutique organization known for high levels of effectiveness and several national

best practice A best practice is a method or technique that has been generally accepted as superior to other known alternatives because it often produces results that are superior to those achieved by other means or because it has become a standard way of doing ...

awards. As the government funding Najidah received for its accommodation services requires a focus primarily on adults, such funds were not widely available to accommodate the needs of children. Najidah affirms and adheres to the national standards for working with children exposed to DV and therefore has taken steps to

fundraise Fundraising or fund-raising is the process of seeking and gathering voluntary financial contributions by engaging individuals, businesses, charitable foundations, or governmental agencies. Although fundraising typically refers to efforts to gathe ...

sufficient resources to provide a range of award-winning "child focused" programs to children in Najidah services. Najidah's early responses to help the homeless focused primarily on accommodation. However, the problem of homelessness, in general, is far more complex and could not be solved by such measures alone, so Najidah's scope and services have broadened accordingly. Over the years of its operation, Najidah has dealt with barriers that impede people in overcoming homelessness, by offering an

holistic Holism () is the idea that various systems (e.g. physical, biological, social) should be viewed as wholes, not merely as a collection of parts. The term "holism" was coined by Jan Smuts in his 1926 book ''Holism and Evolution''."holism, n." OED Onl ...

, integrated case management approach. This includes supporting families to address issues in the areas of health and well-being; education and children's needs; legal matters and financial matters, as well as accommodation. Using an empowerment model based on power relations theory, the Najidah approach focuses on living an independent and self determined life. The 2003 establishment of the Najidah Community Development department broadened Najidah's operations through a series of partnerships to develop whole of community responses to homelessness, abuse and violence as well as the many social factors that create the environment in which such problems can flourish.

Programs

Accommodation Services Through the Regional Accommodation Service, Najidah provides accommodation to families affected by Domestic and Family Violence. Services are delivered with varying levels of support and length of stay, depending on circumstance. Accommodation options include: * Emergency – overnight to 6 weeks * Short term – 6 to 12 weeks * Longer term – up to 24 weeks Service users are supported to develop and implement a plan of action to develop necessary support networks and resources for

independent living Independent living (IL), as seen by its advocates, is a philosophy, a way of looking at society and disability, and a worldwide movement of disabled people working for equal opportunities, self-determination, and self-respect. In the context o ...

. This includes planning to resolve issues in the areas of: * Related legal matters * Financial matters * Health matters * Emotional matters * Children's needs Head High – Young people living beyond suicide Provides support and information for young people (and people working with young people) – who have lost someone to suicide. Winner of national youth suicide prevention awards from Suicide Prevention Australia in 2006 and 2007. Kids Club Kids Club is an activity-based support group for past and present resident primary school aged children at Najidah. Kids Club is a 2006 winner of the national crime and violence prevention awards. Tiny Tots A playgroup styled program for resident families at Najidah. Clever Cookies Clever Cookies provides support around developing healthy and

nutritious Nutrition is the biochemical and physiological process by which an organism uses food to support its life. It provides organisms with nutrients, which can be metabolized to create energy and chemical structures. Failure to obtain sufficient nu ...

menus inexpensively. Family Support Program Family Support Program provides individualized support to families. SCIPS SCIPS develops integrated systems of community support to children, families and staff in primary schools. Community Ink Community Ink is Najidahs’

volunteer Volunteering is a voluntary act of an individual or group freely giving time and labor for community service. Many volunteers are specifically trained in the areas they work, such as medicine, education, or emergency rescue. Others serve ...

and tertiary student placement program, providing opportunities for volunteers to take up meaningful roles within the organization. Community Ink was the winner of the National Excellence in Volunteer management awards (QLD).

Awards and achievements

*National Community Housing Association High Commendation for "Excellence in service to the community" (2005) *Australian Crime and Violence Prevention certificate of merit (2006) *Suicide Prevention Australia "Life Award" for Youth Suicide Prevention (2006) *National Volunteer Awards "Excellence in Volunteer management" (2007) *Suicide Prevention Australia High Commendation for Youth Suicide Prevention (2007)

External links

Najidah official websiteNajidah Head High website
{{Homelessness Charities based in Australia Homelessness charities Homelessness in Australia Suicide in Australia Non-profit organisations based in Queensland