Excitement builds as groundbreaking Geelong project nears completion

A CAREER-LONG dream to co-ordinate Geelong’s first ever women’s residential rehabilitation facility has come to fruition for former nurse Georgia Hicks.

Ms Hicks is the first program manager of Geelong charity Foundation 61’s House of Hope, tasked with establishing programs and a volunteer base that will eventually service residents of the under-construction facility.

The House of Hope will be a women’s-only residential drug rehabilitation centre in the mould of the charity’s successful men’s programs in Geelong.

Ms Hicks spent the early years of her career working with Barwon Health’s drug support programs, but said she had an early interest in charity founder Rob Lytzki’s project.

“When I first got interested in drug and alcohol treatment, I knew Rob and [his wife] Caroline from church circles,” she said.

“I contacted them initially because I knew that years ago there was this talk of a women’s rehab. I really wanted to be part of it,” she said.

“I’d seen they’ve been able to get a lot of guys into rehab, but there’s no space for women.”

Ms Hicks said she quickly became aware of the need for a women’s-only facility in Geelong.

Her referrals of patients to Melbourne facilities had a nine-month waiting period, and often never eventuated.

House of Hope includes eight beds for its residents, including two spaces for women with children, providing a space close to home for participants to get their lives back on track.

It will have daily support programs with help from specialists in counselling, psychologists and therapy, and a group of volunteers that will assist with day-to-day tasks.

The site has been built in part with labouring help from participants of Foundation 61’s existing programs.

Project leaders are yet to set a completion date target as they wait on final materials and trades – but are hopeful of welcoming their first residents by the end of this year and be fully operational in early 2024.

Ms Hicks said her present day-to-day made her a “jack of all trades” – ranging from early discussions with health services about referrals and establishing support services, to trips to Bunnings to further progress the ongoing build.

She said stakeholders’ willingness to support the project filled her with confidence the groundbreaking project would be a success.

“To do this well, will take a lot of commitment. We want to make sure it’s exactly what the women need around our community so that we can be examples to the rest of Victoria, and Australia as well,

“There’s a huge community around Foundation 61 already of families and individuals that have been struggling with drugs and alcohol.

“It’s just broadened out to people wanting to be involved, and that are invested in what we’re doing here.”