Possum Visitor


Last night one of the possums that lives (or scampers around) in our backyard tree decided to come in and say hello. Unfortunately possums and kitchens at midnight don't go so well... so we had to catch and take him back out to the tree. Needless to say chasing a scared possum around is pretty tough work but we got him out safely in the end with only a minor scratch to the finger of a SHAC housie.

Does anyone want to name our mischievous possum friend?

Wish List


Paint / paintbrushes
Fire blankets
Smoke alarms
Brooms / rakes
Washing machine(s)
Food
Cooking pots of all sizes
Cushions
Couches
Rugs
Tables
Chairs (indoor and outdoor)
Material for curtains
Pens / markers (permanent and whiteboard) / crayons / chalk
Scrap paper
Vacuum cleaner(s)
Lamps
Tupperware
Toilet brush
Flower pots and/or planters
Monetary donations (for our fire safety fund)
You!

Thanks!



Thanks to all for your support, solidarity, enthusiasm and love! A special thanks to those of you who came by today for the Melbourne City Council inspection – it's great to know that we can call on our friends at short notice.

For those of you who weren't in the loop, here's a quick update:

Today, building surveyors from Melbourne City Council conducted an inspection of the SHAC house. Some fire fighters and a Melbourne University representative were also there. They were all impressed with the measures we had taken to improve the property's health and safety standards in the little time that we have been living here. But there are still challenges to come - we will keep you posted on the developments and let you know how you can be involved.

In preparation for the inspection, we called people on our contact list and asked them to come down to support us. The place felt like a bustling market – it was great. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, reading, chatting, meeting new people. We even had people practicing their instruments in the chill out room!

It is really important to continue to show the University that we have such solid support. Please come if we call on you again!

And remember we welcome visitors always so make sure you're coming by to use the space in the day or coming to our events in the evening.

If you're not sure whether you're on the contact list, email us (shachouse@gmail.com) with your phone number and we will add you.

Some Day To Day SHAC...


At SHAC there are two different rooms set up for studying. This one is the downstairs one but we also have another directly above it. Both rooms have desks and chairs set up with lamps for in the evening. If you need a space to do some reading or write your already overdue essay come along to SHAC and set up in one of the studies.



With so many people coming through SHAC everyday and eating there the dishes can quickly pile up! We're all really conscious of making sure the space stays neat and tidy and cleaning up after ourselves. We ask that if you come through you give us a hand by cleaning up after yourself, washing your own dishes or pitching in to help wash up the big pots of food nights.



We at SHAC are very health conscious - particularly when it comes to dental hygiene.



All of our food is either donated or dumpstered. Everything is communal and we take it in turns to cook dinners and clean up. Every Monday night there is Play With Your Food (a free food night, mostly vegan) and on Friday evenings we have Daddy's Cook Up (a run of the mill barbecue, bring your own drinks). All welcome!



At SHAC we have started setting up a garden. We have a great composting system in place and we've started growing our own vegetables. Here are some of the seedlings.

Regular Events


EVERYONE IS WELCOME!

Every Monday 5.30 - 9PM
PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD

Every Monday night at the SHAC house we have a free community dinner. Bands come and play, tasty food is cooked up and gobbled down and lots of people come and make new friends or see old ones.

In keeping with our ideas on cooperative living and collective organising we'd love if you came along at 5.30 to help chop up and cook up and stir the pots of taste sensations. It's not a prerequisite for attendance but why not give it a go!?!


Every Tuesday - 8PM
SHAC CINEMATHEQUE

Every Tuesday night SHAC will be hosting a film night extraordinare.

Featuring local films, foreign films, long films, short films, funny films, sad films, fiction films, non-fiction films, political films, bruce willis films... hopefully mostly good films (though we might chuck a bad one in occasionally just for kicks)...

If you have a film you think we should screen let us know. If you would like to have your film screened let us know. If you would like to host the screening let us know. If you want to help us set up (or get involved in the tangling of cords) come along before 7. It would be much appreciated!

EVERYONE IS WELCOME! Think of it as a slumber party without the slumber and without the party but still you know, really fun...

(P.s. Bring your own cushion if you can.)

Every Wednesday - 6PM
SKILLS SHARE

Starting next week SHAC will be hosting weekly skills shares on a range of things. What is a skills share? WHen someone who knows heaps about a topic (whether it be an industry, a computer program, knitting, screen printing, centrelink or more) comes and runs a workshop about it - telling you everything they know and teaching you the practical measures of their knowledge. If you think you might have some skill or skills you'd like to share let us know and you can run one!

Every Friday - 6PM
DADDY'S COOK UP

There is nothing like a great cook up at the end of the week. Every Friday SHAC will be running a big tasty barbecue cook up. There will be heaps of vegan and vegetarian options as well as (we suspect) a hell of a lot of sausages. All are welcome to come by on a Friday eve and kick back with a snack and some friendly people to unwind with... If you want to bring alcohol you can but keep in mind we're not big fans of drunkeness...

Every Saturday - ALL DAY
WORKING BEA AND TEA

Every Saturday our doors will be open all day for people to come and help us out. That means you! Whether it be fixing a hole, scrubbing a wall, sewing curtains or painting pictures to hang and beautify YOU can help (and we'll love you for it).
Many, many cups of tea will be drunk... hell, we'll even make them for you.

What You Can Do...

Lots of people have been asking what they can do to help us out. Well! If you support our project you can help out in any of the following ways (and it will be much appreciated!):

- Drop by for a chat & a cuppa any day between our ‘opening’ hours 12-6pm. We welcome you & will show you a tour of the space.

- Come to one of our many evening events! The more people using the space the better!

- Donations would be greatly appreciated! Old furniture, washing machine, anything that you are no longer using may be of help to us.

Non-perishable food is of course always helpful.

- Email the “decision makers” of Melbourne University. Tell them of your support for the Student Housing Action Collective:
Peter McPhee the Provost - p.mcphee@unimelb.edu.au
Glyn Davis the Vice-Chancellor - vc@unimelb.edu.au

- Please tell people in the local community, invite them for a visit. This is a diverse and inclusive project, made possible only by plural involvement.

UNIVERSITY REFUSES TO EVICT HOMELESS STUDENTS

(2nd September 2008)

Last night the University of Melbourne Council acknowledged the lack of affordable student housing and formally requested that the Vice-Chancellor Glyn Davis examine co-operative housing as a solution.

The University Council was informed of the activities and plans of the Student Housing Action Co-operative (SHAC). Students from the SHAC Co-operative have been living in vacant terraces owned by the University for the past two weeks. The terraces on Faraday street have been abandoned since 2005 and the University have no current plans for their use.

According to the President of University of Melbourne Postgraduate Association (UMPA), Tammi Jonas, who was present at the council meeting, "The University will undertake an investigation of co-operative student housing to address homelessness amongst students."

SHAC member Liz Turner said, "The SHAC co-operative is taking direct action to address the real need for low cost student housing. We are acting for ourselves and for our fellow students who are in stressful housing situations.

"The students living at Faraday street have been putting the co-operative model into practice for the last two weeks. Students will continue to make Faraday street their home. Most people support what we are doing because they are aware of the lack of affordable accommodation."

The Faraday street terraces have now been transformed into safe, secure, clean and warm living environments. The students have made improvements to the premises and have implemented health and safety procedures with the support of unions. SHAC has also provided free breakfasts and dinners for students and others in the local area.

For comment contact:

Tammi Jonas, President UMPA, 0422 429 362

Liz Turner, SHAC, 0402 657 392

Public Forum: Housing Crisis

SHAC are hosting an informal public forum on the housing crisis!

There will be lots of information about SHAC; what we are doing, why we are doing it and how we've done it so far... Also we'll be talking about social housing, housing cooperatives and collective organising.

If you're interested in knowing more or just want to find out how YOU can support the campaign come along.

This Thursday, 6pm at SHAC. Be there!

Homeless Story...

I was homeless at the age of 15 due to the fact I needed to escape a household filled with neglect and drugs. I continued going to high school and was put into emergency housing by the government but yet again, I was surrounded by strangers and drugs. It can be hard to focus on staying sane and keeping your life as normal as possible when you have no money, no options and severe lack of discipline... but I found the strength knowing that I was better than the squalor that surrounded me. Years later, I now have a beautiful home and work for a certain pay television company, but that does not make me forget where I have been and always donate money to charities that support the homeless. Having never been to the SHAC house (but have read many things about it on the internet), I would like to show my support and gratitude that there are people out there who aren't afraid to stand up for their right to live and their right to an education.

- 'Bek'