30 years of Nurturing Equality

1995

After 2 years of community consultation Project Micah Inc. is formed as a not-for-profit incorporated association.

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Image: St Mary's Catholic Church, South Brisbane.

1996

First Christmas Hampers for families. Now an annual event.

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Image: Christmas Hampers being packed.

1997

Community consultation undertaken in response to a request from Disability Services to house and support women with severe disability.

Individual support packages taken up leading to the development of ROMIGA (named for Roberta, Michelle and Geraldine) and the Social Inclusion Program.

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Image: Volunteers performing a "Backyard Blitz" at the ROMIGA house.

1997

Esther Trust is formed to support ex-residents from Queensland church and state-run institutions.

Read about the Esther Trust and more

1997

Pilot program undertaken to support people in inner-city boarding houses.

1998

Community Access and Support Service (CASS): the first outreach van to people sleeping rough and intoxicated on the streets.

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Image: A Brisbane park at night.

1998

Funding is received from Department of Justice Victims of Crime Program to support people abused in institutions as children.

1998

First government funding for Project Esther (est. 1994).

Read about Project Esther and more

1999

Forde Inquiry announced by Hon Anna Bligh MP.

Project Micah supports people to submit and present to the Inquiry.

2000

Project Micah officially changes name to Micah Projects Inc.

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Image: Artwork at Micah Projects Inc. offices.

2000

Young Mothers for Young Women (YMYW) Drop-in Day begins.

2001

Micah Inner-City Services (MICs) begins at St Mary’s House.

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Image: St Mary's House, home of Micah Inner City Services.

2001

Community Access and Support Service (CASS) becomes 6 night/7 day service.

2001

Micah Projects supports Forgotten Australians in preparing a submission for a Senate Inquiry.

2001

Historical Abuse Network (HAN) is established.

2001

Roberta, Michelle and Geraldine (ROMIGA), move into their home.

2001

Community Linking Program (now Resident Support Program) begins supporting people living in boarding houses and privately owned hostels.

2002

Opening of Esther Centre: a drop-in centre for people who experienced abuse as children in out-of-home care.

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Image: The cover of "Making Justice": a publication celebrating the Esther Centre, which opened in 2002 to respond to the abuse of power by professionals and carers in faith communities and human service organisations.

Read about the Esther Centre

2002

Homeless & Housing Fund established with support from St Mary’s Community. 

2002

Campbell’s Club starts as an integral part of Micah Projects' Resident Support Program.

2002

Collaboration between Young Mothers for Young Women (YMYW) and the Brisbane Domestic Violence Resource Centre on the impact of Domestic Violence on young women and families.

2002

Memorandum of Understanding with Brisbane Council of Elders is signed.

2003

Millennium Arts Homeless Project on people sleeping rough at Kurilpa Point. 

83 people housed.

2003

Emerging practice: Housing First.

Find out more about Housing First (2016 Roadmap)

2004

‘Child’ statue installed in Roma Street Forum as a memorial for children who endured abuse in out-of-home care.

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Image: Child Statue in Roma Street Forum

2004

Southside Homelessness Action Network (SHAN) report on gaps in services on Brisbane’s southside.

2004

Premier Peter Beattie visits the residents of Tent City with Micah Inner City Services (MICs).

2005

Homelessness Hub opened by Brisbane Homelessness Service Centre (BHSC) with co-located partners including Murri Watch, Centre Care SWBCOP & Brisbane Boarders.

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Image: BHSC signange being installed

2005

Charter for Redress presented by Historical Abuse Network (HAN).

2005

Micah Projects Homelessness Services is formed to build integrated responses to addressing homelessness.

2005

Micah Projects provides input in the Senate Select Committee on Mental Health.

2005

Roundtable for families held.

2006

Tent City to Tenancy partnership houses people living in tents in 
South Brisbane.

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Photo: Tents in Musgrave Park, 2024

(No photos of 2006 Tent City available).

2006

Mater Health Services locates a Clinical Nurse at the Brisbane Homelessness Service Centre (BHSC).

2006

Cross-cultural training introduced for all Micah Projects’ staff with Indigenous Trainer Tom Kirk.

2006

Continuum of services expanded through enhanced funding:

• Street to Home (formerly MICs).
• Homeless to Home (H2H) Family Homelessness National Demonstration Project.
• Early Intervention Consortium for Homelessness (REACH).

2007

Homeless to Home (H2H) Family Homelessness National Demonstration Project Evaluation is released.

Read economic evaluation of H2H (2007)

2007

Family Inclusion Network Roundtable held and Family Inclusion Network South-East Queensland (FINSEQ) is established to advocate for family rights.

2007

Mater Health Services provides post-natal services for young parenting families within the Young Mothers for Young Women (YMYW) program.

2007

Butterfly Place is established in the West End Uniting Church precinct.

2008

Which way Home?

White Paper on homelessness reconfigures programs in Australia and leads to the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness (NPAH).

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Image: Cover of 'Which Way Home' white paper.

Read 'Which Way Home' 

2008

Riverside Drive to Home project houses 58 chronically homeless people living rough along the Brisbane River, West End. 

2009

National Apology to Forgotten Australians and Child Migrants by Prime Minister, Hon Kevin Rudd MP.

People are supported to go to Canberra for the event. 

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Image: National Apology to the Forgotten Australians and Former Child Migrants, Great Hall at Australian Parliament House.

Photograph from National Museum Australia.

Read the National Apology

2009

Early childhood response, Caterpillar Place is established in the West End Uniting Church precinct.

2009

Micah Projects moves from St Mary’s House to Boundary Street, West End.

2010

50 Lives 50 Homes campaign is initiated using the Vulnerability Index tool.

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Image: 50 Lives, 50 Homes Registry Night

2010

International Partnerships:

• Community Solutions NY for 50 Lives 50 Homes.
• Housing Innovations Supportive training Housing & evaluation.

2010

National Partnerships:

• Street to Home. Enhanced funding: 20 hrs/day, 365 days a year.
• Partner in establishing Common Ground Queensland (CGQ), the first supportive housing company in Queensland.
• Brisbane Common Ground (BCG) Interim Outreach Services.

2011

Tzu Chi Foundation, Brisbane and Micah Projects commence dental fairs for families experiencing disadvantage.

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Image: Caterpillar House hosts the Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation mobile dental clinic.

2011

Brisbane Flood. Micah Projects assists at Brisbane RNA evacuation
centre, and provides post-flood support & advocacy.

2011

The Hive commences social support and inclusion services to Home and Community Care eligible people in South Brisbane.

2012

Partnership between Common Ground Queensland (CGQ) and SNM Security.

2012

Homelessness and Health Roundtable with Dr Jim O’Connell (Healthcare for the Homeless, Boston).

2012

Homeless to Home (H2H) After Hours Nurses partnership between Mater Health Services and Micah Projects is funded by Greater Metro South Brisbane Medicare Local. 

2012

Brisbane Domestic Violence Service contract is transferred from DVRC. Open tender 2014.

2012

Australian Government Find & Connect services commence (Lotus Place).

2013

BCG Nurse Integration program begins in partnership with Mater Health Services and St Vincent’s Private Hospital, Brisbane.

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Image: St Vincent’s Private Hospital nurse integrated with Micah Projects

2013

Micah Projects becomes a member of the Partners in Recovery consortium (Metro South) to support people with mental illness, especially those who are homeless.

2013

Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) is adopted. RAP Committee supports annual events such as Close the Gap and Sorry Day.

2014

Lotus Place opens in Townsville and Rockhampton.

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Image: Gavin and Ron, Lotus Place, North Queensland

2014

BHSC is closed as a centre and becomes the Brisbane Homelessness Service Collaborative.

2014

Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

2014

St Vincent’s Private Hospital and Micah Projects: Pathways Pilot Project on Hospital Admission and Discharge.

2014

Inclusive Health Partnerships Memorandum of Understanding is signed.

2015

Homeless to Home (H2H) Healthcare Partnership Strategy.

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Image: Eva, H2H Healthcare Clinical Nurse on duty with Shelley from the Steet to Home team.

Photography: Erin Ebert.

2015

Brisbane Domestic Violence Service (BDVS) receives domestic violence funds for providing a Brisbane regional service.

2015

Parents as Teachers early intervention program.

2015

Supporting people to engage with the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

2015

Young Mothers for Young Women (YMYW) celebrates 20 year anniversary.

2015

The Hive program, at Brisbane Common Ground.

2015

From the Ground Up, Micah Projects and Common Ground Queensland.

2015

Original artwork for Lotus Place.

2016

BDVS Safer Lives 24/7 Mobile Service.

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Image: Media conference acknowledging the first six months’ progress of Brisbane Domestic Violence Service working with Queensland Police Service (QPS) to rapidly respond to women and children experiencing domestic violence.

2016

Wellspring sites opened in Inala and Zillmere.

2017

Inclusive Health and Wellness Hub, opened in partnership with Tzu Chi Buddhist Foundation.

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Image: Dignitaries cutting the ribbon at the official opening of the Inclusive Health and Wellness Hub.

2017

Brisbane City Council Mobile Healthcare for the Homeless.

2017

Department of Education and Training, Skilling Queenslanders for Work.

2017

Early Intervention for Young Pregnant, Parenting Women, Children and their Families.

2017

Occasional Care at Wellspring Early Childhood Hub.

2017

Partners in Recovery.

2017

The Hive: Social Inclusion.

2018

Skilling Queenslanders for Work (SQW) Project (First Round).

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Image: Jadene, whose "Skilling Queenslanders for Work" hospitality traineeship led to a full-time job in hotel reception at a leading hotel in Uluru.

2018

Boarding House Blues pilot program.

2018

Established The Hive team through Home and Community Care Funding.

2018

Wellspring Hub, Caboolture Hospital.

2018

Pathways Hospital Admission and Discharge.

2018

Brisbane Alliance to End Homelessness.

2018

Renovation of the first floor of 28 Malcolm St completed.

2019

Brisbane and Logan Zero supported by Ellen Whitty Trust.

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Image: The home of Brisbane Zero in West End.

2019

Integration of Brisbane Region High Risk Team.

2019

Keeping Families Together first Supportive Housing for Families.

2020

COVID-19 response.

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Image: Street to Home working closely with hotel owners and other services to provide access to accommodation and support during the COVID-19 crisis.

2020

'Staying Connected, adapting to COVID-19' films produced.

See the 'Staying Connected' films (YouTube)

2021

Supportive Housing: Keeping Families Together pilot.

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Image: Family working with Keeping Families Together.

2021

NDIS Community Connector Program.

2021

Property purchased at Hawthorne to provide services for Wellspring Children and Families Hub through a Hand Heart Pocket donation.

2022

Circus in a Teacup commences, a Vulcana Circus production.

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Image: Survivors of Domestic and Family Violence telling their stories through movement at "Circus in a Teacup".

2022

Keeping Families Together (KFT) Evaluation, University of Queensland

Read the KFT Evaluation Report (2022)

2022

United Artists Project.

2022

Young Parents 2Gen Project.

Read about 2-generational approaches (2024)

2023

Mobile Health Van and outreach nurse, donated by Queen’s Wharf workforce. 

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Image: Mobile Health van made possible with generous funding from Queen's Wharf Workforce.

2023

Young Mothers for Young Women (YMYW) social enterprise.

2023

Aged Care Navigators at Lotus Place to support Forgotten Australian cohort.

2023

Footprints re-established.

2023

Policy Leaders’ Roundtable: Family Support as Early Intervention with Vulnerable Families event. 

2023

Brisbane Zero campaign.

2023

The First 2000 Days. Family and perinatal pathways for re-shaping 
the future.

Read about the First 2000 Days

2023

Blueprint Model of Care for the Clinical Nurse Partnerships Domestic Violence Project.

Read about the Blueprint Model of Care

2024

Reconvened Homeless to Home (H2H) Healthcare Network

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Image: Presentation at a forum for the Reconvened Homeless to Home Healthcare Network.

2024

Wellspring Children and Families Hub: The First 2000 Days, advocacy and programs. 

2024

Family Inclusion Network SEQ established.

2024

Launch of 2024 strategic roadmap: Breaking Down the Silos: Creating Sustainable Change.

Read the 2024 Strategic Roadmap

2024

GOA Community Partnership, Press Play campaign.

Donate to the Press Play Campaign

2024

Supportive Housing Roundtable.

2025

Opened new Wellspring Women and Girls’ Health Hub, Caboolture, funded by Queensland Health.

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Image: A participant being welcomed at the Wellspring Women and Girls Health Hub, opened in Caboolture in 2025.

2025

Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred response across all services.

2025

Opened new Women and Children’s Hub, Hawthorne.

2025

Social Work in General Practice pilot at Inclusive Health Hub.

2025

Expanded Lotus Services, supporting sexual violence and child sexual abuse.

2025

Family Connections pilot.

2025

Domestic and Family Violence Specialists embedded in police stations.