"Number 47": legacies and impacts of the Salvation Army's community house in the Ivanhoe Public Housing Estate

Love, loss and legacy: valuing our voices

Urban environments in Australia are under increasing pressure to become more compact, given the increasing density and heterogeneity of the population. The push for high density living, however, has had consequences for lower-income and marginalised sectors of the community. In reframing approaches to the development of new models of social housing, the re-development of the Ivanhoe Public Housing Estate in Sydney’s North offers insights and lessons through understanding the impact and legacy of its 25 year history within the community. This paper explores the work of The Salvation Army in its community house at 47 Ivanhoe Place since early-2001. The collaborative research aimed to investigate what shapes success and nurtures capacity for success in community engagement, community development and supporting community resilience in adverse situations. Data collection involved semi-structured video interviewing, drawing on the voices and lived experience of past residents, Salvation Army 'professional neighbours', and key government staff. The data analysis informs an emerging narrative, framed through the idea of 'holding space' where all voices contribute to co-generating learning and understandings.