An experienced ensemble committed to making change
The Habilis charity is the result of collaboration between individuals and organisations who share a deep commitment to solving the problem of homelessness and chronic mental health issues.
It is led by Professor Olav Nielssen, a practicing psychiatrist and professor who has spent much of his career observing the shortcomings of the mental health system. His vision for a better way is based on seeing countries such as Italy employ a similar model of compassionate, supportive housing. With the guidance and support of partners and his own hard work and commitment, Habilis has gone from vision to successful reality in a few short years.
Together, we are working towards expanding our model to provide permanent housing for more people in need.
Our board
Olav Nielssen
Founder, practicing psychiatrist and professor, has over 30 years of experience in treating and advocating for the mentally ill, with a deep understanding of the challenges faced by the homeless community. He has extensive research interests and was a member of the college of psychiatrists committee developing guidelines for the treatment of schizophrenia.
Oona Nielssen
Oona is a senior strategic communication and stakeholder engagement consultant with experience across government, corporations, not for profits and communication agencies. Her expertise lies in large complex organisational matters and issues management. She has held several board memberships and is currently a Director of Junction Neighbourhood Centres.
Nicky McWilliam
BA, LLB, LLM, PhD (law), FDRP, NMAS Nicky has practiced as a solicitor in Sydney and in London, and is the principal of Sydney Mediation Partnership. She is an accredited arbitrator and practices in the area of commercial, business, family and general mediation. She has an appointment as a visiting research fellow in the Faculty of Law at the University of Technology.
Joe Scarf
Director of Arissa Group and experienced property developer with a commitment to social impact, Joe’s development expertise helped bring the Summer Hill project to life. Carrying on the legacy of his late father Greg, close friend of Olav’s, and co-creator of the Habilis concept, Joe continues to contribute his time to the Habilis business and funding model.
Frank Scarf
Passionate about the art of sourcing site opportunities, Frank is director of Arissa Group and brings his acquisitions and development experience to the Habilis mission. Also carrying on the legacy of his late father Greg, Frank shares the dream of building more safe places to live for the people who have fallen through the gaps of society.
Jane Lloyd
Board Advisor and property expert with over 30 years’ experience in Australia and global property markets, across all asset classes. Jane was instrumental in the project management of Habilis 1’s development at Summer Hill.
Rachel Buckeridge
Practising artist and depression and anxiety sufferer since childhood, Rachel watched in despair as friends with schizophrenia were not provided with the support and treatment they needed. Having seen the effects of homelessness combined with psychotic illness, Rachel is a passionate supporter of Habilis to address these problems.
Judith Pini
Judith is a solicitor with extensive experience in the property, corporate and government sectors, as well as a range of volunteer and charitable initiatives. Her most recent role was as general counsel to Mirvac Group.
Clinical Team
Linda Bowden
Manager at our Summer Hill centre, Linda has a Masters degree in Social Work and provides supervision and care for our residents. She has been a social worker at a high school and the team leader of the Inner City Crisis Team. She provides a weekly art therapy group at Uspace. She is also an accomplished sculptor, with works accepted in Sculpture by the Sea on fourteen occasions.
Naidene Jones
Providing clinic services at Summer Hill two mornings per week, Naidene has a master’s degree in nursing and is a mental health nurse practitioner. She has worked in acute psychiatry, the homeless sector and has also lectured in mental health nursing at UTS, University of Sydney and Notre Dame. She has also provided training to mental health practitioners in Nepal.
Governance
We aim to align with state and national standards in the quality of accomodation and care we provide. Specifically we are working towards accreditation as a social housing provider and as a provider of Supported Disability Accommodation.
We have an experienced board, are developing operating policies and procedures and aim to provide the highest quality care in accordance with current guidelines.
We plan to publish our outcomes and our auditors report in due course.
Above all, we are accountable to our residents and their families and aim for continuous evaluation and improvement based on feedback and advice from our consumers.
Other contributors
Collins and Turner Architects
A leading design firm responsible for thoughtfully developing the Habilis Summer Hill prototype with a focus on safety, sustainability, and calm liveability.
Link Wentworth Housing
A community housing provider assisting with the tenant transition process and ensuring compliance with NDIS requirements.