Crisis & Affordable Accommodation
“Without us, our visitors’ quality of life would be very different. Sefa’s work in developing our Theory of Change solidified how important we are to our patients in the eyes of our funding partners and the New South Wales Government.”
Going through cancer treatment is a challenging journey. But for many Australians living in rural and regional communities in New South Wales, distance can make things even more stressful. Some of Macquarie Home Stay’s visitors travel nearly 800km to access treatment at Dubbo’s Cancer Centre.
Macquarie Home Stay in Dubbo has been providing low-cost, short-term accommodation for people before, during and after healthcare treatment since 2019. The home-away-from-home caters to patients with various health concerns, from high-risk pregnancies and chronic diseases to cancer. Over the last four years, the organisation has welcomed more than 4,300 patients from regional New South Wales – and the accommodation provider can’t keep up with demand, turning away three patients every day.
With an urgent need to expand, Managing Director Rod Crowfoot needed the capital to build three additional accommodation precincts across 8.5 acres. But to do that, he needed to prove Macquarie Home Stay’s impact beyond the accommodation it provides. “We wanted to put a framework around the role we play within the ecosystem of health and patient experience – and get a richer sense of clarity for what we do and our impact on our western and northern communities,” Rod shares.
After Rod reached out to Sefa for help, we created the organisation’s Theory of Change and developed a way to measure and articulate Macquarie Home Stay’s impact in a way that made it more attractive to potential investors and funding partners.
A clear purpose, robust Theory of Change and evidence of its critical role within the Western NSW health ecosystem not only helped crystalise Macquarie Home Stay’s direction, but they also made it more attractive to government.
“The Theory of Change really brought the board together and allowed them to understand exactly what business we are in and what our role is within the provision of health services in the region. And it helped us secure a significant grant,” explains Rod.
While initially the team was looking to explore loan options, it received a grant from the government in 2023 that made a significant co contribution to the funding requirements for its stage two expansion. This grant has supported the organisation to expand on its masterplan – building an additional 26 units to support Cancer patients while receiving treatment in Dubbo. A further two accommodation precincts are still on the horizon which will take their capacity to 63 units.
The team will now focus on aligning its five-year strategic plan with their Theory of Change and continuing to provide an invaluable patient experience.
