Ms Bugden is enjoying the new job, having heard about it from a fellow accountant.

“I jumped on board without hesitation, because it is a good cause and I am child-oriented,” she said.

“I am an accountant and a jack of all trades. I have a business in Ulladulla coaching and tutoring children, and I am also a part-time bookkeeper.” 

Ms Bugden is taking steps to ensure negative publicity about Community Life’s family emergency accommodation facility Hope Place is a thing of the past.

“We have a bit of bad publicity but it has all been sorted,” she said. 

“We have made lots of changes, including installing lockable fences and child-safe fences between the buildings and the creek. We have a big new sign put up at the entrance which was made by a client. There are now stricter rules, boundaries and protocol and clients are listed on an online data base and are all connected with case workers.”

Many other renovations are under way or in the pipeline at the facility.

Ms Bugden said the 10 rooms and one dormitory of Hope Place were “almost full”, but that this was not a bad thing.

“We are not government funded so we need to be full to break even, so we aim to stay full,” she said, adding that clients pay a small accommodation fee.

What Hope Place does need are more volunteers.

“We are looking for volunteers for nightly (7pm to 7am) supervision,” Ms Bugden said.

“It just involves locking the place up, keeping it secure and reporting any issues overnight.

“We provide a reimbursement of $25 for meals. We also need more office staff to man the phones.”