Century-Old Hostel Continues to Empower Women and Transform Lives in the Modern Era

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More than a century ago, the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) bought a building in Sydney’s CBD and turned it into a hostel for young women seeking safety and stability.

What started as a modest hostel has since become a 156-room hotel — but the mission remains the same: supporting women’s housing.

For Song Hotel general manager Jon Ackary, combining commercial success with social impact isn’t just a business strategy — it’s personal.

“It is just a dream, as a hotelier, to do something that makes such an impact for other people,” he said.

The Song Hotel in Sydney has a unique mission: it allocates a portion of its revenue to support housing initiatives for women, addressing the increasing demands on the housing sector.

An old photograph of a building in Sydney in the 1920s.

Established nearly a century ago, the original Song Hotel building was acquired by the YWCA and remains a testament to its dedication to social causes.

The need for such initiatives is pressing. Data from Homelessness Australia reveals a significant 20% rise in the number of women and girls who are already homeless when they seek shelter.

“Many women are on a waiting list for housing, and some are living with a violent perpetrator in the house. That’s a big risk for them and for the kids as well,” Soni said.

“They may end up in a caravan or sleeping in gardens or on the trains. And that is not safe for women, not for any woman.”

Originally trained as a doctor in India, Soni migrated to Sydney in 2017 before redirecting her career towards social work.

After completing a postgraduate degree in social work, she joined the YWCA and now works on the frontline of Australia’s worsening housing crisis.

“Rents are high all over Australia. So, it’s very hard to afford housing. And if it is hard for people who are working, then it’s very hard for the people who are at risk,” Soni said.

Recent analysis by Domain highlights the scale of the challenge, showing renters now need a six-figure annual income to comfortably afford a house in any Australian capital city.

The hotel’s recently refurbished Sydney site near Hyde Park is one of around 12,000 social enterprises operating nationwide — businesses that trade commercially while reinvesting profits to create social good.

Every year, the Song Hotel offers approximately 130,000 nights of safe accommodation, but the demand for these services continues to surpass the available resources.

But balancing financial viability with purpose is rarely straightforward.

Social Traders CEO Tara Anderson said social enterprises give millions of dollars annually towards charitable causes.

“And this is one of the really important ways that they create impact,” she said.

“But running such a business can be really difficult because profit and purpose can be in conflict with each other. So, the people who run social enterprises have to walk a really tricky tightrope.”

Social Traders recently released a landmark report on the impact of social enterprises, finding they contribute more than $16 billion to the Australian economy each year and employ more than 200,000 people.

“At our hotel, 25% of every dollar spent is returned to the YWCA,” explained Ackary. “So, if you purchase a $4 coffee, $1 goes back into the community, and with a $40 steak, $10 is contributed.”

A bowl of diced fruit sits on a table in front of a commercial kitchen.

At a time of rising costs, social enterprises must carefully balance profit with purpose, Social Traders CEO Tara Anderson said. Source: SBS / Sandra Fulloon

“Despite the challenging market conditions, combined revenue has increased by 10 per cent over recent years,” Anderson said.

“And that is partly because people who run social enterprises are incredibly passionate about what they do. They often put in extra hours because of their commitment to their purpose.”

Even so, the cost of living crisis is placing increasing pressure on the sector.

“Everything’s going up, from laundry to food and labour,” Ackary said.

“So, we need to be really commercial and very focused on our expenses as well as driving our revenue.

“And while our purpose is number one, we never lose sight of our customers.”

For leaders like Ackary, managing both objectives is part of the daily challenge.

“I am super proud. It’s rewriting the commercial world, if you like.

“Everyone thinks that a business has to have someone behind it that is driven to make a lot of money.

“Well, no, people in social enterprise have a purpose, and that is what drives us.”

If you or someone you know is impacted by family and domestic violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732, or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au. In an emergency, call 000.