You could be the perfect candidate to take part in Australia’s first Prison Build.

Habitat for Humanity, the GEO Group, TAFE NSW Riverina Institute and Junee Shire Council have combined to offer a Junee family the chance to build and own their first home interest free.

The project will result in a family being provided with a home constructed by inmates from the Junee Correctional Centre’s Building and Construction TAFE course participants.

Inmates will build the home within the prison before it is transported to land in Junee.

The house will be completed by volunteers using donated materials and services from the community to

keep the cost of the project low.

In order to get the project off the ground by March 2011, the Prison Build Junee steering committee is asking for sponsors and volunteers to come forward, according to Junee Shire Council general manager Greg Campbell.

“Without volunteers and sponsors, we’d be unable to keep the cost of housing affordable for families in need,” he said.

“Habitat for Humanity families receive a real boost working alongside volunteers to help them build and move into a home of their own.”

The soon to be selected family has to agree to work more than 500 hours on the construction of their Habitat home and in return will be provided with an interest-free mortgage with repayments that are never more than 25 per cent of their gross household income.

They will also be provided with training in basic home maintenance and household financial management.

It is hoped the Junee project will be the first of many throughout the Riverina.

For more information about sponsorship, donations or volunteering contact steering committee chairperson Susan Cann at susan.cann@tafensw.edu.au or 6924 3222.