Why Whakaora Kāinga is so special
Our first residents are moving into our new Whakaora Kāinga (transitional housing) building and we couldn’t be more excited and proud to see this amazing project finally get under way.
Whakaora Kāinga is at 275 Hereford Street – behind our new Thrive Café – and it is part of a $11m redevelopment that will take the quality of how we care for people to new levels. A new foodbank is still being completed and that will open in March-April 2023.
The AM Show on TV3 broadcast live from Whakaora Kāinga today and Social Service manager Zucchi Leonard explained what our vision was and how a three-month stay with us wrapped in our support will create new lives for the former homeless people who will use it.
Zucchi Leonard being interviewed for the AM Show
Zucchi’s interview started in the lounge area of one of the apartments and that’s so appropriate because communal living is one of the big differences in how we are approaching transitional housing.
Instead of residents living in isolated, self-contained units, we are going to show them how to live successfully in a communal environment – exactly like they would find in a flat or in a home. We believe these social skills are very important to moving from cyclical homelessness to being successfully housed.
There are plenty of transitional housing developments in Christchurch. But none operate anything like ours. We have created the best environment we can to help people thrive and we are particularly targeting the sector of homeless single men who have odds stacked against them of finding accommodation, let alone successfully staying in it.
The living space for one of the apartments.
We have created the best environment we can to help people thrive and we are particularly targeting the sector of homeless single men who have odds stacked against them of finding accommodation, let alone successfully staying in it.
The building has three storeys and three apartments and hosts a total of 15 male and female residents. Our support will continue for a further three months once they leave, making sure they continue the good work.
A stay at Whakaora Kāinga aims to boost life skills, work skills, confidence, and self-esteem and it builds on the knowledge we gained during the Covid lockdowns of how the more time people spend with us the better their long-term outcomes.
A stay with us includes 24/7 staffing and support. Each resident will get a personalised programme and be supported by a housing navigator staff member who will guide them. They will be able to access our drug and alcohol services, our financial mentors, our social workers, our day programmes and take part in a specially designed transitional programme.
Residents will live within our community village and will become part of our family, which is hugely important to people who have lost touch with their families. Residents will be selected from our emergency accommodation shelters as well as from Ministry of Social Development referrals.
The key factor to getting a place will be them showing they are ready to overcome their challenges and be willing to take advantage of all the opportunities and support we will provide.
Thank you to everyone who has helped us make this dream come true. And a particular thanks to Fisher and Paykel for the magnificent donation of all the Haier whiteware appliances needed in the building.