Marae helps hundreds find homes
More than 300 homeless people have been helped into housing in the past two years by a south Auckland marae.
That figure is among the findings of a report into the Manaaki Ta¯ngata e Rua programme started by Te Puea Memorial Marae in Ma¯ngere Bridge in May 2016.
The marae has released a report examining its efforts to provide temporary accommodation and support to the homeless people.
At a housing symposium on Wednesday, marae chairman Hurimoana Dennis told the audience the model used by the marae was ‘‘so simple it hurts’’.
Dennis likened it to a po¯whiri, at which people would be welcomed onto a marae, introduce themselves, be offered a cup of tea, food and shelter, and then be on their way.
Dennis said the marae has helped 332 homeless people get into homes. It worked with the Ministry of Social Development and Housing NZ to find them accommodation and provide them with ongoing support.
‘‘When these people arrive at the [marae] they are down, they are depressed, they don’t have a lot going on in their lives, and they are looking for help.
‘‘Unfortunately most of them are Ma¯ori families, but we are taking in Pacific and Pa¯keha¯ wha¯nau [as well]. It didn’t really matter [what their ethnicity was].’’
The Manaaki Ta¯ngata programme asked questions about the standard responses to homelessness, Dennis said.
‘‘We challenged the government of the day to say, ‘listen, things aren’t going right’, and we got push-back.
‘‘We challenged the status quo to say that any marae can do this.’’
Dennis said the marae stayed in touch with homeless people it helped for eight to nine months after they had moved on.
‘‘We make unannounced visits to their home and we get welcomed in every time.’’
Waikato University associate professor Jenny-Lee Morgan, who co-led the research report, said the marae helped homeless people into housing within an average of just over five weeks and about 25 per cent of the adults were working.