DCM marks its half-century milestone

Fifty years, 50 photos. Wellington’s Downtown Community Ministry (DCM) has been helping the most marginalised people in Wellington for the past five decades.

As part of marking that milestone, DCM has created an exhibition of 50 photos called Together We Can End Homelessness.

The exhibition is full of photos showing solutions for working on the homelessness issue, rather than filling it with pictures showing people sleeping in doorways or begging on the street.

‘‘Together we can end homelessness – that together is a very big together,’’ DCM’s Michelle Scott said. ‘‘Many people come to us saying ‘how can we be part of this?’ ’’

Scott is one of the four curators, alongside Massey University lecturer Helen Mitchell, educator John Williams and photographer James Gilberd. Those four make up one small part of the exhibition, alongside several photographers, as well as the volunteers behind the pictures.

From writers to food businesses, eye doctors and therapists, a community is built around DCM.

The people supported by the DCM – called taumai – often give back by helping out in the food bank or volunteering at the DCM’s annual book fair. ‘‘It’s about the whole community that comes together,’’ Scott said.

People come to the DCM in different ways: one volunteer, a physiotherapist working close to the ministry’s Lukes Lane base, became curious about the karakia and waiata they would sing in the mornings.

One day, when a DCM member was in his office, he asked what the singing was. Not long after, he started coming by in the morning to sing with them. Then he started using his skills to help people with back and neck issues from sleeping rough.

The exhibition reflects the work of people like him. ‘‘One of the things about the photos – each photo may be one person but there’s a whole lot of people behind it.

‘‘There might be a photo of one dentist but we work with 20 to 30,’’ Scott said.

For DCM, success from this exhibition means inspiring people and showing them the many different ways they can help out, with skills they already have.

Together We Can End Homelessness runs until September 28 at Photospace Gallery, 37 Courtenay Place.

Wellington’s Downtown Community Ministry (DCM) is marking its 50th anniversary with an exhibition featuring 50 photos that show solutions to dealing with homelessness issues.