Forty Years of Caring
Understanding and celebrating the role Nova Trust plays in our community
ON ONE OF THE WETTEST MONDAYS IN A CENTURY, I chat with Tony Fallon, the Development and Central Services Manager at Nova Trust in Templeton. ‘This would be a summer day in Ireland,’ he jokes in his soft Irish brogue.
Having a sense of humour must help in such a challenging environment. ‘Clients often present with multiple addictions,’ he tells me. ‘But alcohol is always somewhere in the mix. We see shocking cognitive impairment from methamphetamine, but only a small percentage of the population has a meth addiction. Alcohol is still the most dangerous drug in New Zealand.’
Contrary to what most people think when they hear about a rehab centre, not every resident requires a medical detox programme; some just need recovery support to reorientate their lives away from substance abuse. The facility has 28 beds in its recovery service and accepts referrals nationally. Although staff regularly field calls from parents worried about their child’s alcohol or cannabis habits, Nova only caters for moderate to severe cases, referred from other services.
There isn’t a waiting list, but the number of beds in the medical detox unit is a limiting factor. Before COVID-19, Nova was busier, and Tony suggests that this may be because the Canterbury District Health Board is currently focusing on the pandemic rather than addictions.
I ask him about the ethnic mix of their clients. ‘We are seeing more Māori for sure,’ Tony says. ‘Roughly 20 per cent of our clients identify as Māori. However, other addiction services are specifically set up for this group, so we don’t see them all.’
Nova Trust has come a long way since Don Malcolm established it in 1981 to offer gainful employment while helping people who struggled with addictions. The trust was originally based at Huntsbury Lodge on the Port Hills. There was little funding available, and the clinical input came mainly from medical students who volunteered their time. One of these volunteers was Dr Gerard Fairhall, a founding member of the trust. Forty years on, Dr Fairhall is still a valued trustee.
When the District Health Board agreed to fund the work, the staff at Nova extended the treatment programmes, and now they include group work and one-on-one counselling. Residents typically stay for three to six months. They can have visitors and are allowed home for short breaks if staff deem the environment safe. As well as Health Board funding, clients on WINZ benefits pay their accommodation allowance directly to the trust to help with costs.
In the 1990s, Nova Trust relocated to 30 hectares in Templeton. Being in the country is novel for many residents
who have only ever lived in towns or cities. They can spend their mornings employed in Nova Fresh, the trust’s horticultural business.
‘We sell our vegetables through MG Marketing and Turners & Growers,’ Tony says. ‘Beetroot is our biggest crop; we have three hectares. We also grow capsicums, cucumbers and chillies. Our clients love the fact we propagate the seeds on-site, and they can take part in the entire process from sowing to picking. We also have cows grazing in the fields.
‘Nova Natives is an initiative growing native plants, trees and grasses, available for commercial landscaping and roading projects. Last year the total horticultural turnover was threequarters of a million dollars. We aren’t playing at being a social enterprise. These are established businesses and we will continue to develop them.’
The horticultural side of the organisation helps fund the addiction services. ‘We don’t fundraise, but of course we welcome bequests and donations. This extra money is a bonus; there’s always more we would like to do. Currently, we are looking at ways to accredit the horticulture work for our clients to support their employment.’
Another unique aspect of the trust is the centre of excellence called the Nova STAR programme. A part of the national implementation of SACAT – Substance Addiction (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment Act) 2017, Nova STAR is for people from all over New Zealand with severe addictions and cognitive impairment affecting their ability to seek help. For these residents, the programme is a last resort. They get an intensive programme of interventions to improve their health and wellbeing and their cognitive capacity. Relapse prevention and harm reduction are also part of this programme.
Tony is proud of the skilled and compassionate staff Nova employs. ‘It is sometimes a struggle to get the volume of applications for our posts, but we fill our vacancies, and we are fortunate to employ registered nurses in our specialist unit. As an employment alternative to the District Health Board, we offer excellent training and students enjoy coming to us for their placements.’
Tony says it is an exciting time to be part of Nova. ‘The new management team is innovative and ambitious. We are continually looking for ways to extend our services. We are fortunate to be on this large block of land; there’s plenty of space to expand.’
As the rain continues to beat down outside, it is good to see the residents are safe and warm. Nova Trust is a refuge from the storms of life. It provides a supportive environment for people to ‘dry out’ and learn new skills. Dedicated professionals have been helping clients for 40 years; Tony is confident the next 40 will be even better.
Last year the total horticultural turnover was three-quarters of a million dollars. The horticultural side of the organisation helps fund the addiction services.