‘I feel really safe’: Building trust with our women
Tucked away on a busy street is a transitional housing provider that focuses on supporting homeless women
Sitting on the floor of her room, Tania Thompson says she has been working on an art piece for her bedroom wall.
The 58-year-old is fond of recycling and often sees the worth in what others have thrown away. The piece she is weaving comes from discarded thin wooden planks she found around central Wellington. It’s been a while since Thompson had a place to call home, which she could decorate how she liked.
For the past two years, Thompson has been couchsurfing, living in her cousin’s shed and on the streets of central Wellington. She’s one of 41,000 people who are homeless in New Zealand. This figure includes people who are living out of cars and in garages.
But for the past five months, Thompson has been living in transitional housing on Manners St, provided by Wellington Homeless Women’s Trust (WHWT). ‘‘I feel really safe and wish I had come here ages ago. I look forward to coming home,’’ she said.
‘‘Being homeless was horrible. I never thought I’d be homeless because I’ve lived in private homes in the past,’’ Thompson said. But her addiction to alcohol has made some experiences in her life difficult. It is something she has dealt with since 1995, after the death of her partner.
Not only does WHWT provide transitional housing, it also offers a ‘‘tenant support plan’’ that focuses on education, encouraging hobbies, promoting confidence and self-care.
Thompson (Nga¯ti Kahungunu and Te Wha¯nau-a¯-Apanui) said she knew more about her rights, especially when it came to dealing with Work and Income.
‘‘I’m so grateful to be here. I’m not hiding any more. I’ve learnt to start trusting and my goal is to be at peace and to get on my feet to get moving,’’ she said.
Tomorrow, WHWT will be opening its extended premises. With the help of the Ministry of Social Development and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, the number of beds it can provide homeless women has gone from five to 14.
The trust provides the women with budgeting advice, helps them with medical appointments and goes with them to meetings.
Hiria Tareha, kaiwhakahaere (general manager) of WHWT, said it was about providing women with the skills they needed to empower themselves.