Kiwifruit jobs lifeline offers fresh hope

Getting married, raising a family and holding down a good job can be stressful for anyone.
But for 37-year-old Noelene Hoete life's a bit more challenging because she has schizophrenia.
She has always wanted to raise a family and dreams of getting married one day but for now she's gearing herself up for fulltime employment _ something she has never done.
Ms Hoete is one of 24 Bay people living with a mental illness who are taking part in Kai Mahi, a two-week programme that will help up-skill to gain employment.
Tomorrow the group will start their first shift at one of four kiwifruit packhouses across the Western Bay, where they will work the season out.
"I came into the course thinking I had nothing to do and I wasn't working and now I'm keen and eager and really enjoying the process," Ms Hoete told the Bay of Plenty Times.
Ms Hoete moved to Tauranga from Kawerau two years ago to "start over".
She abused alcohol and drugs, was without a job and found it hard to cope with her illness because she didn't have a good support network. Before that she spent years institutionalised.
But life changed when she moved to the Western Bay. Although she suffers anxiety attacks and is on medication she is equipped with a positive attitude and a new drive for life.
She is also now living in a supported environment where she flats with other people working through their mental illness and is visited daily by support workers.
"Now I'm working at getting myself better and I'm looking forward to an awesome future," she said. "I would like to get married one day and have children."
When asked how she felt about getting back into the workforce, she said: "I am feeling awesome. I can't wait to get back out there and earn some money. But, yeah, I'm still nervous about starting too, but I'm just going to give it my all."
Her new job in Katikati isn't her first. She held a part-time job last year but it ended suddenly when she was told to leave just days after starting.
"I think it was discrimination, I could see the way they were looking at me," she said.
Ms Hoete said everyone needed to realise that people with mental illnesses were still people.
"We're just ordinary people, we're not bad people."
Arlene Foster, general manager of Turning Point Trust, the mental health support service contracted by Work and Income New Zealand to run Kai Mahi, agreed.
"Some employers are great but others just have no idea," she said.
Kai Mahi was started last year after Ms Foster initiated scheme with Fruition managing director Sandy Scarrow, who oversees the packhouse training.
The women who both have at least a decade of experience in their field each said last year's programme was a great success with 19 of the 23 participants working the entire kiwifruit season. Many were now in paid employment.
Visit www.moh.govt.nz. NOTE: The next intake for this course is in early 2009.